Nardwuar the Human Serviette Vs. Bev Davies

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Nardwuar the Human
Serviette vs. Bev Davies:
A 2007 Punk Rock Calendar! (2006)
$14.00

Now this is one of punk’s unique anomalies. A professionally
bound calender that comes in the shape of an A4 glossy book
which opens out into a double page spread for each month.
Including interesting mini dialogues with Toronto born
photographer Bev Davies, who took all the shots in this product.
It’s also a good introduction for those of us not yet familiar with
Bev’s work and her interrogator Vancouver punk journo and
Evaporators singer, Nardwuar The Human Serviette, who himself
is something of a British Columbian institution. Between them they
create an appealing look back at a time when punk wasn’t just a
uniform taste. And unlike the regular punk calendars, which
feature band shots, dates and nothing else. This lavishly put
together almanac is more like a magazine sporting rare black and
white shots with intriguing behind the scene accounts. Bev is one
those talented female photographers who doesn’t seem to have
gotten the respect or acknowledgement she so richly deserves.
She worked for Vancouver BC’s news and Entertainment weekly
’Georgia Straight’ and contributed to ‘Slash‘, ‘Damaged’ and
many more fanzines in her time. She’s now working in the slightly
less glamorous provincial government post as a welfare worker.
Which must pay well, but can’t be quite as much fun? However
from the photographic evidence on display here, she must be
sitting on a goldmine of snaps from punks primal past, which must
be screaming to be viewed and seen by a larger audience, than
the next garage sale no doubt.

The majority of the shots in this collection have or are linked
intrinsically to Vancouver, BC. Bev relocated there in the late 70’s
and literally shot everything that moved between then and ‘85. In
fact this whole Calender puts the city of Vancouver back on the
punk map alongside DOA‘s long running rowdy outbursts. The
images are either taken whilst bands toured the city or at various
foreign locations, including California and London. A long line of
influential acts are portrayed, including The Subhumans,
Motorhead, Avengers, Black Flag, Adam and the Ants in
San Francisco, D.O.A. , Johnny Thunders, The Clash in San
Bernardino, Pointed Sticks, Go-Go’s again in San Francisco,
Dead Kennedy’s in London, Gang of Four, Ramones, and Duff
McKagen/Fastbacks. From the candid dialogue we find out
Lemmy from Motorhead has customised black pants tailor made
for him in London. So if your looking for that slight black flair to
match your cuban heels in Hot Topic, don’t bother. Zippy Pinhead
from the Dils took a sneaky leak in Penelope Houston’s top
drawer tut tut; hope he didn’t spoil her copies of Ring magazine.
Ian McKaye’s laborious account of the meaning of hardcore was
something we all could’ve done without, but was overshadowed in
spectacular fashion by a brilliant live shot of DOA in action.
Actions speak louder than words on that subject! There’s an
unusual shot of Johnny Thunders draped in an Italian flag on
stage, which would’ve been fantastic in colour. Mr Thunders by
the way, slipped over the stringent Canadian border on the
strength of his New York library card and local promoters
borderline connections. There’s a funny story about the Anti
Nowhere League bullying DOA in London over who opens up a
support slot for the Dead Kennedy’s. The Tunbridge crew with a
small chapter of bikers got their way. However DOA had the last
laugh, when someone mysteriously spiked Animals drink during the
bands visit to Vancouver. There are even opinions on the smell
of Billy Idols leather pants. Plus a first-class shot of a teenage
Duff McKagan (G’N’R’s) playing drum in his first band the
Fastbacks. Wasn’t quite overawed at seeing Gang Of Four (who have gotta be the most bland looking band ever), failing to brighten up a dull November. However a larger 4 page interrogation focussing on Bev’s favourite shots from her career which includes a lots of DOA references, plus anecdotes on cult punk movie ‘Ladies And Gentlemen The Fabulous Stains’ which was also inevitably shot in Vancouver, will keep you entertained.
This is an impressive legacy to Bev’s work that concludes with a two page discography of Vancouver label Mint Records who put this slick package together and Nardwuar Records respectively. Printed in Canada sold to the rest of the world, lets hope this sets the trend for future punk calendars. * * * *
Available from www.nardwuar.com/calendar/