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There are two schools of thought when it comes to modern punk bands:

1. As long as there are teens who are angry at the world, there will always be punk. Yes, the modern genre is filled with popsters like Green Day and such, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t rock. Green Day has been putting records out for over 10 years. They must be doing something right. And who are we to slam the pop sound? Just listen to the Ramones, for crying out loud. They’re as pop as it gets! I say, as long as it’s good and interesting and keeps my fist pumping in the air, new punk is okay by me.

2. Punk is dead as bloody Sid Vicious. The day (insert name of late 70s punk band here) broke up and (insert name of punk star that died violently or by a drug overdose here) the whole thing was over. Then came New Wave, with those freaky New Yorkers with their art school training and screwed up hair. Like they new what real punk was. Anyway, these new, young guys like (insert name of any punk band to come out after the Sex Pistols here) think they know what punk was about. I mean, how can you have a multi-million dollar deal with Sony and be considered punk? And look at all these old punk guys that sold out -- Iggy Pop is doing commercials and Henry Rollins! Don’t even get me started on Henry Rollins. I say, all music should be banned except for pre-1982 punk and hardcore. Then the world be a better place.

As for myself, I am an anti-snob, music snob. If the music’s good, the songs well-written the album well produced, I’m in, with the exception of pop country, but that goes without saying.

One of the things I admire most, when a band can pull it off, is taking a genre that’s been over played to death, like punk, and gives it some new life. There are few punk bands out there that can do this, and one of them is the Guts.

At their show at the Muddy Tuesday, a crowd of about 50 people from all walks crowded up to the stage to sing along, dance and occasionally spastically jump toward the stage. Geoff, Nate and Ben seemed to be having a good time, talking shit to eat other and the audience between songs. Rick, the drummer, sort of looked like he was having a good time, except the sweat pouring down his face was preventing him from doing so.

Besides the incredibly slow service at the bar (I waited 20 minutes for a beer, no joke) the night was spectacular. Even though it had been, what like 80 years since the Guts played, they sounded tight, their energy was high and the crowd was loving every minute of it.