The first and best wave of L.A. punk bands from 1977-1979 all broke up under-documented and unsigned, with the exception of X, the Germs, and, to a lesser extent, the Plugz. But the legacy of incredible pioneers such as the Weirdos, Dils, Controllers, and Screamers was the wide success of the harder, faster, younger bands that followed. The interest the 1977 bands awakened not only inspired the formation of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, T.S.O.L., Social Distortion, Agent Orange, Fear, the Adolescents, and others, but helped create a national market, enabling the newer bands to find labels, put out albums, and tour regularly. the Adolescents were perhaps the first of this second wave to put out an LP widely distributed throughout the U.S., selling well over five digits in 1981 (following on the heels of San Francisco's Dead Kennedys, who broke the doors open with their immortal Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables the previous year).

Hailing from Trondheim, Norway, hard rock trio BOKASSA have recently made a name for themselves with their brand of hard-hitting, melodic, catchy punk and stoner rock. After the release of their debut album, Divide & Conquer (2017) legendary drummer Lars Ulrich crowned them his “new favorite band” and invited them on METALLICA’s “Worldwired Tour”. During the tour, the band released the critically acclaimed Crimson Riders (2019). On top, the Norwegians got nominated for the prestigious Spellemann-Award as Breakthrough of the Year in 2020. BOKASSA are fully charged up and ready to set everything ablaze on their upcoming album, Molotov Rocktail (out September 3 via Napalm Records). displaying their stoner punk at its best on 11 powerful new songs.

Beastie Boys fans should prepare for a feast with this two-DVD collection from the Criterion collection (Capitol Records had planned a regular collection, but seem to have abandoned it along the way.) The collection is not by any means completely comprehensive (there are 18 videos included), but it does manage to be exhaustive in terms of what it does cover (and offer.) Each disc includes nine videos, with each group presented twice – the first is a sequential presentation that offers a choice of Dolby 2.0, Dolby 5.1, band commentary track, or directors commentary track.

A popular skatepunk group based out of Berlin, Germany, ZSK's hard-hitting blend of political, hardcore, and hook-driven punk rock invokes names like Die Toten Hosen, Bad Religion, and Rise Against. Founded in 1997, ZSK were one of the leading lights of the German political punk scene during the late '90s and early aughts, releasing a string of fiery singles and a trio of well-received albums before calling it quits in 2007. They returned to the stage in 2011, and two years later released their long-awaited fourth studio album, Herz für die Sache, via People Like You Records. Live für die Sache, a CD/DVD concert LP, followed in 2016.