Punk is a young person’s game. There is a certain adolescent quality to piercing your nose with a safety pin, throwing yourself into a wall, and repeatedly listening to a song called ‘My Pants Keep Falling Down’. But everyone needs a different perspective sometimes. Smashing the state and trying to talk to girls is great, but punk sorely needs an insight into the world that only a senior citizen can provide.

Late last year a video emerged on the internet of a grandmother laying down a few vocal tracks for her grandson’s band, Corrupt Leaders. It gained some traction online, being shown on numerous television shows around the United States, including what must certainly be the singer’sfavourite program – Maury Povich’sMaury Show.

The Grindmother on Maury Show

I was a little skeptical when I heard that I was going to be featured on the Maury Show this week, but it actually happened! Here’s the entire clip.

Posted by The Grindmother on Friday, 23 October 2015

This week, the 67-year-old Canadian known only as ‘The Grindmother’ has dropped her debut single, ‘Any Cost’.

The song is your standard grindcore track, going from brutal riff to blast beat to brutal riff all in just over a minute. The Grindmother performed all the vocals, and wrote the lyrics herself, calling out recently deposed Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Punk. As. Fuck.

‘Any Cost’ has been exploding over the internet this week. It’s racked up hundreds of thousands of views in the few days it has been online, and been talked about by Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, and every metal blog on the planet. Even the godfather of metal himself, Ozzy Ozborne (even he is somehow younger than The Grindmother) has had something to say about it.

Her most recent post memorialises Motörhead’srecently departed ex-drummer, saying: “I don’t follow much rock beyond the Beatles, but my son tells me Motörheadare all-time legends…Today we remember Philthy Phil. xx”

At time of writing, there is no confirmation that The Grindmother has plans to perform live. But if this is a studio project only, maybe she could collaborate with Juliet, the eight-year-old who penned the instant hardcore classic ‘My First Hardcore Song’.

…Because punk rock is for everyone, young or old, and don’t ever forget it.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine