“My Brother, the Punk Singer,” is an a cappella punk show inspired by Jean-Luc Godard’s Sympathy for the Devil, and Ian Svenonius’s The Psychic Soviet. In The Psychic Soviet, Svenonius points out in an essay entitled “Beatles VS. Stones” that in Goddard’s film “…the Rolling Stones are trying out endless approaches for their new song, ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’ As all manner of instruments are auditioned, the one constant is Mick Jagger’s vocals…” The performance spotlights the singer, my youngest brother. Despite having been in numerous punk bands, my brother has never truly learned to play an instrument. Like Jagger, the one constant in his performance has been his vocals, and his role as the punk singer.

“My Brother, the Punk Singer,” first took place in our hometown, at Just For Fun Roller Rink, which also doubles as a music venue. My brother approaches the improvised stage and audience, where he performs the show. Once he has taken the stage, without musical accompaniment, he stampedes into his role as The Singer.

“My Brother, the Punk Singer” was aimed to illuminate the absurdity of punk postures, but also their resonance.