If you’re old enough to remember the talk show Weekday in Boston, you might remember this 1982 punk rock episode.
I’m not old enough to remember. Weekday was before my TV time, I’m afraid. And I’m having a hell of a time finding any background information online about the program. Now Evening Magazine I remember. It was on WBZ-TV. I was just on WBZ-TV, too, but that’s besides the point. Oh, and People Are Talking on WBZ, with Tom Bergeron! I remember that one, too. But not Weekday. Sorry, I’m rambling and getting caught in a back-in-the-day Boston TV loop. Time to refocus.
This episode of Weekday is television gold. There’s a punk panel, a bunch of punk kids in the audience, and a host who does a pretty decent job of navigating a subject he’s clearly not all in on. And the best part? A lot of these kids are smart as hell. They’re talking about how punk isn’t a uniform, it’s a lifestyle. They’re talking about social issues. They’re expressing their anger and how punk is both an outlet and a rallying cry for that anger. And they’re doing it all in a thoughtful, engaging way. And it’s 1982!
The 1982 Punk Rock Episode of Boston’s Weekday
The video was posted to YouTube by Stone Films NYC, and they captioned it to give you an idea of the who’s-who of Boston punks who appear:
Excerpts from Boston talk show “Weekday” 1982 “Punk Rock” episode In order of appearance; Christine Steele, Rick Andrews (The Freeze), Julie Angermann (Impact Unit) , Dave Smalley (DYS), The late great Al Ford (Owner Gallery East), Drew Stone (The Mighty C.O’s), Katie “The Kleening Lady” Goldman, Walter Gustafson (The Outlets / Gang Green), Bob “Furapples” Hatfield (F.U.’s) . Also in the audience; Duane Lucia (Gallery East), Springa (SS Decontrol), Michael McDonald (Author), Mike Dean (Gang Green), Steve Grimes (F.U.’s), Etc.
Some of the commenters sound off and say some of the appearances are out-of-order, but you get the idea. Now take a trip 40 years into the past for Boston punks talking punk. Oh, and enjoy the fashion show.