Bad Copy

[Editor’s Note: Patrick requested that we include an editor’s note before all of his reviews going forward.]

Back in the Fall of 2013, Kendra and I started to contribute to the website For The Love Of Punk (“FTLP”). I had contacted them a few months before and they were excited to have us on board…b ut Kendra was on tour with a band and we still hadn’t contributed anything to the site yet.  With everyone going to Riot Fest I thought it was about time that I introduce the FTLP readers to my photographs and writing in the best way I now how. So I wrote about not going to Riot Fest.

For my first review on FTLP, I actually wrote more of a “review” than I do now at Bad Copy. Sure, it still wasn’t a “traditional” review, but it was more than you’ll get from me these days.

Let me take a small step back. I found FTLP when Dawn (the site founder’s wife) commented on some photos of mine and said if I ever wanted to contribute to her and Johnny’s site that they would be honored (maybe she didn’t say “honored” but it sounds kind of cool so I’m going with it). At the time Kendra and I were contributing to a different site but soon wanted a change. I wrote to FTLP and introduced myself to them. To my surprise they remembered who I was and said that they would love to have us contribute! I let them know that while we would cover some big shows we were more interested in highlighting the smaller shows around Chicago. Johnny was all for it; he really was in it for the love of punk!

Before I forget, there was a line in that review I wrote about why Kendra was going to Riot Fest that year. It was “Kendra is young; she hasn’t become bitter and jaded like me yet.” Five years later and I think that statement is still true – do I really or did I write that because it sounds good? I saw Kendra at Riot Fest this year and she looked like she was having fun, more fun than I was anyway. Oh shit, I just said that I was at Riot Fest this year… hey, you know what band you should listen to? The Brokedowns. Go get their new LP, Sick Of Space. A photo of mine is on the insert! Is it on the CD insert too? Did I get any CDs of Sick Of Space or just LPs? Eh, I’d have to go way over there to check. Just buy the shit, it’s the fucking Brokedowns. You can’t go wrong. What was I talking about? I’ll bet you can’t guess what movie I have on in the background as I write this. What? Have I mentioned The Decline of Western Civilization before or was that just a lucky guess?

I hate writing these things so it was great being able to partner with Kendra who knows and enjoys writing! Johnny would let us cover whatever we wanted to; we’d go to small shows, house shows, etc. with the occasional “big” show thrown in there. I was a bit surprised with what he would let me get away with. It went beyond me not mentioning anything about the show I was reviewing. I would review records and write that I was listening to something else while writing the review or just completely review a different record as if it were the record I was supposed to review. In December 2014 FTLP was asked to help promote a Masked Intruder NYE show in Chicago. I think all they wanted was a mention on the website or maybe an interview with Masked Intruder. Instead we tracked down Black Invader, one of the original members of the band, and got him to sit down for a scandalous tell-all interview that revealed the true origins of Masked Intruder.

Why am I writing about FTLP? I’m writing this because Johnny committed suicide in July and I haven’t said much about it. I’m still not going to say much about it except that I miss Johnny and wish I had the opportunity to once again thank him for giving me an outlet for my photography, “writing,” and whatever else I wanted to do. I wish he was still here. I wish he hadn’t been in such a bad place that the only answer for him was suicide.

RIP Johnny Wilson.

Down here you look at the photos that I took of The Bumpus Hounds, The Reaganomics, Choking Susan, Vortis, Killmister, Avenues, Hotlips Messiah, Ultraman, The Bollweevils, The Kreutzer Sonata, Neutralboy and The Subjectors at Liarpaloozer 2018 at Liar’s Club from September 13 – 16, 2018!