Without playing favorites, it is always special for us to connect with Punk Rock and hardcore “lifers”, who have been around since the early 80’s and witnessed the seminal wave of bands. It is even more special when these people were involved in bands that kick started our love for this music. Scott Radinsky is both. He has been singing in bands for 35 years now, getting started with Scared Straight, which later morphed into Ten Foot Pole. Their LP Rev was a favorite of mine when it came out and still holds a place in my top 3 favorite Punk Rock records. Of course, Pulley then came along and released a solid string of albums over their 20+ years of existence. Adding yet another layer of uniqueness for me, is the fact that he’s done so while pitching and later coaching in Major League Baseball. As a baseball-crazed teenager, I would have been hard-pressed to find a cooler combo of occupations!
-Ben F.
Name five songs that you consider “perfect songs”
For me it would be more like albums, KISS – Alive 2 was prob the most listened to record I had and I loved every one of the live songs on the record, it was one of my earliest albums to own. So that in itself is what has been stuck in my head as a first impression for all of my life. Once I became exposed to hardcore in the early 80’s there were also some memorable bands & songs that have inspired me still to this day, as far as picking individual songs I’ve never been good at “who’s your favorite band or what’s your favorite song”.
Which music genre do you listen to the most? List your five favorite albums in that genre.
For the last 35 years I have listened to primarily all types of music but most of it Punk Rock, it’s the best music in the world, there have been many days where I have been walking around cities with headphones on listening to BLACK FLAG Damaged or THE DESCENDENTS Milo Goes To College, the first two MINOR THREAT EPs and in recent years a lot of PROPAGANDHI, energy, anger & intelligence is what keeps me interested in the Punk Rock scene or movement, I also will listen to a lot of old Rock of all types, Blues & really anything with guitar.
What’s the album you’ve listened to the most in your life? Do you still listen to it?
Like I mentioned previously, KISS – Alive 2 was the most listened to record I own. I haven’t listened to it in a long time and to be honest I think I got kinda tired of it at one point for listening to it too much. But now with the format in which we can listen to music I am not really sure I sit down and listen to a whole record anymore after hearing it for the first time. It’s too easy to hit shuffle and get to hear all the good songs I have recorded or downloaded.
Five greatest punk or hardcore EP’s of all time?
Minot Threat – EPs
The Clitboys – We Don’t Play The Game
Ill Repute – Land Of No Toilets
Code Of Honor – What Are We Gonna Do
RKL – Keep Laughing
There are so many more I am not sure I want to leave them off the list but you only asked for 5 and that was a easy, I could’ve listed over 100!
What are some of your favorite song lyrics? Lyrics that have been important to you or that had an impact on you?
Most of the lyrics I become attached to are the songs that have personal meaning to me and where I could be in my life at that moment, a sad place, an angry place or a happy place. The beautiful thing about lyrics is that the definition hits us all in different ways, what means something for me could mean something totally different to someone else. I sometimes can listen to a song I’ve heard for years and discover something different in what I thought the song was about just by the mood you’re in or how your brain is processing what they are saying. I don’t really have much of a favorite of anything because I like a lot. It’s like choosing a favorite child. You just love them all the same & enjoy the differences.
What are your ten favourite albums of all time (all genres)? Name a standout track on each of these albums.
Kiss – Alive 2 – Shock me. Love Ace Frehley’s voice.
Black Flag – Jealous Again. Love Ron’s voice.
Pink Floyd – The Wall – The whole record
Minor Threat – Self Titled – Small Man Big Mouth
Descendents – Enjoy – Cheer
Lagwagon – Trashed – Coffee and Cigarettes
Propagandhi – all of ’em
Miles Davis – Kind Of Blue
Social Distortion – Mommy’s Little Monster
Dag Nasty – Can I Say – Values Here
That was way too hard to only put down 10, there are at least 90 more that belong on this list. I’m old and I have a larger record collection.
Do you remember the first time you really appreciated an album or a song?
Yes, my neighbor across the street made me an 8 track recording of QUEEN – News Of The World & TED NUGENT – Cat Scratch Fever.
What were you listening to in elementary school? then in high school? How have your musical tastes evolved since?
Elementary school was mostly what I could listen to on the radio, the era of Disco was on its way out & Hard Rock was pretty much what was out there, KISS, ZEPPELIN, QUEEN, AC/DC etc…I still listen to all of it but prob not as much as when it was all I had. My musical tastes have definitely evolved with age, I can listen to softer music now that I couldn’t stand at one point in my life as well as appreciate. Writing and recording also gives you a different outlook on how to listen to others’ music knowing what it took to go into a song or a record and the hard work to create what you’re listening to.
Most memorable show you’ve ever seen? What makes it stand out?
I saw FEAR & SOCIAL DISTORTION when I was in 9th grade. I’m 50 now so that was a long ass time ago, to see the energy of the crowd and the band on stage just blew me away. I was hooked & never looked back. I knew then that I wanted to be up there screaming at and with people feeling the music behind me, it was so DIY back then that it made you really feel like you were a part of the scene & making a difference.
Is there any band that you’ve always wanted to see live but never had the chance to catch them?
There are a lot of Oi bands that I would like to still see and think I will at some point if they don’t break up first. I saw MINOR THREAT at a place called Roller Works in Chatsworth, CA and I feel like that was the holy grail; one of the most mysterious & biggest punk bands of all time played that close to my house at a time when touring wasn’t easy, they made it out to California and I was lucky enough to say I was there. I know that’s one band a lot of people wish they could’ve seen in their short existence as a band and I still have the flyer. I’m fortunate for that.
What is the most impressive band you’ve toured with? The one that you just had to watch every night? Did you learn anything from them/by watching them?
We have had the opportunity to play with many awesome bands but there is one from Brazil during a South America tour called DEAD FISH. They weren’t the best song writers or musicians but they absolutely killed it every night and never let up, night after night the same energy from the crowd & the band. I did not know anything about them for that first show but after the 14th I knew every song and could sing in Portuguese as well, or at least tried, they fucking rocked!
Is there any classic / universally acclaimed artist or that you missed out on when they first came out and discovered way later? Any artist that you didn’t like at first and learned to appreciate over time?
Manu Chao & Bob Dylan.
Do you have an artist that you love in a genre that you don’t usually listen to? What makes them stand out?
I am not a country fan but I do appreciate the rebels: Johnny Cash, Hank Williams even Ray Charles even though he’s not Country. These guys paved a way for renegades to have an outlet, it’s not easy being someone to take the risk to be different and you have to respect how they put it all out on the line believing what they did to make an impact and imprint on the landscape of music to last forever,, I just appreciate people with balls who aren’t afraid to be different.
Do you have any controversial/unpopular music related opinions that you would like to defend?
Peoples opinions are what they are & everybody has one. I’m not getting into debates over what I feel is worth defending because there will always be someone with a different view, music is not worth that battle to me. I believe in saving that energy to stand up and defend the right and wrong doings in the world.
What band or artist do you believe has achieved the most flawless sequence of 3 records in a row?
Propagandhi
Which artists (2 or more), dead or alive, and from what era, would you dream to see collaborate?
JIM MORRISON from THE DOORS seems like he would’ve been a strange character to hang out with and share ideas, I’m sure him & DARBY CRASH of THE GERMS could’ve been around during the same time it could have been something special: two total outcasts coming from the same area in different time periods but with ultimately the same message. It was definitely anarchy of its own kind & both left a big impact in only a short time of existence playing in a band and in life.
Is there a band that you’ve discovered live recently that blew you away?
There isn’t any band recently that I’ve seen that blew me away but I saw OFF! in a small club a few years ago and they definitely blew me away: 30 second songs that can melt your face. I walked out of a small club with another 200 people and thought: “wow that just happened”. I looked around at everyone’s faces and they all had had the same look I did, we were all just saying: “what the fuck was that!”. Incredible.
What are you listening to right now, while answering these questions?
It’s 6:00 in the morning and I was listening to sham 69
Is there anything you would like to promote?
Thanks for reading this up to this point and thanks to all the people who support music, we are all in it together and need to watch out for one another. Thanks.
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