RUX and Two days in LA

Back in 2004-2005 I started to find out about Korean punk, the first band I ever listened to was the Pogo punk band the Spiky Brats. Soon after I found out about the band RUX(락스)which the drummer from the Spiky Brats, Jong Hee, was the frontman for. Ever since, RUX has become my favorite band, with every album they release being as great as if not better than the first album I ever heard. RUX is also more than likely the number one reason why Punk rock in South Korea is still alive, with the Jong Hee being the general of the "Ruckus Army" filled with the punx and skinheads of their scene. Jong Hee set up the first real punk label in So.Ko known as Skunk Label (no affiliation to the Sublime label) which he was able to sign all his fellow punx and skins bands to. He established Skunk Hell, a club in the Hong-Dae area of Seoul which primarily played punk, Oi!, and various other underground music, around 2003-2004 however, Skunk Hell was laid to rest at the end of 2008 with a blow out show that was packed outside the door. When I asked Jong Hee about Skunk Hell, he said "I had always been telling the punx and skins that Skunk Hell was our bunker, and that we needed leave the bunker and go out and fight." And from the resources I have on the Korean punk scene that's happened. Punk bands playing more than just two venues and "fighting." This photo was not taken by me but was from the old site Dae Han Min Decline

I received word from my buddy Chris that Jong Hee was crashing at his place this week, so I had to go up to LA/ the Valley to hang out with them (Chris is one of the other few punx in So.Cal who listens to a lot of Korean punk. His bands are Hellking, Oi! Driver, and the Maruading Ghouls check them out!!!). Jong Hee has been in the States for about a week or two, trying to get some details and venues for a possible RUX tour out here in September.

It was a fun and exciting two days filled with a lot of laughs and good times. Part of the trip sucked because Chris had to work most of the time, but it was still cool. First, Chris, Jong Hee, and I hit up In-N-Out for some always delicious burgers. Next Jong Hee and I hit the freeway to go to the Shinhan(?) bank in Korea Town. On the way there we somehow got into a big discussion about Samuel L. Jackson. At the Shinhan bank the security guards were staring mad daggers at us, but hey it comes with the territory. Then we hit Venice beach which was completely overcast and deserted, and a boat crashed very close to the sidewalk. At the beach I learned the basic power chords for most punk songs from Jong Hee, although I still need to master that. Then we busted out on the spot all the punk songs we could think of using those chords and trying to sing along to them, very cool.

Eventually we drove over to Hollywood blvd. which was an interesting event in itself, the premiere for the new A-Team movie was about to happen so there was a tank in the closed off section of the street which suddenly dissappeared. It was a typical scene of two punx walking down the illuminated neon streets of Hollywood, not as many people as freaked out, but still fun. Jong Hee kept looking for nightclubs and shows we could get into for free, but most of them weren't that interesting so we started to walk back. When waiting for one of the crosswalks Jong Hee became fixated with this woman sitting outside of this one curry restaurant, so much so that once we crossed the street he had to stop immediately for a cigarette break, and then cross back over and wait outside for a good 15-20 minutes. I told him he should've used the "I'm a lead singer in a band" line to start talking to her, but he said his English wasn't good enough and he was nervous. The I told him he should've broke out into the No Brain song singing "넌 내게 반했어!", which roughly means "you, fall in love with me." It was funny to watch because later on he developed a name for her as well as made up a backstory. He said her name was Edna and she was German. Once back at Chris' place we went to see the midnight showing of "Get Him to the Greek" which Chris' friend hooked us up with for free.

Next day, we hung out in Hollywood again from about 3pm to 12am, walking around (again Jong Hee looking for clubs). Later on Dori would join us as we journeyed on foot all the way down to the end of Hollywood blvd. Then it was a late night drive back home here to SD for me. All in all a great and memorable two days. It never realy sunk in to my mind that I was hanging out with the founder and frontman of my favorite band! Maybe that's the point though, my favorite artists are just as easy going and relaxed.

My next posts shouldn't be this long so until next time...