Punked. In a Good Way
Back in the day, punk rockers weren’t always the most welcomed guests in nice hotels. Flash forward to today, and a book about punk rockers is not only welcomed but a celebrated addition to the Kimpton La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood.
The hotel announced that celebrity photographer Michael Grecco’s book, “Punk, Post Punk, New Wave: Onstage, Backstage, In Your Face, 1978-1991,” will be placed in its guest suites. And the hotel is to host an event Sept. 19 from 6-9 p.m. during which the L.A.-based Grecco will sign books.
During punk’s heyday, Grecco hung out in clubs, saying he was touched by punk’s “infectious freedom.” The result was the book with 162 shots, a foreword by Fred Schneider of the B-52s and Grecco’s anecdotes about the musicians he photographed.
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Los Angeles was largely built on a country and western theme. Think Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Will Rogers (the first mayor, albeit honorary only, of Beverly Hills). Not to mention all those Western movies that early Hollywood cranked out. But today, if you are a fan of country music, this is not exactly a barn burner of a city.
A ranking of best cities for country music fans put out earlier this month by LawnStarter concludes that the No. 1 city, unsurprisingly, is Nashville, Tennessee. But the No. 2 city, perhaps surprisingly, is New York. That’s because the city is large and has so many C&W concerts, Western-themed bars and even museums that it overwhelms many others. Likewise, larger cities appear high on the list; Chicago, Atlanta and Denver are all in the Top 10. But Los Angeles, despite its large size, is No. 18. There simply aren’t many places for country music fans here – as anyone who’s ever had a hankerin’ to put on a Stetson and do a Texas two-step can attest.
It’s even worse for those who live further out. Of all 180 U.S. cities ranked, Palmdale and Lancaster were in the bottom five and Garden Grove was dead last.
The Insider column is compiled by Editor- in-Chief Charles Crumpley. Submit ideas to [email protected].
