PC punk rocker Joe Steinhardt Challenges Recess and Asian Man to put Pop Punk Veterans on Ice

Text Mr. Nitetrotter - August 26, 2014

Some guy from some label we have never heard of is not very happy with BEN WEASEL and JOE QUEER of SCREECHING WEASEL and THE QUEERS. He is challenging their labels to drop them due to their alleged hate speech. You may remember a couple of years ago at SXSW when BEN WEASEL punched a woman who threw ice at his face during a FAT WRECK CHORDS showcase. He was then chased by a mob of trendies out of Austin. People were pissed and the fat guy from SOUND OPINIONS loved it.

We find this kind of funny since it happens to seem intertwined with the ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE or at least has some kind of ice theme. Heres what JOE STEINHARDT of DON GIOVANNI RECORDS had to say.

"Forget the Ice Bucket Challenge. I challenge two labels, Recess Recordsand Asian Man Records to completely disassociate with sexist, racist, and homophobic punk bands like The Queers and Screeching Weasel. It is ridiculous that anyone legitimate would be working with them to release their music after the long-term pattern (note: not isolated incidents) of sexist, racist, and homophobic crap they spew online and offline. Mike and Todd, you can do better. Mike, the things Joe Queer writes on his facebook and says at shows goes completely against your mission of working "with bands that are ANTI-RACIST, ANTI-SEXIST, ANTI-PREJUDICE, and who support the ideas of peace and unity" that has always been one of the most inspiring aspects of your label. And Todd, Screeching Weasel's current behavior goes far beyond "shock punk" or whatever the hell he thinks it is.

I also grew up a fan of Screeching Weasel and The Queers and it took me a while to come to terms with my fandom vs. the current actions of the band members. But as isolated incidents that I tried to chalk up to people saying stupid things or doing stupid things slowly became patterns of sexist racist and homophobic behavior over the course of the last 5 years I have been forced associate these bands with nothing but their sexism, racism, and homophobia.

There is a place in music for shock, and there is a place in art for free speech. But there is also a place in music for calling on others to stop giving power and a voice to people spewing hate speech, and so I am calling on you Recess and Asian Man to do better and disassociate with The Queers and Screeching Weasel.

-Joe Steinhardt // Don Giovanni Records"

Without reading these supposed racist, homophobic and other hate speech on Facebook we will have to  assume this is some kind of PC fanaticism by Mr. Steinhardt but who knows.