When the criminal, the princess, the brain, the athlete and the basket case were taken, Chris Pretti claimed “the punk” — even if it meant being called a “Devo” in the street (in the 1980s, this was a derogatory term for a punk-presenting individual).
Writer/director of Green Blah! The History of Green Bay Punk Rock, Pretti recently brought his 30+ years in the Green Bay and Milwaukee punk scenes to the Oriental Theater for the 2025 Milwaukee Film Fest. While he was in town, he joined me for a DJ Takeover to share the music that inspired both the musician and filmmaker within him.
Over the last three decades, you may have heard Pretti playing bass or guitar in A Buncha Morons, First Sin, Forbidden Planet, Drop Forge, Skiptracer or Let’s Play God. Unlike a lot of punk rockers, however, he decided to make a feature-length documentary film about his experience.
Pretti says the DIY nature of punk translated directly to his silver-screen endeavor — an adventure that started in 2012 with a list of 25 people he wanted to interview about the Green Bay punk scene in the late ’70s through the ’90s. After committing more than 80 of those conversations to film, Pretti finally wrapped up the project in 2024.
Twelve years is an intense commitment, especially for someone with no prior filmmaking experience. And yet, Pretti’s first effort earned a place in the Milwaukee Film Festival.
During the Takeover, I asked what kept him going throughout all of those years and what drove him to bring this project to fruition. His answer: “We owed it to ourselves and the scene.”
Pretti felt indebted because of the sense of belonging he found among Green Bay punks. He didn’t feel a connection to the more common cliques you might expect to see walking through high-school halls.
In the time since Pretti’s teenage years, the hardcore scene has garnered a greater level of acceptance (Devo is cool now, for example). However, there remains a misunderstanding of what the punk crowd stands for.
I mentioned to Pretti during our conversation that I was thinking of making a solo trip to see the screening of Green Blah. He responded, “If you do go alone, you can always find us.” A punk statement if ever there was one, offering people a place to be alone without being lonely.
Pretti’s hope for all viewers is to walk away with a better understanding of the DIY spirit. “If you’re sitting on your couch and you’re not happy with the way things are going in your town, do something about it. Start a band, do a fan zine, make a film, buy a camera … whatever it takes.”
While the Milwaukee Film Festival screenings have passed you can find plenty of information about Green Blah! on the project’s website and — if you fancy a road trip — see the documentary in the city where it all began. On May 18, Green Bay’s Badger State Brewing will host a fundraiser double-feature that includes a showing of Green Blah! and, of course, live music.
DJ Takeover: Chris Pretti’s playlist
- The Ramones, “Rockaway Beach”
- Tyrants, “Attitude”
- The Clash, “Rudie Can’t Fail” (dedicated to Pretti’s special-needs dog, Rudie)
- Devo, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
- New York Dolls, “Personality Crisis”
- The Jam, “Going Underground”
- 999, “Emergency”
- Chinese Telephones, “Radianna” (local pick)
