The Shape Of Punk To Come...

I was going to title this thread something along the lines of "Is punk dead....Most Probably".
But I don’t actually believe that punk is dead, it’s just in a real state.

I am a fan of punk music from the X-ray Specs and Sham 69 to sick of it all and Cro-Mags, so my views on the whole genre (and sub genres) isn’t anti punk bias as such. The whole early UK punk thing was basically the soundtrack to the pissed off working class am i right? Do drugs, get fucked up, Pierce your face, dress ridiculous, hate everyone and shock the general public as much as possible.

The punk stereotype was born.

As punk was dulling down a bit in the UK, American latched onto it and created their own version PUNKROCK. Black flag etc etc.

Blah blah blah, year’s n years later...here we are.

There is so much more shit going on and so many more genres and sub genres within music.

Here’s what I really wanted to write about.

The old 77 punk fashion is still around yet so many more kids (and grownups alike) wear the uniform without knowing the roots or acting the part. Like people going around covered in anarchy A's claiming to be all anarchy yet not caring about anything, not attending rallies and just genuinely not standing their ground at all.
Then you get the whole political punk kid that goes round slagging off presidents, prime ministers and the government saying how shit it all is when again they don’t attend rallies, vote or anything.
If you’re going to be so liberal about your views at least put some effort in and prove your not just all talk.
Obviously tartan, bondage straps, chains, padlocks, ripped clothes, Mohawks, tri hawks, liberty spikes etc are all still standard attire...but a lot of the time now it just looks like the kids went on Google and searched punk clothes and emptied their bank on a wardrobe...so punk rock!

A lot of the attitude seems to have been lost also. Back at the start of punk obviously like all genres you have your fair share of dickheads, but there was a lot of political & clever means behind it. Now a lot of the time it just seems to be people saying their angry when they really dont seem it.
And for a scene full of people wanting anarchy.....you can’t go round slating someone because of their hair, clothing and general preferences and believe anarchy would work. Anarchy would work if people were more accepting and joined in a unified state. To me it seems like a totally bad idea, largely because of the majority of its flag bearers are small minded fools, and not because I don’t think an anarchic state would totally fail.

Punk is now apparently more about complaining and less about doing.
Here’s a perfect example...recently I spoke to a local kid about a punk show and they were complaining about how it was too rough...... (Yes a punk show that is too rough, what is happening?!)...people were jumping of tables etc etc and apparently that kind of behavior at a punk show is totally unacceptable. When I asked why go to the show if you can’t handle a bit of harmless fun she replied with something along the lines of "I’m all for pogo and skanking but when you could get punched or someone fall on your head it’s not fun, shows shouldn’t be like that".....hmmm.

I also had another "conversation" with a local "punk" kid over an image that was on their MySpace profile. You might have seen it before, it consists of 2 images. The one at the top is a gritty photo of what looks like an early 90's American hardcore show and the lower image is of some fashion kids posing at a prom or something for a professional photo.

It says "what hardcore used to be....what it is now".

First of all if you are a real fan of hardcore.....you will know that hardcore is still alive and well, possibly even more so than before. Secondly, how do you even know if the kids in the bottom picture are even into hardcore? They are wearing suits and posing for a professional photograph. And thirdly isn’t hardcore & punk supposed to be about unity and freedom of expression? So judging these kids on the fact they want their hair to look good surly goes against what hardcore is supposed to be about.

The kind of attitude that makes me feels embarrassed.

When I first found out about hardcore & punk and the unity, positive attitude and acceptance that it stands for, I was really syked on it...but now I have kind of witnessed how within the walls it’s so full of egotistical plane people that adopt pretty much a uniform mentally and physically. Totally going against what i thought it was all about. A real let down and kick in the teeth.


So is this really the way it’s got to be?
It seems like the punk genre has gone head over heels for hypocrisy.