Canadian punk legend Talli Osborne picked as face of new Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas

In the punk rock scene around the world, Hamilton resident Talli Osborne is a legend.

And she's adding to that legendary status now as she begins her new job as the official spokesperson at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas.

The Punk Rock Museum is NOFX lead singer "Fat" Mike Burkett's creation and is set to open later this year. 

In the early 2000s, Burkett and Osborne briefly met at a NOFX concert in Toronto, and afterwards Burkett wrote a song called She's Nubs about Osborne — who was born without arms and with short legs.

Osborne said when she first heard the song, she emailed Fat Mike and asked if it was about her. The next day, he replied.

"After writing 12 albums of songs, sometimes it's hard to think of things to write about," she said. 

"When he first met me, he knew I was the perfect character for a song. So, he said, I'll save a spot side stage for you next time we're in town," she said. 

It would be easy and fair for anyone to be hurt by a song like She's Nubs, at least a little, but Osborne chose to embrace the nickname. She is the lead singer in her own punk band, Nubs and Her Studs.

Osborne was born in Montreal, raised in Toronto and moved to Hamilton as an adult. Growing up, she said she never felt like she fit in — until she found the punk community. 

"After that song was written, you know, the punk rock community really, really embraced me for exactly who I am. I found my community," she said.

"Punk rock, to me, is just about being authentically who you are and not giving an F what people think." 

Osborne is an accomplished public speaker and has spent her adulthood talking about her differences. She gave a Ted Talk at the 2015 TedxToronto seminar about her experience growing up different and her self love ideology. 

"The first time that Mike ever wrote to me, I wrote him back and tried to get a job with his record label because it was like… I had this opportunity," she said. 

Osborne said she asked for a job in the early 2000s but she was too young and the timing wasn't right.