Punk Rock Raduno Festival Launch New Tradition With “Make Your Own Kind Of Music” Single

There are songs that survive through generations because they keep finding people who still need them. Make Your Own Kind of Music, which was originally immortalised in the late ’60s by Mama Cass Elliott, is one of those songs. A song born for anyone who ever felt the need to carve out their own space, find their own voice and keep moving forward even when the world seemed to demand the exact opposite. Today, that song comes back to life through a fast, emotional and energetic punk rock reinterpretation created by Merel Schaap (Lone Wolf) and Andrea Caredda (The Manges). Produced by Perry Leenhouts (Travoltas) at Point Break Studio, the track is available through digital platforms and will also appear on the traditional annual Punk Rock Raduno compilation.

But this release represents far more than a simple cover version. With Make Your Own Kind of Music, Punk Rock Raduno officially launches a new annual tradition: starting from this year, each edition of the festival will be accompanied by a special song capable of reflecting its yearly theme, bringing together musicians, producers and artists from across the international DIY punk rock community. A collective soundtrack built year after year. And it would be difficult to imagine a better manifesto for Punk Rock Raduno 9. At a time when live music is increasingly dominated by expensive, standardised and impersonal events, the Bergamo festival continues to exist according to completely different values: free entry, independent organisation, volunteer work, grassroots participation and a strong idea of international community built through music.

The words of Make Your Own Kind of Music therefore become deeply connected to the spirit of the Raduno itself: an invitation addressed to outsiders, underground scenes, creative people and communities still building culture outside dominant systems. The song also acts as the starting point for a new educational project that will see the festival return to local schools, entering classrooms across Bergamo to collaborate with and activate younger creative generations.

“We strongly believe that DIY ethics, punk culture and creativity are among the best tools we have to fill that emptiness many of us carry inside. Music creates connections, breaks down walls, gives courage and helps us face our fears. We know this because it worked for us, and that’s why we feel the need to pass this message on. At the same time, DIY is not just about making records or organising shows. It’s an attitude. It’s the way we transform ideas, emotions and energy into something real. On a personal level it helps us grow and find our own voice; collectively it builds community and change. Doing things yourself does not mean doing them alone: it means doing them for yourself and for others, through shared respect, collaboration and participation.”