Punk rock will turn the big 30 in the aught six (or perhaps in the aught seven depending on your definition of when punk began), and how better to remember it’s origins than through the photos and memories of the people that were there at its inception. Theresa Kereakes was one of those people. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, and in the late ’70s/early ’80s, she documented the city’s burgeoning punk scene through the photographs she shot — photos that capture the essence of the movement itself: raucous, raw and urgent. Her website, Punk Turns 30, is sort of a an early ’80s version of the The Cobra Snake, and it’s a site that we read frequently — not only for the great photos, but for the delicious stories that accompany them. And as tradition dictates with This Site Is A’ight, we asked 11 questions to that site’s founder, Theresa K:

1. What sites do you read daily?
Wonkette, The View From Arlen, No-Idea and of course, YuppiePunk.

2. Johnny Thunders, Johnny Rotten, John Cale, or John Doe?
John Cale….. he’s an homme fatale…. hahahahaha. There’s no contest when you put a Welshman in the mix: best voices, best poetry, best drunks (see also: Dylan Thomas, Richard Burton)

3. Do you like Good Charlotte?
HELL NO.

4. Which is the best film released in 1976: “Rocky,” “Taxi Driver,” “All the President’s Men,” “Network.”
“Taxi Driver” — although I gotta say, they’re all pretty good films, especially in the way they presented their subject matter — totally opinionated. The ’70s was the last decade for good films until the ’90s. The ’80s were bad for culture all around — at least in the USA.

5. What’s your favorite punk record of all-time?
It’s a tie between the poorly recorded but brilliant Germs single “Forming” (which features a photo I took as its picture sleeve) and the professionally and cleanly recorded/produced Clash album, “London Calling” — “London Calling” because it reflects and pays homage to all the genres that influenced and peacefully co-habited with punk, such as dub/reggae and dance hall from Jamaica, and roots rock/rockabilly from the heart of America — the Mississippi Delta, yeah I’m talking about Elvis and those guys — full of guilty pleasures and the best ever cover of “Brand New Cadillac.” I can picture them performing this whenever I hear the record — a performance so wild, full of abandon; just completely unhinged. That’s how I like my records.

6. What’s the worst thing about turning 30?
30 was a very good year.

7. What’s the best punk rock movie?
“End of the Century,” the recent documentary about The Ramones. So honest and bold. Who knew?

8. How many punks does it take to screw in a light bulb?
None, punks break light bulbs. Janitors screw them in.

9. Who was the best Black Flag singer?
Keith Morris.

10. According to the Dead Milkmen, which of the following is the best activity for a Punk Rock Girl: a) traveling ’round the world b) dressing like Minnie Pearl c) eating fudge Banana swirl d) all of the above
D, all of the above

11. Do you have a favorite shot that you’ve taken?
of Patti Smith. It was taken in 1978 at a gig in San Diego. Jim Carroll opened for her. During the show, the Fire Marshall tried to shut it down because the kids up front started tearing the theatre seats out so they had room to dance. Patti’s brother Todd got in a scuffle with both the police and the fans (I have pix of all that too). I love this photo so much because it was a mistake. It was at the end of the roll of film, and it is a double exposure. You can’t do that with a digital camera! A happy accident.

Related post: This Site Is A’ight: Flickskinny