Lina LecaroForget about the brutality of slam pits, the relentless touring, and the struggle to maintain a viable career in a collapsing music industry. The scariest, most challenging endeavor many punk musicians have is raising a family.
In the new documentary The Other F Word — premiering tomorrow night, November 4 at the Nuart — punk rock figures including members of Rise Against and Bad Religion talk about the complexities and joys of raising a brood. Somewhere along the way “Fuck The World” became “For The Wee-ones,” and it saved some of their lives. Actually, in many ways punk dudes make the best dads. The troubled childhoods that led them to aggressive music also seems to drive them to give their kids something different. And they tend to have strong wills.
Here are five ferocious but caring fathers in the documentary that particularly stand out.
5. Tony Cadena
Band: The Adolescents
Background: The OC punk legends started in 1980, when singer Tony was 16. He was a product of a broken home; his dad left when he was 4. Nowadays, he still plays music and is a teacher and advocate for special needs kids.
Memorable scene in the film: Gardening with his son.
Best quote: About punk rock, he says “The people that I went to school with hated it, hated me, I hated them. It was beautiful, it was perfect.”
Song that might bite daddy in the ass some day: “I Hate Children”
4. Fat Mike
Band: NOFX
Background: NOFX formed in 1983. Fat Mikesays his parents divorced when he was a kid. He and the mother of his daughter divorced last year.
Tats: He has a dominatrix with a ball gag in her mouth on his arm. “How do you explain that to a 4 year old?” he asks.
Best quote: “I will not play on stage sober.”
Memorable scene in the film: Mike enters his daughter Darla's Hello Kitty covered room. She requests breakfast in bed, except she wants it in mommy and daddy's bed. He gives in, and makes her oatmeal and toast with spray-on butter.
Song that might bite daddy in the ass some day: “Fuck The Kids”
3. Lars Frederiksen
Band: Rancid
Background: It's Frederiksen (in bondage pants) and son Wolfgang who appear on all the promo for the film.The San Francisco-based musician still records and tours with Rancid after two decades. His wife just gave birth to his second child last week.
Tats: He contemplates whether or not the one on his forehead was such a good idea.
Best quote: “I am who I am and hopefully, I will instill in my son that you judge people on their merit, not on the way that they look.”
Memorable scene in the film: Lars in a “I Hate People” tee with his son, scaring all the other families away from the playground.
Song that might bite daddy in the ass some day: “Roots Radicals”
2. Flea
Band: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Background: Formed in 1983 when Flea and Anthony Kedis met in high school. When his mom and dad divorced, his dad returned to his native Austrailia and wasn't present in his life. Flea's stepdad had substance abuse issues. He ran away when he was 12. Still enjoying success with the Chili Peppers, he also opened the Silver Lake Conservatory music school for kids a few years ago. Has an adult daughter and a 5-year-old daughter.
Best quote: “I stopped drinking, smoking weed, everything. I said, I'm gonna be here for you… My kids gave me my life.”
Memorable scene in the film: Playing piano with daughter Clara.
Song that might bite daddy in the ass some day: “Catholic School Girls Rule”
1. Jim Lindberg
Band: Pennywise
Background: Jim's book, Punk Rock Dad, tell his life story. It inspired the documentary. His relentless touring made him miss important moments in his three daughters' lives, which led to him quit the band in 2009.
Tats: All three of his daughters names. He gets his youngest's done in the film.
Best quote: “The reason I went on tour was so that I can give them everything.”
Memorable scene in the film: Lindberg packing his daughter's Barbie dolls in his suitcase before tour.
Song that might bite daddy in the ass some day: “Fuck Authority”
The Other F Word premieres in Los Angeles at the Nuart this Friday, Nov. 4. Click here for tickets and info.
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