Punk : Lifestyle Book

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PUNK Lifestyle



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Forward


‘Punk is Dead’ has been one of the most controversial statements made since it’s birth in the mid-1970’s. Whether or not it is or isn’t, the punk culture has remained very much alive through various subcultures as well as punk devotees. Throughout this series of books, we would like for you to decide for yourself whether or not you believe punk is dead or alive.


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Say What?


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If you’re a fierce individualist who has a bone to pick with the profit driven world, you might be a punk. Don’t be a punk just because you think it’s cool. Punk is a mindset and you don’t have to dress or look like anything or conform to a name. You can not be a blue collar and be punk. Purchasing the hair products, the clothes, and the music; that’s buying into society, which is exactly what punk is against. So know who you are, know the reason for the culture, and understand the meaning behind the word.

The punk subculture includes a variety of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock. The punk subculture emerged in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia in the mid-1970s. Exactly which region originated punk has long been a major controversy within the movement.


Early punk had a large amount of antecedents and influences. Jon Savage has described the subculture as a “bricolage” of almost every previous youth culture that existed in the West since the Second World War “stuck together with safety pins”. Various philosophical, political, and artistic movements influenced the subculture. Punk drew inspiration from several strains of modern art. Various writers, books, as well as literary movements were very important to the formation of the overall punk aesthetic. Punk rock has a variety of musical origins both within the rock and roll genre and beyond. The earliest form of punk rock, named protopunk in retrospect, started as a garage rock revival in the northeastern United States in the late 1960s. The first ongoing music scene that was assigned the punk label appeared in New York City between 1974 and 1976. At about the same time or shortly afterward, a punk scene developed in London. Soon after, Los Angeles became home to the third major punk scene. These three cities formed the backbone of the burgeoning movement, but there were also other scenes in a number of cities.


Around 1977, the subculture began to diversify with the proliferation of factions such as 2 Tone, Oi!, pop punk, New Wave, and No Wave. In the United States during the early 1980s, punk underwent a renaissance in the form of hardcore punk, which sought to do away with the frivolities introduced in the later years of the original movement. During this same time Britain saw a parallel movement developing called streetpunk. Hardcore and streetpunk then spread to other regions just as the original subculture had. In the mid-1980s to the early 1990s in America,

various underground scenes either directly evolved from punk or at least applied its attitudes to new styles, in the process producing the alternative rock and indie music scenes. A new movement in the United States became visible in the early and mid-1990s that sought to revive the punk movement as has continued to do so eery since.


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Say What?


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In the past 15 years, punk has enjoyed a rebirth in popularity. The popularity of the grunge scene in the early ‘90s left a spot for pop punk bands, most notably Green Day, to sell platinum albums. The Van’s Warped Tour, launched in 1995, created a yearly festival showcasing punk bands of all genres, and created a more wholesome place for American youth to see punk rock. This ultimately brought punk rock from the smoky bars to the light of day. By 1998, the punk revival had commercially stalled, but not for long. Pop punk band Blink-182’s 1999 release, Enema of the State, reached the Billboard top ten and sold four million copies in less than a year. New pop punk bands such as Sum 41, Simple Plan, Yellowcard, and Good Charlotte achieved major sales in the first decade of the 2000s. In 2004, Green Day’s American Idiot went to number one on both the U.S. and UK charts. Jimmy Eat World, which had taken emo in a radio-ready pop punk direction, had top ten albums in 2004 and 2007; in a similar style, Fall Out Boy hit number one with 2007’s Infinity on High.

Present-Day Punk Youth

With punk rock’s renewed visibility came concerns among some in the punk community that the music was being taken over by the mainstream. The effect of commercialization on the music itself was even more controversial. As observed by scholar Ross Haenfler, many punk fans actually despise corporate punk rock, typified by bands such as Sum 41 and Blink 182.


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The political ideology most often associated with punk is anarchism, and punk has also been associated with other leftist ideologies such as socialism and social liberalism. Some punks, anarcho-punks specifically, however, perceive leftists as ineffectual, and at times just as objectionable as right wingers. Two non-leftist ideologies that have appeared within punk culture are conservatism and neo-Nazism. Philosophical and religious ideologies within the punk subculture include: Islam, agnosticism, Christianity, atheism and Hare Krishna (especially amongst the 1980s straight edge scene).


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e Edg t igh a r >St

al c i it l o >Ap

>Left-wing

>Anarchis m m ralis e b i L > >Socia lism & Situat ionism

>Conservatism

>Neo-Nazi

>Right-wing


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Ideologies

Apolitical Punk subgenres that are generally apolitical include: glam punk, psychobilly, horror punk, punk pathetique, deathrock, pop punk and New Wave. Many of the bands credited with starting the punk movement were decidedly apolitical, including The Dictators, Ramones (which featured staunch republican Johnny Ramone along with liberal activist Joey Ramone), New York Dolls, Television, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, and Richard Hell & The Voidoids.

Nihilism Centering around a belief in the abject lack of meaning and value to life, nihilism was a fixture in some protopunk and early punk rock. Notable nihilist punks include: Johnny Roten, Iggy Pop, Sid Vicious and Richard Hell.


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Straight Edge Straight edge, which originated within the American hardcore punk scene, involves abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drug use. For some, straight edge is a simple lifestyle preference, but for others it’s a political stance. In many cases, it is a rejection of the perceived selfdestructive qualities of punk and hardcore culture. Notable straight edgers: Ian MacKaye, Tim McIlrath, Justin Sane.



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Anarchism (Left-Wing)

Liberalism (Left-Wing)

Anarchism is a political philosophy which considers the state undesirable, and instead promotes anarchy, or a stateless society.

Liberal punks were in the punk subculture from the beginning, and are mostly on the liberal left.

Many punks who support anarchism are known as anarcho punks. However, some well known punk bands, such as the Sex Pistols and The Exploited sing about anarchy but do not use the word in the sense of anarchism as a specific political philosophy. So they are not technically considered part of the anarcho-punk genre. Notable anarchist punks include: Tom Gabel, Steve Ignorant, Penny Rimbaud, Gee Vaucher, Colin Jerwood, and Dave Dictor.

“To Be A Punk� by Dean Taylor

Notable liberal punks include: Joey Ramone, Fat Mike, Ted Leo, Crashdog, Justin Sane, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tim McIlrath, and Hoxton Tom McCourt,


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Ideologies


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Socialism (Left-Wing)

Conservatism

The Clash were the first blatantly political punk rock band, introducing socialism to the punk scene. Some of the original Oi! bands expressed a rough form of socialist working class populism­­­­ —often mixed with patriotism. Many Oi! bands sang about unemployment, economic inequality, working class power and police harassment. In the 1980s, several notable British socialist punk musicians were involved with Red Wedge. Many socialist punks have ranged from members of mainstream labour and social democratic parties, right through to leninism, left communism and autonomist Marxism. Marxism is viewed as an ideological influence on the punk subculture, as well as an aesthetic one.

There are a small number of conservative punk embracing the punk lifestyle while rejecting the left-wing and anarchist views held by the majority of this particular punk subculture.

Notable socialist punks include: Billy Bragg, Bruce La Bruce, Garry Bushell, Chris Dean, Gary Floyd, Jack Grisham, Stewart Home, Dennis Lyxzén, Thomas Mensforth, Fermin Muguruza, Tom Robinson, Justin Sane, Seething Wells, Paul Simmonds, John Sinclair, Joe Strummer, and Ian Svenonius.

Notable conservative punks include: Michale Graves, Johnny Ramone, Joe Escalante, Billy Zoom, Bobby Steele and Dave Smalley.


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Ideologies

Far Right & Neo-Nazi A Nazi punk is a neo-Nazi who is part of the punk subculture. The term can also describe the kind of music they play. Nazi punk music is similar to most other forms of punk rock, although it usually differs by having lyrics that express hatred for minority groups such as Jews, blacks, homosexuals, and multiracial people. Nazi punk bands have played several styles of punk music, including Oi!, streetpunk and hardcore punk. Nazi skinheads who play music similar to hardcore, Oi! or heavy metal are considered as part of a separate genre called Rock Against Communism.

Nazi punks often wear clothing and hairstyles typically associated with the majority of the punk subculture, such as: liberty spike or Mohawk hairstyles, leather rocker jackets, boots, chains, and metal studs or spikes. Nazi punks should not be confused with early punks, such as Sid Vicious and Siouxsie Sioux, who incorporated Nazi imagery such as Swastikas and are commonly thought to have done it purely for shock value.


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Ideologies

rporate fools I won’t follow your co

rue t e b l y I’l h c r a n Only A

Call me

a pun k

d you don’t nee I e s u a c e path b e my own I’ll forg

you hell You yell I’ll give

You jud ge I’ll not bud ge


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Situationism Introduced to punk by Malcolm McLaren, situationist ideas found an effective breeding ground in the desperation of 1970s England. McLaren had been interested in the philosophy since the 1960s and seeing such an opportunity in the Sex Pistols, he commandeered the band members’ various rebellious, but working-class, tendencies and placed them in the context of his radical politics. McLaren’s partner, and the band’s designer, Vivienne Westwood also ascribed to situationist ideals, and everything from album cover sloganeering to the bondage trousers they wore was intended to provoke a specific social response.

“Call Me A Punk” by Matt Rawes

The Situationist Int’l (SI) was allegedly an early influence on punk ideology in the United Kingdom. SI started in continental Europe in the 1950s as an avant-garde political movement that sought to capture the ideals of surrealist art and use them to construct new and radical social situations. Malcolm McLaren introduced situationist ideas to punk through his management of the band Sex Pistols. Vivienne Westwood, the band’s designer and stylist as well as McLaren’s partner, expressed situationist ideals through fashion that was intended to provoke a specific social response. Jamie Reid’s distinctive album cover artwork was openly situationist.


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Primary

Fusion

A number of overlapping punk rock subgenres have developed since the emergence of punk rock in the mid 1970s. Even though punk genres at times are difficult to segregate, they usually show differing characteristics in overall structures, vocal and instrumental styles, and tempo. However, sometimes a particular trait is very common in several genres, and thus punk genres are normally grouped by a combination of traits and twee.

Punk fusion is the combination of one or more of the the original punk subgenres. Over the years, there have been many varieties of punk fusion developing all over the world to create sound and ideals inspired by generations prior.


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PUNK ZINES A punk zine is a zine devoted to punk culture, most often punk rock music, bands, or the DIY punk ethic. One of the earliest punk zines was the New York magazine Punk. It was started by John Holmstrom, Ged Dunn, and Legs McNeil, who published the first issue in January 1976. The zine championed the early New York underground music scene and helped associate the word “punk� with these bands, most notably, The Ramones. Punk only received a flash of attention in England until 1977 when the punks across the Atlantic started making their own punk zines.


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Subgenres > Primary

Garage Punk

Anarcho Punk

Garage punk is a subgenre of punk rock that is heavily influenced by garage rock. Along with garage rock, it has even taken influences from 1960’s soul, beat groups, surf rock, power pop, hardcore punk and 1960’s psychedelia Formed in the late 1980s, it is characterized by a sound and an image that is dirty, ugly, raw, sleazy, and menacing. Often, it focuses on lo-fi aesthetics over catchy melodies.

The foundations of this movement can be linked to one song. The Sex Pistols first single, “Anarchy in the UK”, was the first time punk and anarchy would be connected, and it would give rise to this specific subgenre.

New Bomb Turks, Mudhoney and The Horrors are good examples of this genre.

Hardcore Punk Hardcore punk (or hardcore) is a subgenre of punk rock that was formed in the late 1970s. Its sound is generally heavier, faster, and thicker than the sound of the earlier punk bands. It has spawned in a diverse collection of subgenres and has often been combined with subgenres of heavy metal. Black Flag, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat are three notable early hardcore punk bands.

Anarcho punk isn’t entirely about anarchy, but it is heavily politically motivated. Its lyrics often convey messages about political issues, including animal rights and antigovernment stances. Crass founded the movement, preaching communalism and the DIY movement. They dismissed punk bands like the Sex Pistols as puppets of the music industry, and believed that the only way to truly get your beliefs out was to produce your own music. This lead to Crass records, the original home of anarcho punk bands such as Flux Of Pink Indians and KUKL. While Crass preached political change through pacifism, many other anarcho-punk bands believe that political change should be affected “by any means necessary.”


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Celtic Punk Celtic punk is essentially punk rock accompanied by traditional Irish instruments. As a musical movement, it was founded in the ‘80s by the Pogues, a band of punk musicians in London who were seeking to reclaim their Irish heritage. Celtic punk bands often play a blend of traditional Irish folk and political songs as well as original compositions. While the plight of the Irish people throughout history is most often a topic of their songs, it is not considered a political movement in their culture. Most recently, Celtic punk is seeing a rise to popularity as American bands such as Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys put their own spin on the subgenre, and give it a decidedly American flavor.


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Subgenres > Primary

Grunge

Oi!

Grunge emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, around the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song dynamics, and apathetic lyrics.

Oi! is a working class street-level subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. It had a goal of uniting punks, skinheads, and other working class youths.

Riot Grrrl Riot Grrrl is a feminist punk/indie rock genre and subculture, whose popularity peaked in the 1990s. It consists of female-centric bands, festivals and shows; group meetings, networking, and support groups; self-defense courses, activism (often with benefit concerts), and underground fanzine culture. Riot Grrrl bands include Bikini Kill and Bratmobile.

Notable early Oi! bands include: Cockney Rejects, Angelic Upstarts, The 4-Skins and The Business.


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Horror Punk Horror punk is a subgenre of punk rock that uses horror movie themes as the lyrical content. The lyrics are usually tales related to horrorfilms, ack humor, and horror stories or novels. Horror punk bands have been know to dress up in black clothes, skeleton costumes, and skull face paint. The Misfits are the prototype and pioneering band in the horror punk genre.

Trailpunk

Nazi Punk

Trailpunk is a subgenre of punk known for its fast drums, a melodic sound, and often politically-oriented lyrics. Trailpunk emerged around the end of the 1980s and the early 90’s from the Swedish hardcore punk scene.

Nazi punk is a subgenre that promotes neo-Nazism. The term Nazi punk can also refer to a neo-Nazi who is part of the punk subculture. Rock Against Communism is a related genre.


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Subgenres > Primary

Skate Punk Skate punk, also known as skatepunk, skate-punk, skate-thrash, surf punk, or skate-core, is a subgenre of punk that derived from hardcore punk. It is defined by four-note basslines, surf-like drums, and fast, Ramones-style guitar, with lyrical themes that center around skateboarding. Its name comes from the fact that many skate punks were skateboarders. Bands include The Offspring, NOFX, Pulley, Pennywise, Suicidal Tendencies, Ten Foot Pole, Strung Out.

Street Punk Street punk is a working class genre of punk rock which took shape in the early 1980s, as a rebellion against the perceived artistic pretensions of the first wave of British punk. Street punk emerged from the Oi! style. Examples of notable bands are Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects, Cock Sparrer, and UK Subs.


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Subgenres > Fusion

Celtic Punk Celtic punk is Celtic fusion subgenre. It is basically punk rock with influences from Celtic music. Often, the bands add Celtic instruments such as bagpipes, fiddle, tin whistle, accordion, mandolin or banjo. The Pogues, The Real McKenzies, Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly are notable Celtic punk bands.

Cowpunk Cowpunk or Country punk is a subgenre that combines punk rock with country music in sound, subject matter, attitude, and style. The term has also been applied to several bands that play a fast form of Southern rock. The Gun Club, Jason & The Scorchers, Goober & the Peas and Nine Pound Hammer are examples of cowpunk bands.


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Chicano Punk Chicano punk refers to punk bands of Mexican American ethnicity that originated in Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods during the mid-late 1990s, with such bands as Los Crudos, and later spread to the Los Angeles punk scene. It can also refer to a subgenre of Chicano rock. Los Illegals and Cruzados are two Chicano punk bands.

Dance-Punk Dance-punk is a subgenre of punk rock that first emerged in the late 1970s and is influenced by the post-punk and No Wave movements and, more recently, the postpunk revival and art punk movements. It is identified by its mix of disco, funk, punk rock, and electro. Examples include: The Rapture, Yeah?, Moving Units, Liars, Does It Offend You and Klaxons.


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Subgenres > Fusion

Psychobilly Psychobilly is a genre of music generally described as a mix between late-1970s punk rock and 1950s American rockabilly. It is often characterized by lyrical references to horror and exploitation films, violence, lurid sexuality and other topics generally considered taboo; although often presented in a comedic or tongue-in-cheek fashion. Psychobilly bands include Tiger Army, The Meteors and Demented Are Go.

Deathrock Deathrock is a term used to identify a subgenre of punk rock that splintered off the emerging United States West Coast hardcore scene by incorporating elements of Horror films and Dadaism. Deathrock bands play louder and faster than gothic rock bands and often share bills with psychobilly and horror punk bands. California bands Christian Death, 45 Grave and TSOL and Nevada band Theatre of Ice are examples of early deathrock bands.


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Being p It is unk is mo re th how y an ju ou lo st wh ok an at d how you t you wear hink. ife. our l y y o u enj ow yo h d n t a ou ac How y

How you stan d up to the man and take him down a pe g.

punk is in your heart

Being and it is displayed through your actions.

Pop Punk

Gypsy Punk

Pop punk (also known as punk pop and other names) is a fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Because many mainstream pop punk bands came from Southern California, one style of pop punk is called the SoCal Sound.

Gypsy Punk emerged in the turn of the century, headed by Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene H端tz. The subgenre combines Gypsy, Klezmer or Eastern European music and Punk rock. The subgenre typically has violin, acoustic guitar, accordion, and tenor saxophone, along with bass, electric guitar, and drums.


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Subgenres > Fusion

Punk Blues Punk blues is a fusion of punk rock and blues music. It also can be influenced by garage rock. The White Stripes, Flat Duo Jets, and Cage The Elephant are notable examples of punk blues bands.

Punk Metal Punk metal is an umbrella term or cross-genre term used to describe music that fuses elements of heavy metal with hardcore punk. Often the fusion involves extreme metal genres. Styles of punk metal include crossover thrash, metalcore, grindcore, crust punk, grunge, thrash metal, sludge metal, thrashcore and subsequent fusions between those styles.

Street Pop Street Pop is a fusion between soul, New Wave and punk with heavy influnces from Phil Spector and his wall of sound and late 1970s power pop.


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Ska Punk Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock, often playing down the former’s R&B roots. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk. The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the combination of contrasting genres. The more punk-influenced style often features faster tempos, guitar distortion, onbeat punk-style interludes (usually the chorus), and nasal, gruff, or shouted vocals. The more ska-influenced style of ska punk features a more developed instrumentation and a cleaner vocal and musical sound. Less Than Jake, Operation Ivy, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Choking Victim, and Reel Big Fish are notable ska bands.

2 Tone 2 Tone (or Two Tone) was a music genre created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and pop music. The Specials, The English Beat, Madness and The Bodysnatchers are notable 2 Tone bands.


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Subgenres > Primary & Fusion

Punk Subgenres & Fusion Even though punk genres at times are difficult to segregate, they usually show differing characteristics in overall structures, instrumental and vocal styles, and tempo. However, sometimes a particular trait is commonin several genres, and thus punk genres are normally grouped by a combination of traits and twee.

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ka (s

(metal/h

riot grrrl

(feminist)

trailpun (melod k ic)

stre (wor et

ian i)st r h c (God

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! ing-class oi ork

king-class)

ge gr(uadngry)

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-th ror film ho(rhorror

(statel glam (fl

amboya nt dre ss/mak eup)

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pop) 2-tone (punk & ska &

ska (punk & reggae) avy metal) punk metal(punk & he

psychobill y (punk & t aboo)

street (pu nk & soul )

cowpun k(punk

folk(pun k & fiddl es)

& coun try)



The excitement and fear that is associated with going to a Punk show for the first time is an unusual feeling that leaves you constantly seeking the same sort of experience. Young punks become adrenaline and testosterone addicts much to the chagrin of their parents and teachers who pray that Punk rock will be a phase that passes quickly. Records are bought, clothes are mutilated, hair gets sheered off or spiked up and dyed day glo colors. Somewhere along the line most punks find however that beyond the image and blasting guitars that being punk rock has deeper implications. Instead of just a uniform and musical style, punk becomes a vehicle to reevaluate society and all of its roles. While there are many different cliques and sub tribes within Punk rock, all serious members of the culture have come to similar conclusions: that the world has become seriously fucked up as the result of mindless consumerism and abuses of power committed by establishments that were created long before any of us were born.


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Lifestyle

As a result we respond in our own ways—some punks become politicized while others reject their surroundings in purely social ways. Whatever form this rebellion takes on, one can be assured that people everywhere will notice the loud statements that punks make and will often respond with even more anger and hatred, further re-inforcing a sense of alienation from society that almost all Punks have felt. If all of this sounds like madness that’s because it is. The punk lifestyle is often overwhelming and exhausting. This becomes very evident throughout the various personal experiences and insights included within the next several pages.


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Lifestyle


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“Being A Punk” Put quite simply, being a “punk” has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, or the amount of expensive sticky product you slather into your hair. It has nothing to do with respect for authority. It has nothing to do with speaking in a different accent or expressing yourself using only four-letter words. Punk is all about selfexpression in the most raw, instinctive way possible. It is about understanding the things about you that make you unique and valuable, and also about respecting what makes others unique and valuable. It is about digging into your brain until you find out what mechanic it is that makes you tick, then exploiting the hell out of it. It’s about not hiding behind labels or clothes or posses. It is about knowing that because of your own strength, even if everyone in the world abandoned you, you would be fine.

However, it is not about wishing for this or trying to alienate people. It is not about making other people uncomfortable, but at the same time it’s not about saying what people want to hear. It’s about honesty, brutal, cold, harsh honesty because there’s really no other way. It’s about progress. Being a punk should not involve trying to convince people that you are a punk. If you were to ask someone what category they belonged to, and they promptly and directly said, “No category, I’m just me,” then that person, despite their clothes and hair and music tastes, is closer to a punk than anyone else.

—Beth Watson ­­


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Lifestyle > “What It Means To Be Punk”

“What It Means To Be Punk” I’m a punk and I have been for quite some time now. Just for the record, I’ve never been much of one for labels, since the only people who ever seem to use labels are people who don’t know what they’re talking about or only use them to describe themselves, usually incorrectly. Just because Alex dyed his hair black there’s no reason to call him a Goth kid. And for God’s sake, just because you listen to the radiofriendly pop-punk and emo/ screamo bands of today, that does not give you the right to call yourself a punk. And so I generally keep my distance from labels, because as you can see, there’s hardly ever a good circumstance surrounding their usage. Real punks don’t need to label themselves as such because it just goes without saying. Just like how you have ten fingers and ten toes and you don’t feel the need to announce that to the world at every opportunity available to you, real punks don’t feel the need to go around asserting their punk status at every chance available.

Many punks fit the stereotype they’re pretty easy to pick out in a crowd. Hair dyed unnatural colors put up in unusual styles; piercings and tattoos; band shirts, bondage pants, Doc Martens boots. You know, that whole drill. Not to say that all punk is, is just fashion. There are some people of that mindset, but I am not among their ranks. Sure, you can dress the part, but if you’re not a punk you’re not a punk and no amount of studs or spikes or Manic Panic hair dye in the world is going to be able to change that fact. It’s impossible to get everybody to agree one hundred percent on what it means to be a punk because the issue itself is so deeply personal. Punk may be a style of music but it is also so much more. It is an attitude, a fashion, a community and a lifestyle. If I had been asked the whole what does it mean to be a punk? question back six or seven years ago when I was first getting into the scene, my answer would surely have been much different. (cont’d on next page)


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Many punks fit the stereotype, the y’re pretty easy to pick out of a crowd.

toos piercings and tat Punk i s an a ttitud e. e.

styl . e n f i o l i d a ash n f a a ty is communi k Pun is a Punk


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Lifestyle > “What It Means To Be Punk”

When I first discovered punk I was fifteen years old, full of anger, a complete outcast in the world I was living in. I used to think that being a punk meant being that stereotypical kid with the hot pink hair and the shocking clothes the kid who disregarded authority, who questioned everything, who was as abrasive and offensive as they come. I used to think that being a punk meant playing a role, being that person who I wasn’t but who I desperately wanted to be. Someone who didn’t give a toss about the world, society, or last night’s precalculus homework. I was wrong, of course, but what angst-driven teenager isn’t wrong at some point?

the weekends. You see, when I joined the working force I realized a few things mainly that although fashion may be important, so is a steady income. And yes, I chose the steady income over the cool threads. I don’t try to be the outcast anymore; I’ve made some of the best friends that I have through avenues that are not at all related to punk and that’s just fine. I don’t solely listen to punk rock; I listen to what I enjoy. Sure, that happens to still be mostly punk, oi, and ska, but I’ve grown a lot since first getting into the scene and I’m not ashamed to admit that I also enjoy listening to some good old Big Band, Swing, Sinatra, and sometimes even some Elvis.

To me, being a punk means being true to myself. I don’t try to fit the whole stereotype anymore; I don’t pride myself on being offensive or disgusting or rude. I don’t wear that by-the-book punk uniform; real friends punk or not don’t care about what you wear. Sure, I still dress the part occasionally: the bullet belts, the DIY vests, the timeworn Docs but only on

In the end, it doesn’t matter what I do or say. Some people will label me as a punk, some won’t; I have no say in how others perceive me, and I honestly don’t care. I have my group of punk friends, I go to punk shows, I play in a punk band and I write in a punk zine, but from the looks of me you’d probably never guess it. I look like your average American twenty-


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something, I hold down a full time job, I’m responsible, don’t drink to excess, don’t do drugs, and don’t get into fights or rebel as a sport. Being punk has nothing to do with the shoes you wear on your feet or the products you put in your hair; it has everything to do with the person that you are and the experiences that you’ve had in getting to that point. Once I realized that fact, I was as good as gold. I define what being punk is; I don’t let it define me.

—Riley MacDonell ­­


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Lifestyle > Punk Views

Punk VIEWS:

Punk started as a way of venting your rage at the

corruption of society. nothing but doing what one wants to do. To me punk is simply

two minute songs with three chords. Some equate punk with writing

Some equate punk with

anti-mainstream.

Some think its a DIY ethic.

a new form of political thought.

Some equate punk as


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L L E H . y To t i m r o f n with co ng: sayi out b a is Punk

Punk is all those. Punk is neither of those. Punk just may be undefinable.


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VICTORIA WASHINGTON OREGON

LOS ANGELES

WINNIPEG MINNESOTA TORONTO WISCONSIN MICHIGAN OHIO INDIANA ILLINOIS

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW YORK NEW JERSEY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

NEW MEXICO TEXAS

VIRGINIA FLORIDA

PERU

PUNK PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BIRTHPLACE(S) OF PUNK Both New York and London take credit for creating Punk, an issue that continuous to be under debate. MAJOR PUNK PRESENCE Secondary punk parentals of the punk culture. Home to several famous punk bands. DEVELOPING PUNK PRESENCE Growing punk presence throughout the world since Punk’s birth in the mid-1970’s.

BRAZIL


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SWEDEN BELFAST MANCHESTER

LONDONCZECH REPUBLIC GERMANY

INDONESIA

SOUTH AFRICA

AUSTRALIA



Punk is not dead, anyone who says that just wishes that it was. Punk is not dead, it has just changed. During the 80’s was when punk was really popular and yeah I think the 80’s decade was the shit, but now punk has changed to a lot of eyeliner and sometimes a lot of emotions that are often angry and deep. It is sort of what people now call emo but it’s a little more outgoing. But emo and punk are coming together and people just aren’t noticing it and thats pretty much what punk is now. So if you ever hear anyone say punk is dead tell them to shut the fuck up and pop them one right in the mouth. The term punk was a label put on a certain group of bands in New York and London in the 70’s to more easily categorize them. Original “punk” music was very experimental and the idea was to deconstruct any previous ideas of what music was, including labels. This ‘punk’ label was not embraced by the punk community whatsoever.


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Conclusion > Punk is Dead...not

So we can continue argue whether punk is dead or not or we can just honor the spirit of those few pioneers and just appreciate and play music for the sake of creativity. Punk means something different to every person you ask, so if anyone says “punk is dead” than maybe their idea of punk is dead and what “punk” means to me is to think for yourself. So, figure out what it means to you and leave everyone else the hell alone. Punk rock has never died. People just say that because they don’t know what punk is. Research it man. Punk is not dead. Believe me. Punk is not dead, it never died, it’s just evolved! A genre of music cannot die, a lot of people are still listening to punk music and are still in punk bands. So is punk dead? What do you think? And for fuck sake, think for yourself for once.


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e hos t of t i pir s the r ono h ciate an e r c p p t a we d jus n ers a e n o i few p

and play musi c fo r th e sa ke o f cr eati vity .


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Conclusion > Punk is Dead...not

PUNK IS NO T DEA D. died. r e v e n k has c o r k Pun People just say that because they don’t know what punk is.

for punk rock There will always be a place in the world s be right alway will it and the punk philosophy, and of society. rest the of n visio outside of the peripheral



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