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I've discovered that I'm a punk
- Thread starter wshines1892
- Start date
It seems to me that nearly EVERYONE (OP included) misunderstands what punk really means.
If you look back at "punk" acts from 1975 onwards you will see that they were very varied and not musically "dumb" at all.
Well, maybe the Ramones were (that was their thing), but check out Television, MC5, Blondie, Richard Hell in the US and then the UK's Clash, Buzzcocks, The Slits, Siouxie and the Banshees. You will see that they are a million miles away from the "Oi"-type moheicaned football hooligan punk that came along after.
Unfortunately this is what most people think of as punk. Just another straight-jacketed rigid category for lazy musicians who had no ideas of their own. Just what REAL punk came to do away with.
If you think "punk" is just being dumb and rejecting all understanding of what you are doing, being willfully ignorant then you have missed the point and are just fitting in.
Punk IS to do with attitude, but not THAT attitude, which is just copying.
It's sad that "punk" is being misrepresented and kids are being sold the fake article.
Punk is in your heart not in your haircut.
If you look back at "punk" acts from 1975 onwards you will see that they were very varied and not musically "dumb" at all.
Well, maybe the Ramones were (that was their thing), but check out Television, MC5, Blondie, Richard Hell in the US and then the UK's Clash, Buzzcocks, The Slits, Siouxie and the Banshees. You will see that they are a million miles away from the "Oi"-type moheicaned football hooligan punk that came along after.
Unfortunately this is what most people think of as punk. Just another straight-jacketed rigid category for lazy musicians who had no ideas of their own. Just what REAL punk came to do away with.
If you think "punk" is just being dumb and rejecting all understanding of what you are doing, being willfully ignorant then you have missed the point and are just fitting in.
Punk IS to do with attitude, but not THAT attitude, which is just copying.
It's sad that "punk" is being misrepresented and kids are being sold the fake article.
Punk is in your heart not in your haircut.
I just discovered today that I can play a mean, quasi-classical blues solo when all I've ever done on the bass is slap and pop.
Of course I've been playing the upright classically for 6 years, but I didn't think I could create that type of music on the bass guitar.
Of course I've been playing the upright classically for 6 years, but I didn't think I could create that type of music on the bass guitar.
Sorry to piss in your punk rock punch, but music is not fashion, and it is definitely not "attitude." If you want to play music, then play music. If you want to pose and hang out and dress a certain way, then good luck with that.
Well actually I don't represent the punk style at all, my hair is fairly short and not cut oddly at all, quite snazzy I think. I do in fact partake in the wearing of skinny jeans
but I dress pretty normally and don't go around being an arrogant prick. Not once did I say that punk was talentless or being "willfully ignorant." I'm simply stating that I find it quite funny that I can go from playing in jazz bands and all these dress up events but still find this calling to play this style of music. I listen to The Clash quite a bit and I agree it's not about this "oi oi oi" mutilating yourself onstage with broken bottles nonsense. But sure, maybe I'm stupid and have "no idea what punk is" but I think I've got a handle on it my fine sir, and I like it.
+1. You could say once punk became a label or style, punks ceased to exist. But I digress. I started playing music as a teen - upright bass in my Dad`s bluegrass band. My Dad detested all rock music, but I would jam Zep tunes on my own time on my Kay. Is that "punk" ? Probably more so than what is currently called "punk".
i hate the whole "punk is this, punk is that" arguement
hence why even tho i listen to the music i dont consider myself "punk" because there are so meny pre-conceptions of what "punk" is
hence why even tho i listen to the music i dont consider myself "punk" because there are so meny pre-conceptions of what "punk" is
Well actually I don't represent the punk style at all, my hair is fairly short and not cut oddly at all, quite snazzy I think. I do in fact partake in the wearing of skinny jeans
But sure, maybe I'm stupid and have "no idea what punk is" but I think I've got a handle on it my fine sir, and I like it.
Well I wasn't for a moment thinking that you were stupid, or even that YOU were willfully ignorant.
Just that a lot of people who profess to be punk ARE willfully ignorant.
It's good that you've done lots of different things. I've played in "dress up" bands, reading the dots and so on and it's amazing how that feeds in to my punk-influenced band's music. My point was that one takes the sum of our musical experience with us and make it the best we can.
Again, I'm not saying YOU think that (in the same way I'm sure you're not calling ME an "arrogant prick"
Just that it's a bit tiresome to hear yet again that punk is talentless/easy/attitude.
There is quite a local punk or hardcore scene here in SoCal however it's mostly dudes in their 40's and 50's who have been doing that type of music since the glory days of the late 1970's. The positive things about the scene is that can do spirit about doing your own thing no matter what the current fashion. These bands release their own records on their terms and do the VANs sneakers mini tours with a hundred other bands during the summer then back to the day job. Keep in mind that if you are 18 years old - punk is not your generations music. It's the music of your fathers or grandfathers generation. It would be the same if you grew your hair long, put on a tie dye t-shirt and play 60's era psychedelic acid rock or do the greaser look and play rockabilly. Take the punk influence / aggression and take it off in a direction that feels honest to you and your age group. I wouldn't call it punk however.
Well I wasn't for a moment thinking that you were stupid, or even that YOU were willfully ignorant.
Just that a lot of people who profess to be punk ARE willfully ignorant.
It's good that you've done lots of different things. I've played in "dress up" bands, reading the dots and so on and it's amazing how that feeds in to my punk-influenced band's music. My point was that one takes the sum of our musical experience with us and make it the best we can.
Again, I'm not saying YOU think that (in the same way I'm sure you're not calling ME an "arrogant prick"
Certainly not, I just mean that I don't view it as a clothing style, a haircut and a "f*** you" attitude.
and oh contra ire, punk is alive and well in my opinion, it's just changed. But at the same time if we're going to change something's name because it just sounds different why is metal still metal? why is rock still rock? If we can summarize the sound to one band, then that band holds monopoly over the genre, and then it's not a genre at all. Want to be a hippy? Be a hippy. Want to be a greaser? Be a greaser, however that's confining it to more of a clothing style than a music style.
Yeah, the term has only been around for a couple decades...
Either you're out of touch, or oblivious...Like our friend JimmyM.
sorry, but my idea of punk isn't suburban kids from los angeles who were born into rich families and who sing with fake english accents about how bored they are because they have everything. having said that, there are a handful of bands who do exactly that and i like them.
BINGO!
Everything refered to as 'punk' post early 1980,...is simply revisionist nostalgia.
Punk bands post '90's have about as much to do with the very brief 'Punk' movement,
....as Rick Astley does with 70's 'Philadelphia Soul',.....Oasis with the 'British Invasion',.....or Justin Beiber with the early 'Rap' pioneers.
