STERN ON PUNK ROCK BOWLING WITH THE MUMMIES
Shawn Stern at PRB photo by ©dickslaughter.com
When I sent the preview for Punk Rock Bowling to their PR team, they kindly asked if there were any artists that I wanted to interview. At the top of my list was the inimitable Shawn Stern, PRB’s co-founder who not only made a lasting impact on the early punk scene with his brother and their band Youth Brigade, but also played a crucial role in transforming PRB from a bowling tournament with punk bands into an internationally recognized music festival and a bonafide Punk Family Vacation destination—and in the process, played an important part in the revitalization of downtown Las Vegas.
DS. Can you please introduce yourself?
SS. I’m Shawn Stern, singer/guitarist of Youth Brigade and producer of Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival.
DS. Who was your favorite band to ever play PRB?
SS. I could never pick one. Having Iggy Pop was amazing as were The Specials, Buzzcocks, Angelic Upstarts, Devo, The Stranglers and so many more. They were all really wonderful performances and bands that I grew up listening to and saw back in the late 70s/early 80s but it was an honor to meet many of them and hang out a bit.
Iggy Pop at PRB Photo by ©dickslaughter.com
DS. Who is the band you would most like to see play?
SS. I’ve seen just about all of them that I want to see. X-Ray Spex would be awesome. If you’re talking about bands that could play PRB but haven’t, the list is very long.
DS. Have you ever thought about moving it to someplace warmer?
SS. Every year!
DS. What are your thoughts about putting it on at a small water park?
SS. Water and electric instruments don’t go well together.
DS. Have you been to the Rebellion festival? Has Youth Brigade played it?
SS. I have attended and we have played. We played and it was still called Holidays In The Sun in San Francisco in 2001 and we went to party at Stone Pony in NJ in 2015. We played I think when it was called Wasted Festival in England I believe it was around 2009-2010
DS. Who is the best and worst celebrity punk bowler?
SS. Oh, I have no idea. Fat Mike is probably the best and worst and I guess he’s a celebrity. You be the judge.
DS. You know who should play PRB? The MUMMIES! They can play at 2 pm. Maybe one will die? I would pay to see that.
SS. We have tried to get them for years. Maybe next year which will be our 25th anniversary.
Luckily I just so happen to have the Pharaoh of Lo-Fi himself on speed dial. let’s see what He has to say. Maybe the Mummies just hate the desert?
Trent Mummie. Hello
DS. Do you smart-asses want to play Punk Rock Bowling next year?
TM. Huh?
DS. I’m interviewing Shawn Stern and I said you guys should play at 2 pm ‘cause one of you might die from heat stroke and he said he has been trying to book you for years.
TM. Huh?
DS. I would appreciate a response I can put in his interview other than “Huh?”
TM. Do you mean a response to him trying for years to get us to play PRB?
DS. Yes, smart ass.
TM. I think he tried to reach us by taking an ad out in the Spectator, but the last time we answered one of those, we ended up chained to a wall for a long weekend.
DS. Do you want to play the show or not, smart-ass?
TM. Want is a strong word, DICK, But yeah we would be up for it.
DS. How much money do you want?
TM. Enough to blow on nickel slots. We understand they are loose.
DS. What do you think of PRB?
TM. We prefer Oly or Hamm’s—oh wait, P-R-B. We are excited to bowl with other punk bands. Larry has a special relationship with the ball return.
DS. Maybe if they pay well you can buy a new ambulance.
TM, We learned our lesson the hard way. Never buy a piece of shit ambulance. They take up a lot of room and your neighbors will hate you.
DS. Are you guys allowed to go to the state of Nevada with parole and all?
TM. Yeah. The problem for us is leaving Nevada. The last time we played Reno, they had us in some kind of hotel for like 18 months, the food was not bad but the showers were fucking horrible.
DS. That may have been a jail, Trent. Would you attend pool parties at PRB?
TM. Fuck yeah! Any opportunity to take a dip in the pool is laundry day for the Mummies.
DS. I bet if you play PRB they throw in an all-you-can-eat Buffet?
TS. Someone stands to lose a lot of money if they do that.
DS. Did you know Dick Slaughter Photo was on your management team before I booked you this gig?
TS. That would explain why you’re asking me all these questions. We do appreciate all the pro bono work you do.
DS. Pro bono? You are giving me one of them buffet vouchers.
There you go, Shawn. The mummies are down for next year and you can have them for four rolls of nickels and Vouchers for the buffet at the Main Street Station. They are at home waiting for you to call
Can’t wait till next year to see the Mummies? (If they do really play PRB) catch them at Mosswood Meltdown in July.
Photo by ©dickslaughter.com
Now back to our interview with Shawn Stern
DS. What is the best place to eat in Vegas?
SS. I’m not someone who can pick “just one” but in downtown Vegas, I do frequent Le Thai and Nacho Daddy! There definitely needs to be more varied restaurants downtown.
DS. Do you like cats or dogs?
SS. I prefer cats, they’re not so needy, but I have nothing against big dogs. Not a fan of the helpless ones.
DS. Do you have a pet? What is it and what is its name?
SS. I do not. Had many cats and a few dogs growing up but traveling and touring and pets aren’t a problem I want to have.
DS. Paper or plastic?
SS. I bring my own.
DS. Boxers or briefs?
SS. These days it’s that hybrid broxers.
DS. Do you gamble? If so, Can you please tell us a bad-beat poker story?
SS. I do gamble and I’ve had more bad bets than I care to recall so we shall leave it at that.
DS. Is there Free water at PBR?
SS. Yes, there is free water and there will be free water this year.
Ds. Who put on the worst show at PRB ever?
SS. Everyone kicks ass because PRB is a festival for the fans and many of those fans are also musicians so you know there are lots of other bands in the crowd. I always appreciate and want to support anyone who works hard writing songs & getting up on a stage to perform in front of people. It’s not easy. And isn’t it all subjective?
DS. I last came to PBR in 2022. What has changed about the venue or PRB itself since then?
SS. Well considering we didn’t have a festival in 2022 I would say so much has changed you wouldn’t even recognize the festival you went to.
DS. Oh? could have sworn it was 2o22. We had to get checked for the Rona and wear masks maybe it was 2021?
Punk’s not dead, he is just napping at PBR 2021? or 2022? Photo by ©dickslaughter.com
AND NOW A FEW Questions from PRB repeat attendees from the PRB Facebook group.
Petra Alfred: What bands have you wanted to book for PRB but for one reason or another it hasn’t happened yet?
SS. Pretty much all the punk bands people typically ask for in the FB group we have tried to get. We did not try to get SmashMouth, but then they played for free on Fremont apparently, so many people’s dreams came true!
Hilary Hayford: (DS. Before you read Hilary’s question, keep in mind I asked him about underpants) Given a long history of challenges and successes, what accomplishment or characteristic of PRB are you most proud of? Has your answer changed over time?
SS. The fact we are able to pull it off every year is an accomplishment in and of itself. I’m very happy when people tell me they can’t wait till next year during the festival! I feel that we are doing something right when that happens.
Jeff Anderson: What is the dream reunion if they could make it happen?
SS. Oh, I don’t play that game cause what’s the point? I leave that to everyone in the FB group to dream. Cause, y’know, I saw The Clash, Minor Threat, Fugazi, The Cramps, Sham 69, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Dead Boys and so many of the bands that people always dream about. And it will never be the same.
Sham 69 is one of the headliners at this year’s Rebellion Festivals. Photo by @dickslaughter.com
Fernando Rodriguez: Have you ever considered inviting Screeching Weasel?
SS. Nope.
Todd McHenry: Do you ever regret starting this? As so many always seem to complain about the lineup.
SS. I have no regrets. The majority of people look forward to PRB every year and I know this cause they keep coming back and that’s why we do this. A small loud minority of people complain, perhaps they have nothing better to do. That says a lot more about them than a music festival.
Eric Pinaya: Why haven’t you added a nude-only VIP section?
SS. Does anyone really wanna see old punks naked?
DS. That’s what I said, but he insisted I ask.
Youth Brigade at PRB-Photo by ©dickslaughter.com
Brian Ketter: What do we have to do to get Youth Brigade to make some new music?
SS. Nothing you can do, that’s up to me. I’m kinda busy putting together the festival. And there’s a lot of great new bands out there. Not saying I won’t write new music, but I can’t say when that might happen.
Holly Ann Wood: Why isn’t Nate the PRB mascot yet (Nate is a well-loved repeat attendee who often posts about his journey to sobriety)
SS. I mean, do we want a “mascot?” I guess we can have a contest for the best mascot idea.
Nate at PRB watch for his upcoming interview-Photo by @dickslaughter.com
DS. Is there anything you would like to add?
SS. Just want to say thank you to everyone who supports PRB because without you there is no PRB. And thanks for this opportunity to answer a few questions.
DS. I would like to thank Vanessa B. and Shawn for being so accommodating. I will send you guys the Mummies phone number because as of this posting, their website is unplugged. If you call before 3 pm, you’ll need to let it ring for a while.
Punk Rock Bowling is May 25th, 26th, and 27th get your passes now at
PunkRockBowling.com
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