by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Mike Atta and family...

Mike Atta, guitarist for what some consider the first-ever hardcore band, The Middle Class, is in trouble and needs your help:

My name is Joanne Jimenez and my big brother, Mike Atta, needs your help!!! Mike's battle with cancer began 3 years ago when he was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in January 2010. He had surgery to remove it, a kidney and an adrenal gland and we were hopeful that the cancer was gone & that he would live a healthy life, but just a few weeks ago he found out that the cancer has returned and has now moved to his lungs. The news was devastating to Mike, his wife Pam and those who love him. It was especially difficult to tell his 10-year-old son, Van, that the cancer was back & that his dad had to be away for treatment during the week of Christmas. If you know Mike he is a happy, positive, resilient person before and after his initial diagnosis/surgery and you'd never know he'd had cancer and major surgery if you saw him during the last 3 years. He has an active life with a family and 2 retail business; and after his recovery had gotten back together with his Orange County punk band from the '70s, The Middle Class, playing shows around California.

Mike is doing well than the obvious health issues, but his treatments and recovery have taken its toll on his business and his wallet, despite having insurance. The family is currently accepting donations to help get Mike back to some semblance of normal. Give if you can, they are currently 38% towards their total goal of $50k.

Head below for a stream of The Middle Class' classic Out of Vogue 7" from 1978, what some consider to be the blueprint of hardcore.

Continue reading "Mike Atta of The Middle Class is battling cancer, needs monetary help"

We knew that the WFMU Record Fair was cancelled, but now comes word that he Hurricane did some damage to the radio station as well:

The aftermath of Frankenstorm (actually Frankenstorm was the name of the doctor, it really should be called Frankenstorm's Monster) left WFMU with no electricity in our Jersey City studios, and at BOTH of our FM transmitters (91.1 FM and 90.1 FM). We tried rubbing many balloons on our heads and holding it near the equipment, but no dice. For two days, we streamed WFMU in Exile from various DJs' homes, or the shanties and mini-vans that they call their 'homes'. Despite that shanty crack in the previous sentence, our DJ's are just the best and we perpetually salute their dedication. On Thursday morning, we resumed (semi-)normal programming after electricity was restored to our studios. And then reality started settling in, as we discovered tons of critical equipment that was fried by the electrical chaos that Sandy hurled our way. And both of our FM transmitters are still down.

Fortunately, everybody from the WFMU staff is safe, and miraculously WFMU's basement did not flood, despite the Hudson River coming within 50 feet of our front door... The environment around Hudson County, Staten Island, Rockaway, lower Manhattan and Brooklyn is akin to the film The Road. Or The Walking Dead. No, it's Road Warrior.. Wait, it's actually a bit more like The Road... But with your help, we will make it feel like Herbie Goes Bananas real soon. Please help!

The radio station is extending their silent fundraiser for a few extra weeks to help recover lost revenue and get the FM transmitters up and running. Donate if you can.