The legacy of the Ronald Reagan presidency – crack-infested inner cities, Reaganomics (or rather, Reaganomics then crack-infested inner cities), Latin American destabilisation and exploitation, the rise of virtually unregulated multinationals, the invasion of Grenada, the Iran/Contra Affair, the declaration of an un-winnable war on drugs ("Just Say No"), unconditional support for non-commensurate sentencing laws, Star Wars, an insatiable military industrial complex basking in the benefits of a nuclear deterrent policy based on Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) and its comforting corollary, the omnipresent threat of global nuclear holocaust, among other things – is also the legacy of North American punk and hardcore. Thanks, Ron.

It may be said that Reagan-era politics provided galvanising points for many nascent and marginalized music scenes, American East and West Coast punk and hardcore in particular, throwing gas on fiery bands like Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, The Minutemen, Black Flag and, of course, the Dead Kennedys. In complicit Canada, where we were happily manufacturing the guidance systems for cruise missiles in Ontario that the U.S. was testing over Alberta and the Northwest Territories, bands like D.O.A., S.N.F.U. and even, for example, Montreal’s Asexuals (I remember getting up on stage during the Ontario leg of an ’85 or ’86 tour and singing Contra Rebel with them) were milking invective from the miserable state of foreign affairs. In a very apropos sense, Reagan was both the target and supplier of most of the ammunition these aggressive urban musical revolutionaries were expending.

Among those taking occasional pot shots were storied New York punks The Ramones. Though not usually noted for a preponderance of overtly political songwriting, The Ramones were nevertheless moved to write one of their most polished and politicised tunes in response to then-President Reagan’s controversial visit to the Kolmeshohe military cemetery in Bitburg, Germany in 1985. The short form of the story goes something like this: Reagan strong-arms West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl into letting the U.S. place Pershing nuclear missiles on German territory despite considerable opposition from the German public. Kohl figures Reagan owes him one. So, since the U.S. Commander In Chief is going to be in Bonn to observe the 40th anniversary of V-E Day anyway, Kohl determines Reagan might as well help him regain the public trust by accompanying him on a visit to the cemetery in Bitburg, which constitutes the final parking space for some 2,000 World War II soldiers, including some 50-odd members of the Waffen SS.

Cue howls of outrage.

No biggie, says Reagan, who’s going to have to give Kohl his left nut if he doesn’t follow through. But, much to the consternation of, well, just about everyone who’s not a Republican in the U.S., he does. Hence the very excellent Ramones tune Bonzo Goes To Bitburg, excerpts of which I will reprint here as a sort of personal send-off to the late cold warrior and punk muse Reagan, who passed away last weekend at the age of 93.

Bonzo goes to Bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea

As I watched it on TV somehow it really bothered me

Drank in all the bars in town for an extended foreign policy

Pick up the pieces

My brain is hanging upside down

I need something to slow me down

Oh yeah, my brain is hanging upside down

And I need something to slow me down

If there’s one thing that makes me sick

It’s when someone tries to hide behind politics

I wish that time could go by fast

Somehow they manage to make it last…

For a very good time… Go to www.thebigjewel.com/avrillavignebythenumbers/.

You’re welcome.

Thank f*****g god Thank Fringing god that the fine folks at Pop Montreal were given the reigns this year at the annual Fringe Festival’s outdoor stage and beer tent (Parc des Amériques, corner Rachel and St-Laurent), one of the highlights of my summer every year. Instead of the usual very mixed bag of talent – which made for great granola Fringing but very frequently excruciating listening – at the outdoor stage, the Fringe this year has a widely representative selection of new and upcoming bands representing everything from soul to folk to punk to rock to urban to electro and so on, all for free. The compelling roster for this unique setting is as follows…

Thursday, June 10: World Famous Riflemen (6 p.m.), Les Mods (7 p.m.) and Fantasy (8 p.m.). Friday, June 11: Andrea Revel (6 p.m.), Statue Park (7 p.m.), and ?Alice! (8 p.m.). Saturday, June 12: Jetprojectlabs (6 p.m.), Ele_K* (7 p.m.), and Pony Up! (8 p.m.). Sunday, June 13: NWAR (6 p.m.), The Spins (7 p.m.), and Maginot (8 p.m.). Monday, June 14: Mikey Dangerous (6 p.m.), eye2eye (6:30 p.m.), Dirty Byrd (7 p.m.) and Where It Hurts (8 p.m.). Tuesday, June 15: n=1 (6 p.m.), Delgado (7 p.m.), and Boomeko (8 p.m.). Wednesday, June 16: DJ GUAPO (6 p.m.), Birdbrain (7 p.m.), and SOLEL (8 p.m.). Thursday, June 17: YSAYE (6 p.m.), Frootfly (7 p.m.), and Mickey Mutts (8 p.m.). Friday, June 18: Special Interest Group (6 p.m.), Chariot of Shame (7 p.m.), and Wax Mannequin (8 p.m.). Saturday, June 19: Stop Die Resuscitate (6 p.m.), OK COBRA (7 p.m.), and L’il Andy & The Karaoke Cowboy (8 p.m.). Sunday, June 20: "Big flippin’ surprise. Stay tuned."

See you there…

What do you get… When you cross two semi-bored old rockers with beer and a virtually limitless record collection? Why, another rock DJ night in one of St-Laurent Blvd.’s seemingly limitless array of decrepit, albeit infinitely inhabitable, booze boxes. In this case, the ever-more-popular Korova, which, though home to at least a half-dozen failed bar schemes in the last decade, most still call "the old Double Deuce."

"It’s basic," says DJ Johnson (also of Bionic recognizance), who shares this soon-to-be-celebrated event with Juan DJ of Rock’n'Roll (also of Starvin Hungry reknown). "It’s all raw soul, garage, metal. I guess the difference between our night and the ton of other rock nights is we’re not trying to play songs that everybody knows – we play a lot of obscure stuff ’cause we’re both record collectors. We may play New York Dolls, but it’s not imperative like at a lot of the other nights."

And here we go… "And there’s no posing and you don’t have to dress up like an idiot. A lot of the rock nights in town are just lame, other than the [Tuesday night] one that’s going on at Casa Del Popolo."

Which, quelle surprise, also has DJ Johnson on rotation…

"And it’s just two old guys playing tunes, so it’s really not cool," says Johnson fatalistically. "But people who want to get loaded and listen to good songs, well, that’s what we do. We’re pretty passionate about it, whether it’s Dirt Bombs or Led Zeppelin or punk rock before it sucked. But don’t get me wrong – it’s not a retro trip either."

For Johnson, this will be a happy homecoming of sorts (or maybe just another black lap as the cycle of life comes full circle), a return to the former Double Deuce where he spun rock records a decade ago. "It’s still got the slight remnants of the old Double Deuce," says Johnson without a nanoparticle of nostalgia, "But the new owners aren’t nearly as shady. Oh, and it should be mentioned that the night’s called Double W…"

Wad?

"Wide!"

Wad?!

"Wide! Double Wide, dammit!"

Get your rock on with Double Wide featuring DJ Johnson and Juan DJ of Rock’n'Roll at Korova (3908 St-Laurent) every Wednesday night. There is no cover and beer specials are in effect, so bring a date ya cheap bastards.

Move along, folks, nothing to see here "There’s nothing special about this show whatsoever," says Montreal folk punk troubadour Paul Cargnello. "Actually, this will be the last chance anyone will get to see me in Montreal until at least the end of July. And it’s way up on Beaubien, so it’s perfect," he adds wryly.

Anything else?

"I have nothing to say, you caught me off guard."

Is this a solo or full-band effort?

"I’m playing with the band, and I’m playing with another band called Les Têtes Réduites, another politically-oriented band, a ska band, pretty good. I’ve got nothing else to add."

Tell me something personal.

"Screw you."

C’mon…

"No way, fuck this. Usually I have something interesting to say, but today I have nothing. Actually, on the way home from doing an interview at CKUT yesterday I was walking down Pine and some guy comes up to me and says ‘Do you know where I can find good sex?’ and he grabs my arm, and I said ‘Get the fuck off me!’ and he ran at me…"

And you beat him off, as it were, with a tambourine?

"A tambourine and a couple of shakers." (Background: Cargnello is fond of recounting the tale of the time he fended off three would-be muggers with a mandolin. Or a grand piano, I can’t remember.)

Despite Cargnello’s sad lack of self-promotional skills, and an apparent predisposition for violence, I would strongly urge any and all to check him out at L’Hemisphere Gauche (221 Beaubien E.) with guests Les Têtes Réduites, June 12, starting at 9 p.m. for only $7.

Last writes The official CD release party for the Masters At Work, Vol. 1, Changin’ Da Game, goes at Club Soda, June 12 (admission is free between 3 and 9 p.m., eight bills after). Hosted by Ken Dawg and Malik Shaheed, this CD and concert showcases the next wave of young, soon-to-be hip-hop names in Montreal, including but not limited to Pako & Pesh, Radical, V.I.P., Jay Soul, Cavelle Romeo, FP Crew, Bad News Brown, TrackMonsta and many more. The after party features spinning by DJ Mike Mission, DJ Tuff, Don Smooth, DJ Clay and other special guests.