In 2000, Dave Larsen from Excursion Records put out a movie called "Edge of Quarrel" featuring a lot of local band members and a pretty loose story line of straight-edge kids versus punk kids. It was just re-released on DVD for the first time with new commentary and scenes and is available through Excursion.
Even when it was first released, the premise of the movie seemed ridiculous and out-dated to me. The sXe vs. non-sXe arguments in the punk scene had been something more of the '80s and early '90s, it had died down after the militant straightedgers of Vegan Reich and other bands finally grew up or lost interest. The arguments that once filled the letter pages of MaximumRocknRoll about straightedge were completely absent by 1995, punk kids and straightedge kids were mostly friends again going to the same shows, so in 2000 for a movie to come out about them fighting and hating each other seemed... silly. Throw in bad acting, goofy situations, ridiculous lines and it's a pretty cheesy, but in a good way. And I say this liking both the director and a lot of the people in the movie. It's pretty funny to watch once, especially with a group of people, kinda like a b zombie movie only you can play spot the late '90s Seattle scenester. And some of the live band footage actually rocks.
Here's the basic story. A kid named Brian has been out of town and comes back to Seattle to find two old friends now enemies. Both are hanging with different crowds, one with somewhat militant straightedge kids, the other with drunk and ridiculous punk kids. And the two sides are arguing and brawling at every opportunity. Can Brian get his two friends and the two gangs to see the light? Can straightedgers and punks be friends once again? Ha ha ha, yeah, it's that ridiculous. But again, it's pretty funny to watch once. I wonder if the guy on the cover with "VEGAN" tattooed across his chest is still vegan and straightedge today...
The movies stars: Rocky Votolato (from Waxwing) as Brian Johansen, John Pettibone (from Undertow) as Jason Talbott, Dann Gallucci (from Murder City Devils) as Chance Linstrom, Mahdis Keshavarz (ex-Old Firehouse employee and old music activist), and many other people from old Seattle punk and hardcore bands, including the the kids from the Murder City Devils.
Bands featured playing live: Trial, Botch, and The Murder City Devils.
2 comments:
Dan, Thanks for putting this up!
I of course don't think it is as silly as all that, but you do make some valid points as always. Unfortunately, I think the situation in that movie bears more resemblance to the scene of today than that of 8 years ago. Gangs in the HC scene? What?
Aaron Edge is indeed still SXE and still vegan. He works at the Stranger these days and plays in a number of local bands like The Harbor Island Mutiny and I Am The Thorn.
Anyway, I am diggin the blog man. Thanks!
Dave Larson
— Vegan since 1992 and Straight Edge since 1989... and I'm proud to have been part of this silly movie. Dave, yer the best!
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