FEFU: The Dwarves DVD

Reviewed by Andy Z, KPSU Editorial Team

When did punk die? Mark Perry, founder of the first punk fanzine Sniffin’ Glue, said punk died the day the Clash signed to CBS in 1977. Fast-forward to 2006: the Dwarves have made a video with the newest in “punk rock” exploitation, The Suicide Girls. While I abhor those who arbiter what’s punk and what isn’t, I don’t think I’m going out on limb when I say The Dwarves’ video for “Fuck, Eat, and Fuck You Up” is not punk or even good. The cheesy, nu-metal sound of the guitars, the canned electronic blips, and the vapid lyrics: “They circumcise/ they tell you lies,” sounds more like Rob Zombie than the Dwarves of yore. With the staged poses of the Suicide Girls and band members being groped or grabbed, this video seems like an attempt to cash in on the MTV generated “punk” bandwagon. It would be refreshing to see an older punk band serve as an example for today’s kids by avoiding the clichés of pop punk bands who use “punk” porn to sell DVDs and their music. Also, why pair up with the Suicide Girls when they are infamous for cheating their models out of a paycheck? And what’s so punk about a money-making porno company with a lame soundtrack? Somewhere in the past, the music and the message were different.

The Dwarves’ FEFU DVD has interviews from 1992 and live footage from the late 80’s and early 90’s, and this is where is DVD is worth its price. Example: the intense live footage on the DVD shows the singer and guitarist beating up crowds with a mic and guitar (respectively), and the crowds keep coming back for more. These were the Dwarves: the band that didn’t give a fuck about anything or anyone, and their live shows were well known for their intensity. The DVD comes with a clean and dirty version of the FEFU video, as well as a making of the “Fuck Eat and Fuck You Up” video that is better than the video itself. Why? Because it isn’t slick; it shows the band with a sense of humor and has the Suicide Girls wandering around the set as people, not gyrating robots. Perhaps the Dwarves should explore their roots and realize that there was once an idea behind punk rock, their rebellion, and their old attitude and antics.