Get Punked

I listen to my share of punk rock music, but I was never really what you'd call a connoisseur of the genre. I was too young to fully appreciate the rawness of the musical style when it was at its zenith in the '70s, but thanks to a couple of dedicated friends I hung out with in middle and high school, I learned to appreciate the finer works of bands like The Sex Pistols, Dead Milkmen, The Cramps, and The Misfits.

While some of my classmates went whole hog in high school, sporting Mohawks and leopard-print creepers, I gravitated more toward punk's quieter, more polite, more melodic cousin: new wave. Elvis Costello, ABC, The Cure, and Adam and The Ants? Yes, please. Still, I kept up on the various punk rock bands that took their shots at stardom. The '90s was a good time to be young and punk, as bands such as Bad Religion, The Offspring, and Green Day cleaned up thanks to the burgeoning grunge movement. Sure, Green Day is not really a punk band, especially with its recent releases of 3-album sets and conceptual albums, but the general spirit is there. 

Charleston has seen its own share of punk rock culture. Anyone remember the guy who ran Prism Records back in the '80s? I vaguely remember visiting the store, which had the best selection of imports and hard-to-find records, but what I remember most is that the owner had a big cage of domesticated rats right in the middle of the store that he'd play with. Then there was Club Dog Alley, which I managed to completely miss due to living in Europe from 1989 to 1991. Folks still talk about that legendary club, which hosted nationally touring punk bands such as Flat Duo Jets, as well as local bands like The Archetypes. Over the years, bands such as Steve Hit Mike, The Woodies, Cletus, and Flamin' Anus have graced stages both here in town and around the country. 

One of Charleston's longest running punk acts is FLK, short for Funny Looking Kids. Comprised of drummer Jason McFarland, guitarist Clint Fore, bassist Tom Duke, and singer Kevin Taylor, FLK has been doing its thing since forming in 1996 in McFarland's bedroom. I spoke with McFarland recently at a house party in Mt. Pleasant, and he reminisced about the band's humble beginnings. "Back in 1996 someone bet me I couldn't get a band together that could play the Music Farm before Unjust," said McFarland, who added that he, indeed, won that bet. Over the years, FLK has played everywhere possible, opening for acts like The Aquabats and Fishbone. Despite being together for nearly 20 years, McFarland said that FLK has pretty much been stiffed by local media. "There are some folks in town that have always supported us," he said. "Folks like Clay Scales, Jimbo Webb, Johnny Puke, and Andrew Higdon—they've always had our back. But Ballard (Lesemann) is one of the few music journalists in town who has ever shown us any love."

FLK was performing at a house party on Joyce Street, just off Coleman Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant. It was a double bill with another stalwart in the local punk scene—Hybrid Mutants. The couple who owns the house set out an impressive spread of food and drinks. The bands played in the house's backyard patio, and while the party-goers enjoyed the music, several men took turns skateboarding inside the yard's empty swimming pool. There was a loose, casual atmosphere to the whole gathering, something that McFarland said also applies to FLK's music. "We've always played what made us happy," he said. "I don't worry about the audience. I look up to see if the other guys in the band are having a good time." 

Folks interested in seeing FLK live and up close will have a chance this Saturday, as the band will be performing in West Ashley at Tin Roof. Doors open at 8 p.m. and Hybrid Mutants and Actual Size will open the show. There won't be any swimming pool skaters, but if the vibe is anything close to what it was at that house party, then it's going to be a hell of a show.