I've discovered that I'm a punk

[wshines1892]

I'm a classically trained musician, played the trumpet since I was ten, picked up guitar at 14 then realized bass was for me at 17. I pursued jazz theory in order to play in the jazz band, studying scale methods of jaco, learning to read in bass cleff, reading anything I could get my hands on about technique. But then I realized, I just want to play and I want to play punk. It's always been the music that I've listened to and loved and now that I'm out of high school and reached the ripe old age of 18 I'm joining a melodic hardcore punk band and love the music. Anyone else had a similar experience?

[Gav4003]

No, I picked up a bass just to play in punk bands with no learning at 18 and 13 years and much, much gigging later I have just went to college to learn theory now while still playing punk. Good luck with the band brother, hope you enjoy it all the way, please post me any updates on how it is going, always happy to hear any others doing what they love to do.

[plankspanker13]

Punk is as much attitude as anything else. Even Jaco played "punk jazz."

[bassman1185]

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

Punk is as much attitude as anything else. Even Jaco played "punk jazz."

That's a good way to look at it. Even in hardcore bands, there is plenty of room to do interesting stuff on bass that will call upon a knowlege of theory. You don't have to just stick with only playing root eighth notes...

Unless that's what the song calls for.

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by wshines1892

I'm a classically trained musician, played the trumpet since I was ten, picked up guitar at 14 then realized bass was for me at 17. I pursued jazz theory in order to play in the jazz band, studying scale methods of jaco, learning to read in bass cleff, reading anything I could get my hands on about technique. But then I realized, I just want to play and I want to play punk. It's always been the music that I've listened to and loved and now that I'm out of high school and reached the ripe old age of 18 I'm joining a melodic hardcore punk band and love the music. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Congratulations...punk!

MM

[guroove]

I have also made a similar musical journey as the OP. I find it particularly interesting how academics often look down their noses at punk, yet it is very challenging for even very schooled players to play with the right attitude.

[FritoBandito]

Originally Posted by wshines1892

I'm a classically trained musician, played the trumpet since I was ten, picked up guitar at 14 then realized bass was for me at 17. I pursued jazz theory in order to play in the jazz band, studying scale methods of jaco, learning to read in bass cleff, reading anything I could get my hands on about technique. But then I realized, I just want to play and I want to play punk. It's always been the music that I've listened to and loved and now that I'm out of high school and reached the ripe old age of 18 I'm joining a melodic hardcore punk band and love the music. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Melodic hardcore punk??? What in the world is that? Thats like saying your a hardcore harpsichord player, or your in a thrash country band, or you rock out to The Carpenters. I've been in punk bands since the mid 70's and I've heard them called alot of things.......but never melodic!

[IncX]

Originally Posted by FritoBandito

Melodic hardcore punk??? What in the world is that? Thats like saying your a hardcore harpsichord player, or your in a thrash country band, or you rock out to The Carpenters. I have been in punk bands since the mid 70's and I've heard them called alot of things.......but never melodic!

maybe its Blink 182 with Hatebreed breakdowns lol

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by FritoBandito

Melodic hardcore punk??? What in the world is that?

Stuff like... you know, Rise Against. I see absolutely no contradiction there, the usual 'punk is overcategorized' BS aside.
The bassist is smoking aces by the way.

I had a somewhat similar journey, OP. I'm not classically trained or anything, but I started out as a Death Metal bassist - now I'm a flower child. What about that? lol.

[Surly]

I personally love the music.

[JimmyM]

ever since the ramones died, there have been no punks.

[wshines1892]

Originally Posted by FritoBandito

Melodic hardcore punk??? What in the world is that? Thats like saying your a hardcore harpsichord player, or your in a thrash country band, or you rock out to The Carpenters. I've been in punk bands since the mid 70's and I've heard them called alot of things.......but never melodic!

It's basically hardcore punk, just elaboraed on it a bit. It's not like Ramones or Sex Pistols, but it's like expanding on the idea of the hardcore punk movement, kind of similar to Stick to your Guns. I agree on the technical aspect of punk, it's not all root eighths at all. But sometimes, when you're getting live, you don't really care about what you're playing, you just want to play. It's that sort of urgency that always attracted me back to the genre.

[Nashrakh]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodic_hardcore

[coldfoot_luke]

Similar to Flea, he played trumpt and had HS music education. Just because one learns music in a classical context doesn't mean you should only play that style.

Of course, a lot of punk musicians view understanding of music theory a limitation rather than asset, because they think trained musicians will only play "correct" chord progressions and so on.

I think Shostakovitch would play spazzy punk or chaotic metal if he were around today.

[DaveDeVille]

... just play what you feel .

[Unrepresented]

Nothing wrong with capable musicians playing what moves them.

It's always nice when people playing punk music can actually keep up with it, as much as I like the New York Dolls, I prefer the Dead Boys or the Police for both having used the genre as a musical direction rather than the extent of their musical abilities.

[Soverntear]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

ever since the ramones died, there have been no punks.

Jimmy this is the one time I'm gonna have to disagree with you on. punk Did not die in 2001 with joey nor did it die when the rest died (hell tommy is still alive)

sure punk has evolved ALLOT, but not died. we still have drunken speed fueled anarchists playing three cords as fast as they can while someone screams or drawls out the lyrics.

Now if you were referring to the ramones "death" as when the band split. well gg allin did somethings after they spilt and I hate to say it, but he had more punk in one of the dookies (or any other bodily fluid he decided to fling around) than the ramones did in there whole career.

[puddin tame]

Slightly off topic, but I think the sex pistols should have had their punk license revoked the second their singer did those butter commercials.

There's nothing more punk than SPREADABLE DAIRY PRODUCTS

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

ever since the ramones died, there have been no punks.

LOL.....

[Soverntear]

Originally Posted by puddin tame

Slightly off topic, but I think the sex pistols should have had their punk license revoked the second their singer did those butter commercials.

There's nothing more punk than SPREADABLE DAIRY PRODUCTS

there punk licence never was, they were a boy band manfactured by a record company (to be exact Malcolm McLaren)

and no sid is not the king of punk bass, he's named after a hamster and couldn't even bloody well play when he was hired