Jason Pettigrew

(apologies to Gavin Friday)

If you follow my hijinx on social media, you’ll see I attended the opening night of the Derek Hess exhibit at the Museum of Natural History this past November. When I moved to Cleveland, I had a ringside seat for the early moments in Derek’s career, and I don't think I’m being hyperbolic by typing that he was the city’s finest underground-rock ambassador. In his role promoting shows at the Euclid Tavern, he not only got multiple generations to get off their couches and into the clubs, Derek created amazing flier images for visiting bands that none of them would ever forget. Some of those images ended up as lithograph posters which ended up exchanging hands for some hefty amounts.

I’m pleased to report that you don’t have to give up half a year’s worth of your gummy money to have some Hess in your home. The Revolutionary Concert Art of Derek Hess is an indie-rock historian’s holy book, filled with all of the artwork Derek created for posters and fliers trumpeting his show-promo achievements and events (like the modern hardcore StrhessFest festivals) alike. Longtime manager Marty Geramita wrote an essay centered on Derek’s DIY cottage industry; Cleveland-based writer/musician Ron Kretsch recalls Derek’s participation in jumpstarting a new underground-rock zeitgeist in the city; and I contributed an essay explaining why Derek’s output should be embraced as new canonical works. And if that sounds pretentious, well, I’m gladly owning it, fucko. The book is slated for release in late spring; interested parties should bookmark his official site to get the updates to make their pre-order commitments thusly.

While I was at home panicking over broken appliances, home heating bills and trying to get my tax information prepared ahead of time, Frank Zummo was gallivanting in California promoting our collaboration, Unbreakable Rhythm, for Modern Drummer. The other night, he sent me a photo of him on the set of comedian Bert Kreischer’s podcast flanked by Adrian Young of No Doubt and acclaimed artist Shepard Fairey, both of whom were interviewed for the book. We got a really considerate review from Jonathan Currin at Good Star Vibes who summed it up succinctly: “The writing style [of the book] is direct and conversational, often reading as though Frank Zummo is speaking to the reader rather than performing for them. This approach gives the memoir an immediacy that keeps it grounded, reinforcing its focus on honesty, accountability, and lived experience.”

After Frank, copy editor Ben Davis and I got done editing the book, it still had less f-bombs than Al Pacino’s 1983 thespian vehicle, Scarface. Frank will soon be back out on the road with Electric Callboy. Catch him if you can, unless you’re susceptible to feeling phantom arm pain watching drummers…

The new issue of SPIN (cover star: Chance The Rapper) appeared in my mailbox a few days ago, which made me smile considerably. Thank you to Jon Cohen for having me along to wax about AVTT/PTTN and Nine Inch Nails, as well as my Vinyl Countdown column where I suggest reasons you should go to a record store to spend your gift-card money, holiday bonus check or funds diverted from home repair, new appliances or trips to Pottery Barn.

As I type this, my treatise on Ministry’s majestic The Land Of Rape And Honey is not in stock at Bloomsbury’s warehouse. Seriously, I don’t have any copies left and there’s a bunch of peeps I still need to hook up with copies! If the situation changes, I shall let you know here, at once. I am pleased to report that Barnes & Noble has it online, and so does Amazon. And there might be copies available over at the Post-Punk & Industrial Museum in Chicago. (Those are signed with such quaint bon mots as “Laugh like a what?” and “You know what you are, but who am I?” as well as one that reads “I am NOT the kitchen clock.” (For all of you PTP diehards out there.) Ask Martin if he has any.

REST IN POWER, HOWIE KLEIN

I wish to acknowledge the Dec 25th passing of Howie Klein. The man who not only maintained all of the madness (and quality control) at Sire Records in the ‘80s was also responsible for giving a signal boost to bands like The Units, Translator, Romeo Void and Red Rockers via his very own 415 Records label in the ‘70s. As president of Warner Bros, Klein helmed the label as the ultimate artist-friendly environment throughout the ‘90s prior to retiring in 2001. Klein was strident in his fight against anti-censorship groups, which led to the creation of his Down With Tyranny blogsite that continues to focus on blue-centered initiatives and calls to action. If you visit the site, you’ll find a number of fond remembrances from people who truly knew him the most intimately. His sense of aesthetics certainly left tire-tracks on my musical tastes.

He was making a lemon-blueberry pie while discussing and clarifying the stories of dealing with Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker in the late ‘80s. While there may be people today who are just as passionately committed to artistry and unhindered communication as Klein was, said executives seem to get bodied by accountants more than ever. The joys of late-stage capitalism. And in the words of the maverick Norwegian avant-music label Rune Grammofon, “Money will ruin everything.”

May your hands be open and warm to console the ones you love, and your fists tight enough for the times to protect them. I love you, too. 

The title above is a quote from the late Joe Strummer - who also said, "What are we gonna do now?"

After Lord knows how many erratic sleeping schedules, gallons of Milo’s sweet tea & lemonade and personal and professional travails, 2025 is coming to an end. So many people helped me out with the creation and promotion of my book on Ministry’s The Land Of Rape And Honey for Bloomsbury’s 33⅓ series. And then after some book promotion, I began whipping drummers’ drummer Frank Zummo’s autobiography Unbreakable Rhythm into shape. When I am not going through extreme neurosis and frantically trying to prepare for Christmas travel, I am going to thank every single person that got me through to the end of the year. I promise that I’ll get it done before the Easter Bunny arrives on June 12 (IYKYK).

Right now though, I am gratefully indebted to Bob and Tina Blake (for reminding me what nutrition is for); April Whitney (for divining great opportunities and turning expectation management into an artform); Michelle Biggerstaff at BiggHaus (The supreme Furiosa of the PTGRW website); Joe Milne (for ancillary art and design that’s better than what’s in my noggin) and Deanna Zamudio for creating the initial prototype of this site. I would also like to add in no uncertain terms that women get shit done. Period.

In closing, here’s post-punk architect/workaholic/lecturer Martin Atkins and I facing off with each other behind Reggie’s in Chicago, as bona fide polymath/cultural sponge Jon Nix has a big laugh at our repartee (and expense). I don’t know if we’re trading wisecracks at each other or pissing and moaning like Statler and Waldorf, the crotchety balcony-dwellers on The Muppet Show. (Either context you pick, it’s still gonna make Jon laugh.) I cherish this photo because it represents two old dudes that have done time in the culture wars lovingly ball-busting each other, while the next-gen of cultural conduits/emissaries (represented by Master Nix) is right there acknowledging the past while seeking, creating and plotting what lies ahead. Thank you, Becky DiGiglio, for capturing this moment while none of us were looking.

What lies ahead for me? Check back here after the first of the year, because not only will I tell you, I’m going to be asking you for some assistance. (I promise it won’t be pleas for PIN numbers, GoFundMe donations or coffee via Venmo.) Right now, use the holidays to strengthen or reconnect entirely with the people who are subletting or outright owning parts of your heart. Oh, and maybe buy a book. Or two.