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Mark Pingitore of the Pagan Babies/April 18, 2014
Joseph A. Gervasi interviews Mark Pingitore of the seminal Philly hardcore band Pagan Babies. Mark grew up in the Frankford section of Philadelphia and lived his first nineteen years there. He learned about rock music from his older brothers and came to discover early punk through mentions in the music press of the era. The spirit of punk and later hardcore punk captured young Mark’s imagination. Here were performers that were like him, not manufactured rockstars performing in massive arenas. Mark fell in love with punk and its spirit of direct involvement. Through letter writing, Maximumrocknroll scene reports, a ‘zine, a record label, printing flyers, booking shows, and ultimately playing in the band Pagan Babies, Mark took an active role in all aspects of the ’80s hardcore scene. In the process he met some of the brightest and most creative individuals (including Kevin Seconds and Ray of Today) in the scene and played with some of the very best bands of the era. Pagan Babies had releases on Positive Force and Hawker records and toured the U.S. The band left an indelible mark on the Philly scene and still sometimes play today. Mark’s enthusiasm for HC shines through the entire interview, which is filled with great and often hilarious stories. This interview runs 149 minutes, but there’s no filler here. I feel this is one of the best interviews of the series and you’ll find Mark’s positivity infectious.
