*Punk Music* The original intent of the art The music industry is a big political battle. Different people wanting different things, trying to please different people. Some people are completely ignorant as to know how punk works and how different it is from pop. The people, attitudes and styles are completely diverse and yet they are grouped together in a music store. The punk scene is stereotyped into spikes, weird hair, and piercings. This my friend, is not true punk. Punk is a lifestyle. The effects of the punk epoch are indelible.
Punkers are in it for the fun. They live for their performance. Their music is the alleviation of their pain, and they don't conform to the ways of mainstream music. "Call me stupid call me crazy call me what you will. I don't write this music with intent to pay my bills. Another cardboard cutout brand we all sound the same guess I'm just a hypocrite for living out my dreams."
English: Graham Burnett (aka quercus robur) lying ...
English: San Francisco's FLIPPER performing at the...
The Clash, Chateau Neuf, Oslo, NorwayPulley says this very well here in the song hooray for me. It states that no matter what someone says, they're going to keep playing, and keep doing shows. They don't write the music for money or fame. They do it for the fun. Their pain reliever if you will. It doesn't matter what someone from mainstream says about them, they will never conform to the ways of the world. "I want to see the constitution burned" NoFX says in this song. As they come together, their pasts are usually similar. Their minds think a lot alike. Their relationships last for a long time once they establish them. They talk on world and country issues but at the same time their fun together is never ceasing. Every show is different from the last. New surprises, assorted people, even different words in some cases. Their fun is all they're concerned about. They never expect to be big, and they never want to be on MTV. MTV is exactly what Punk is against. The mainstream society trying to tell them what to do and what to say. They have their opinions, what ever happened to freedom of speech? They speak out against conformists. The stereotype of a punk is that of someone wearing black all the time, colored hair, and spikes. There are both liberal and conservative wings of punk. In that sense it is a microcosm of society in general. You cannot define punk universally. It's meaning is changed and defined separately everywhere by contextual circumstance. A 16-year old girl from a religious family who always shows up at church with a shirt that says, "Jesus sucks" with spiked hair is considered punk. Counter to that, a Biology teacher going against Darwin's theories would also be considered punk. These people have never heard of, met or hung out at the same underground club. Their thinking and challenging the conformist ideas everyone seems to follow, links them spiritually. Whether this is learned or genetic is unknown. I share a certain respect for these kind of people. I don't feel I am associated to those exclusive, elitists, and who think that their way of life is a model for how others should live theirs.
Punk musicians write their own music. Emotion is sensed in every word that sinks into your soul. Their music is not to please others, but to express their feelings in a manner that pleases them. Their lives are poured out onto paper and cleverly arranged musically for themselves, and no one else. Most punkers are musically inclined. Their emotions are written down, played out and highly sought after. When they put their mind to something they're going to do it. In the last year punk has become increasingly popular. More punk cd's, tapes, shirts, and merch, have been bought then ever before. It has moved away from the original intent of the art. Entire labels have now called themselves 'punk' labels. They are selling fashion and creating a sub-culture retinue instead of promoting the honesty and creativity of its artists. This shows how fast Punk is growing into mainstream today. This doesn't change their music. Their words have a power that enchants its listeners so they'll be begging for more. The fans of punk expect real words, thoughts and emotions. Punkers give them just that, unintentionally. "I ran into someone on the street in the town where I live and he recognized me as the singer of Bad Religion. We talked for a short while and he spoke about how increasingly these days young people in general are hostile to strangers, and don't want to listen to anyone but their own comfortable circle of friends. And about how people seem to be motivated these days by some unseen force to be closed minded." This is from the lead singer of Bad Religion, a punk band. It can be inferred that listening to their own comfortable circle of friends can alter the music someone writes, composes, or plays. Bad Religion's music is something to listen to time and time again. I could listen to it for hours; just because of it's content.
MTV says, "Mainstream bands give the fans what they want." Yes they do. While doing this, they sell out to their true love, the music they started out writing, and their music changes. If you listen to their old albums, and compare them to the new ones, they have a subtly different sound. Their message starts to diminish. MTV has much to do with this. They get inside teens' heads, and they brainwash them, in a sense. "We don't entertain teenagers, we own them." A representative from MTV said once. Mainstream music is a bunch of people trying to make money, and be famous. Punk is not a genre of music it is a lifestyle.
The effects of the punk epoch are indelible. The future generations will always know about the punkers and their way of life. Their rebellious sub-culture will be known for many years, and most likely followed by generations to come. The uncontroversial ways of a punk is often indisputable. Their clothes, hair and non-conformist attitudes are easily seen and recognized. Passion and heart felt music has won the hearts of millions of people around the world. Their lives are true, their message is clear, and this is why, they are the greatest people on earth.
Acid Drop Punk Band Logo
English: Members of Bad Religion
English: This picture is a logo of Bad Religion (G...