Sunday July 27, 2025
– New Moon Phase – begin, initiate, wish, project, set an intention
– Moon in VIRGO –
– Retrogrades –
- Pluto – May 4th – Oct 13th
- Neptune – Jul 4th – Dec 10th
- Saturn – Jul 13th – Nov 28th
- Mercury – Jul 17th – Aug 11th
- Chiron – Jul 30th – Jan 2nd
– Best Days (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – Jul 26th– 28th – Cut Firewood, Outdoor Chores, Dig Holes, Outdoor Chores, Kill Plant Pests, Outdoor Chores, Mow to Increase Growth, Outdoor Chores, Home Repair, Wax Floors
– Planting Calendar (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – July 24th – 28th – A most barren period. Kill plant pests and do general farm work.
– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Year: – 11 ARIES: the ruler of a nation
– Aspect of the Aeon Sophia: (Wisdom): – Kali – The Destroyer
– Aspect of the Aeon Thelete: (Will/Desire): Kathe (God of The South)
– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Month – New Moon in LEO – SUN/MOON – 03 LEO: a mature woman keeping up with the times having her hair bobbed (EARTH – 03 AQUARIUS: a deserter from the navy)
SUN –
SUN – 06 LEO: an old-fashioned conservative woman is confronted by an up to date girl
EARTH – 06 AQUARIUS: a masked figure performs ritualistic acts in a mystery play
“Punk rock is meant to be our freedom. We’re meant to be able to do what we want to do.” ~ Joe Strummer
This weekend I have had an earworm. It’s a song from The Clash, an English Punk Rock band from the 70’s and 80’s. The song, Hitsville, UK, is some what complicated though. Because once you hear it, you will ask, Why the hell is this song from a Punk Rock band?
As most earworms go with me, I feel there is a reason for it. Some underlying message. Something the Universe is trying to tell me.
My musical formative years began in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I used to buy 45’s from the local stores. Most of it Pop music. But looking at what I liked, they were usually guitar-based bands. Rock classics like Pink Floyd, The Eagles, The Doors, Styx, Yes and Journey.
But I also tended toward edgier bands like Devo and the B52’s. At the time, in Junior High, most people called them Punk as they went against the grain vs standard sugar pop (at the time that was usually disco). Later I would laugh at people who tried to call them Punk.
About 1980 or so, my brother picked up on a local band named X. And quickly we were listening to 4 albums on repeat. Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Under the Big Black Sun and More Fun in the New World. To this day I can probably sing along to each of these albums word for word (I am listening to Los Angels as I wrote this).
The thing about X and a lot of the LA Punk scene is that they were not commercially viable. Bands included Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, The Flesh Eaters, DOA, Descendents, The Dead Kennedys, T.S.O.L. (True Sounds of Liberty or True Sons of Lucifer – you decide), Agent Orange, Social Distortion. Was it the fact that they swore? They could not carry a tune or play consistent notes?
Who knows.
The Google AI describes it: The Los Angeles punk scene of the 1980s was characterized by its raw energy, rebellion, and a distinct evolution from its 1970s Hollywood roots to a more aggressive, suburban hardcore sound.
I heard an interview with X Lead singer/bassist John X Doe when asked about some of the other bands they played with. He was asked to compare themselves against some of the bands, and he claimed he could not. In his words, “they just do it different than we do.” I give John credit. Where I saw genius in X’s music, I did not always see it in some of the other bands.
Remember also, this was the same music scene that produced The Go-go’s, The Bangles and Guns and Roses.
But anyways, back to Punk Rock. When I first encountered The Clash was in 1981-82 – my freshman year in high school. I remember that year saw the Rolling Stones Tour featuring the Dragon with the big lips, The Who “Final” tour and the Police’s Ghost in the Machine. Combat Rock came out and everyone was listening to “Rock the Casbah” and “Should I stay or should I go”.
Maybe it’s just me. But I never put together The Clash with the kind of California Punk I listened to. Admittedly, I never followed the politics behind the bands. At that time, I did not care. I had not grown up with bands like The Sex Pistols. Probably had heard Anarchy in the UK and God Save the Queen, but it wasn’t the same. It was foreign to me.
Later, hearing songs from their album Sandanista (released a year before Combat Rock) I am confused. How did this music equate to punk?
I guess you have to go by the words of Joe Strummer: “Punk rock is meant to be our freedom. We’re meant to be able to do what we want to do.” And as Jon Doe said, “they just do it different than we do.”
All I know is that the earworm has been with me, so I am sharing it. I hope you enjoy it.