Chicago punk act BlackWristBand may only consist of one man, John McGeown, but he’s proven himself to be a dynamic musician, serving as singer, songwriter, drummer, guitarist, and bassist all at once. Pulling musical influence from punk classics from The Buzzcocks to Black Flag to the Misfits and literary influence from the likes of William S. Burroughs, Hubert Selby Jr., and Hunter S. Thompson, McGeown has found a way to put together compelling punk rock all on his own. His project’s debut album, My Escape, due out on April 11, certainly plays like an album from a full band. “I do sort of have a split personality on the album,” McGeown jokes about the new album. “Different versions of myself showed up for this one.”
Today we’re debuting the animated lyric video for the single “I Don’t Care” off of McGeown’s upcoming album. “On the one hand, saying ‘I don’t care’ gives you a sense of apathy or detachment from various aspects of life,” McGeown says about the new single. “But the chorus offers a contrasting tone, emphasizing a sense of community and connection through music.” With a classic punk sound and classic punk shout-along moments, the song is certainly a fun ride, but there’s also that contrast between community and apathy that comes across in the lyrics. The video, depicting a man in an asylum slowly descending into true madness is a fascinating piece of animation that perfectly captures the spirit of the punk rager. Check out the video below.
Don’t miss BlackWristBand’s record release show for the new album at Gman Tavern in Chicago on Thursday, April 10.
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Photo by Krisin Ackmann
