Middle Age Punk and Prague People
Middle Age Punk Issue 011
AVOIDING THE CHIT CHAT
Having been living in Prague for going on two months now I’ve had to adjust to a lot of new ways of living, among those the differences in the social constructs between America and the Czech Republic.
One of the most notable, and obvious, is the Czech people’s complete dismissal of idle, pointless small talk with strangers.
As an American for 42 years of my life I can say I fucking love this.
Czech people do not smile at you as you pass them on the street. They definitely do not talk to you. This is so refreshing to me.
Americans can’t handle this. We need to fill the empty air with pointless chatter about the weather, or if your towns sport team is doing exceptionally well you can expect to hear about it from complete strangers while your life drips out of you in line at the grocery store.
Customer service workers in Prague would be hard pressed to even welcome you with a “Dobry Den” (good day) and get straight to the business function of ordering drinks and food, or purchasing an item. It’s bare bones. Cut and dry, and it’s by far one of the most endearing things about living here.
Americans think they’re being friendly by chatting up strangers, and perhaps they are, and it’s not that the Czech are being rude, they just don’t fuck around. Why should they need to? I’ve heard it explained that Czech people are very literal and if you ask them “How are they doing,” an uncommon greeting here, they will tell you how they are, for better or worse. That’s just a casual, noncommittal greeting in America that nobody ever answers sincerely. We’re all too busy.
SCUMDOGS
Last week the band GWAR re-released their now 10 year old album “Battle Maximus” all remastered and what not. It was the last album to feature front man Oderus Urungus/Dave Brockie before his death by heroine overdose. The re-release features a heretofore unreleased song, the last ever to be graced by Dave’s vocals.
I wasn’t prepared for the swirl of emotions this brought up in me. It took me a long time to accept his death, saddened that Dave's behavior led to him depriving the world of his talent and artistry, and that marred Battle Maximus for me.
Even as GWAR has pressed on it hasn't ever been quite the same. The absence of Dave/Oderus is massive and it's clear since his death just how much of a creative and captivating force he was, not only as a performer but as an artist.
This new version of the album is great, because, in fact, it’s a great album, carried by Dave's undeniable charisma locking in step with the bands killer prowess. A final snapshot of one of our truly great creative people, doing what he did best, making songs about space aliens brutally killing people for fun, and having sex with animals.
Eternal hails to Oderus Urungus. This place has been the fucking pits since he left.
MIDDLE AGE PUNK TURNS 42
This Sunday I’ll be have spent 42 years on this planet. I made some art to mark the occasion and wrote some words about it.
WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO
GWAR - Battle Maximus (10th Anniversary Edition)
Converge - The Dusk in Us (Deluxe Edition)
Waldgefluster - Femundsmarka - Eine Reise in drei Kapitein (Remastered 2023)
Angel Du$t - Brand New Soul
Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS
Iron Flame - Compendium
LYRICS OF THE WEEK
My teeth dance to songs no one can hear
Austin Lucas - “Middle Years”