“Fat Mike” Burkett, leader of NOFX, decided to build the first punk museum in history to preserve the legacy of the music he loved.
The “Punk Rock Museum”, located in Las Vegas, will open its doors on January 13, 2023 with the aim of displaying the influence that this musical genre has spread around the world.
“The Punk Rock Museum houses the world’s most expansive, inclusive, and intimate display of artifacts, fliers, photos, clothing, instruments, handwritten lyrics, artwork, and just about everything else donated by the people and bands who were there.
Not only can you see amazing artifacts, there’s a guitar room where you can play the actual guitars and basses played through the amps the artists played them through. We have guitars and amps from Rise Against, NOFX, Pennywise, Sick of it All, Strung Out, and many more. Yes… you can actually PLAY THEM.’
Fat Mike tells Spin that the criterion for acceptance into the museum is uncomplicated: “If you’re a punk band, you’re fucking in,” he says. “It’s that simple.”
“We want people to come from Indonesia and see the flier of their band on the wall. You know how proud they would feel? I want anyone in a punk band around the world to have that opportunity.”
However Fat Mike revealed that the only major US punk band who turned down the opportunity to get involved with the museum were Green Day. “We’re still going to give them a display,” he promised on the Tuna on Toast with Stryker podcast. “It’ll be real small though”, he added.
