phoenix1002

Since coming to college, I've had some very interesting insights into the whole punk scene. My roommate is very punk. He listens to punk music, goes for the punk look, and lives for punk concerts. Many of his friends are also punks.

I for one have never particularly cared for punk music, and wasn't really aware of the whole punk lifestyle that follows it. Generally the voices of the singers are too high pitched and whiney sounding, and the lyrics all seem to be about middle school and high school relationships, and lots of teen angst. It just seemed to be a style of music that worked with a certain period of life.

Listening to my roommate's friends talk, I realized that a lot of them live lives similar to what the music describes. They get drunk a lot and party on the weekends (not something limited to punks, I know), but where I really noticed the similarity was in their relationships. Here's the situation:

This guy hooked up with this girl, and afterwards they decided to date. I got the impression it wasn't because he liked her that much, more of because she was convenient. I may be wrong, but that's what it sounded like. That was last week.

This week, he's talking about how he really likes this other girl, and he thinks that she likes him too, but the only reason he's not doing anything (yet, at least) is because of the scene that it would make with the current girl that he's with.

Most people I know don't seem to have this sort of issue. They find someone they like, and stay with them, unless something really just doesn't work out. I guess what I'm getting at is does punk music (and the punk culture) promote this kind of relationship, or are the people who would have these kinds of relationships attracted to the music? Or am I just completely missing something?

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meanSpleen

No. It is not punk music that is doing this. Neither is Goth music causing people to kill themselves. Face it, your roommates friend is a pig, who needs someone as an attachment. It is his own fault for finding someone he is not compatible with. There is no reason to blame the music.

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juanvaldes

poser.

Check out SLC:Punk

And who cares about him, fuck ups are in every social group. Drama happens everywhere.

Just do your shit and dont' give a shit.

meanSpleen

Dam straight. SLC:Punk is a great movie that highlights many features of what punk IS and what punk ISN'T.

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juanvaldes

Exactly. And a all around awesome movie that plays with your noodle.

Johnny Rotten

Doesn't sound like punk to me. Sounds like emo . I didn't know that anybody besides teenage girls listened to emo. Guy sounds like a tool to me.

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BBtB

Juan and mean (...new name?) are off having their own conversation. In the mean time. Yea I would say that is just your roomate. I really only know one "punk" and he is engaged to a little punkette and they are actully a rather cute little couple.

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phoenix1002

Actually, I've seen SLC Punk, and it's a great movie. You're right, now that you mention it, they kinda do seem more like posers trying to live the 'punk life' rather than actually doing it because they feel any sort of desire to change the system. They seem to live the life of the parties and loose relationships without the views on society.

Lets see if I can't rephrase my question a bit.
I'm not blaming the music but,
Does it affect their decisions in any way (i.e. they "try to be punk") or is it people who have that kind of lifestyle are attracted to punk music because of the message it can be seen to give.

As a side note, does it seem ironic to me that the punk culture is now popular?

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I approach college much like a recovering alcoholic--one day at a time...

MSD

What is considered "punk" now is emo shit like Blink-182 and Good Charlotte (after they sold out.) It isn't punk. You want punk, I'll let you borrow Sex Pistols, Ramones, and Clash CD's. These kids are trying to live a lifestyle which is formed by MTV, the boundaries and rules of which are dictated by MTV, and gets your money to MTV. We knew the real goths and punks in high school, and we saw the posers (two in particular who I can think of) make asses of themselves and get put in their place by the real ones.

KillerYoda

Not to sound way too argumentative, but Blink-182 and Good Charlotte ain't emo. It's "pop punk" or "shit" as I like to refer to it. But that's a completely different discussion.

Punk officially died a long time ago, shit, it died before I was born, and posers have beaten the dead horse of punk rock for decades. There's and old saying about punk:

"She asked me, 'Whats punk?' I said, 'Punks not a look, it's a lifestyle.' ...She looked confused, so I kicked over a trash can and said, 'That's punk.' She then kicked a trash can and said, 'Is that punk?' I said, 'No, that's trendy.'"

All it is now is just another way to lie to yourself into thinking you're different and cool. Supposedly all goths are individuals, yet they all look exactly the same. It's the same thing with punk nowadays. It's all about the look, wearing the correct uniform for the scene. Most people just need to accept the fact they don't get it and find another trend to suck dry.

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Punk Died with Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone

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redravin40

It's just like when the jocks discovered the mosh pit and thought it meant they could whale on people without fear of reprisal, too many people use punk as an excuse.
They think that being punk means they can act irresponsible and stupid, when actually more is required of you since you are responsible for your community.
The true punks are the ones putting out the zines, organizing concerts and setting up coffee shops.
True punk isn't about music, clothes, or a bad attitude, it is about community.

Jesus Pimp

The punk scene is pathetic nowadays.

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ratbastid

SLC:Punk was an AWESOME film, especially for those of us who grew up in Salt Lake City. There's a haze of repression in that town that the film only hints at. If you've lived there, you get that movie on a whole other level.

Ransom342

But we still got Henry Rollins and Glen Danzig

Skettios

KillerYoda,

While I appreciate your humorous anecdote. I have to say I don't agree with you that punk is dead.

Punk can live on without fast guitar music and without mohawks and chains.

Punk is one thing and one thing only, the total frustration with the way the world is. It's admitting that the world is a fucked up place, and resolving to not let it affect you. It's being real, staying true to your mates or your tribe (thank you SLC for that great word). Sure you get pissed off every now and then, but it's also a state of freedom, where you don't have to cop to anything. You can fuck around all you want, and pay the penalty with a smile on your face. Be yourself even if you live in a repressive state (SLC is one thing, I lived in Grand Rapids, MI, not to get in a pissing contest, but that was pretty messed up).

So no chains, no avril lavigne, just admit that the world is messed up, and that you can be real, and take care of your own.

Punk isn't dead, it's just misunderstood.

A lot of the kids today could be good punks, if they weren't so brainwashed by corporate america.

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cj2112

IMO punk has become trendy, I was at the mall the other day and guess what? there is a new store. what were they selling? punk clothing, albums, and accesories. I loved the irony.

WhoaitsZ

oh joy. more punk philosophy

a punk is nothing but a person who has 'fuck your and your way of life' written all over themselves.

punk music is like saying 'it's alternative', meaning there's `Way Too Damn Many Punk Groups So We Just Call Them Punk', regardless of what they sound like. real, true punks to me is this:

the dress how they wish. the have something to say and will be heard. they are honest to a fault and god help you if you disagree. they are, all in all, their own person who is normally a misfit or outside of normal society.

the things that makes my sides split in laughter is the whole "he's a punk, she's a punk, those there (see em?) aren't punk! posers!"

give me a fuggin break! punk is to be different. if a punk follows a code he isn't a punk!

i remember watching a thing on Greenday (a so-so 'punk' band) who were sticking up for themselves and their music saying how they were punk.
then rancid came on and said blhalbhlahblahfuckfuckfuckblahblafuck (about that much intelligence in the rant he gave, i was really let down cuz i like rancid a lot) they aren't punk fuckfuckblahblah they are posers blahblahfuckfuckblahblah.' i sit here and think....... greenday is succeeding, they are doing what they wish, despite what people say, they do it their way. they are punk

most punk and 'metal' bands right now are n'sync with really bad hairstyles. there is a 'hard' song that goes 'i'm addicted to you' sounding like a lovesick puppy playing in a placet that's crumbling apart. such adark picture for someone who looks like he missed his recess session and is now almost thinking he may possibly be irritated.


you are what you are. accept it.

oh yeah: the girl. don't know. it sounds no diff than any other boy likes another girl tale i hear.

-shrug-

bondagegirl

Yeah i think the Boy girl relationship you're talking about would be exactly the same if all of them were britney spears and nsync fans. Phoenix I have a question for you... what do these "punk" people listen to? You said they have a lot of interest in punk music and I want to know what they consider punk music.
Thank you killer yoda for saying that the punk today is not emo!!!
THANK YOU!!! well for that matter it's not punk either (imho)


I think it's too funny, that to be "punk" you go to the MALL and buy fucking clothes with safety pins in them and holes and spend tons of money on it...isn't that what true punk was supposed to be against?

grr I could go on forever about that bullshit...

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uncle phil

phoenix, where do you go to school? sounds like these kids won't be around long...

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you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Spungfoo

It just goes to show how anything good is eventually corrupted.

RAMONES!!!

anymore anyone can say? No

theonion.com maybe a funny site but this is a good article that should clear it up for everyone- http://theonion.com/onion3919/90s_punk.html <-----PLEASE READ THIS!!!

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clavus

Hmmm...I always considered myself punk because I listened to what I wanted to and wore what I wanted to wear. I thought my own thoughts and said what I wanted to say. ...and I was a pissed off, iconoclast who dug the music.

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HiThereDear

do you have to like the music to be punk? or can I just be "pissed off" at everything?

oblar

Do go against the statement earlier that only chicks listen to emo.. I have a friend that is a closet emo fan.. He really only got into it because of the chicks he gets, and it is true... The chicks flock to him now, whereas they didn't before..

I don't know. I didn't even know about the existance of emo until this past year, and I have pretty out of touch with what music style goes with what genre (which pissed off an ex-girlfriend of mine who considered herself a "true-goth" and had to have the appropriate genre attatched to every music).

I think the only real punk I listen to is 80's punk.. Good ol' Dead Milkmen Not sure if you would consider AFI punk, but I like them as well..

as far as the buying "pre-ripped" clothing...that just seems silly to me. I have plenty of clothing that has holes, is ripped, etc just from use. Why do I need to go out and by clothing that is similar to my 2 year old clothing? I guess I am just a bit too practical in most respects to be punk

Now the real question that is on my mind, what would you guys consider Pitchshifter?

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venusinfurs

Pitchshifter is some sort of industrial type metal thing going on.....more synted-up metal than industrial... something....at lleast that is how they were when i first heard them 3 years ago, so i could be wrong.

krwlz

I would not claim that I m punk...In fact I didnt even realize what punk really was until I read this...

Thanks all for clearing it up.

white

Music is music ....if you like a certain type than listen to it......dont be so quick to hate somthing just because carson daily announced it on MTV.......who cares what others think about the music you like.....define music on your own terms because you are the only one who has to listen to it.

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Tom Thumb

I always thought punk was about sophomoric politics. Well, that's The Clash. The Ramones were about girls and boys and glue. Hmm.

No, music does not make us who we are. We look to music to validate who we've become, though.

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Acme-143

i have to agree that REAL punk died in the seventies. Unless you were there for the birth, everyone is a poser. Now i'll admit that the wide array of kids think that punk is the way you dress i.e. Hot Topic Punk (god i fuckn hate that place). Adn the music they like (Blink, good Charlotte, Simple plan, new found glory, the list goes on...) are utter bullshit too. But alot of the guys who are "real punks" are just faking it, thye just happen to be better at it. in reality, some guy wearing Khaki slacks and a tshirt is more punk than any of the Hot Topic kiddies or alot of the "real punks". Cuase he doesn't give a rat's ass about his "street Credibility". he just does whats comfortable. There are still a few out there who truly get it, but the punk of today is not the punk of yesteryear. it is punk v.2. And I think that everyone should embrace the real, fuck the posers, and get on with their lives, instead of sniveling over who is a poser or who's not. if you don't like that, you have the right to disagree. Fine with me.

P.S. SLCunk is a good movie, but it is not very realistic. i wish everyone would stop basing "punk' off of that movie. thats what started the whole poser thing.

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madcap_hijinx

punk is really just about being pissed off at the way the world works. and it's always a temporary thing... just like rage against the machine, you can only stay that pissed off for so long before you move on to something else, be it positive or negative.

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YourNeverThere

man i came to this thread way to late, everything id say has been said: Im a punk. not really thought because i hate labels but for the sake of conversaion i like the lifestyles. SLC Punks is a very very exaggerated version of my life. Im and anarchist as much as i can be and love it. This really isnt much of a contribution but still

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Quant

I don't know...I don't really consider myself a punk, but I think the pissed-off explanation is key. And I don't think it's temporary! The "realest" punks I know are the ones who channel that pissiness into real thought, discussion, and activism. Like someone said (all the way up the forum, too lazy to scroll :P), the ones starting coffeehouses and shit are the ones that matter. To be a really good punk, I think, is to be a good person; you have to keep trying to do things that matter and improve the world, on every scale, out of exasperation with the crappy way the world already is.

taog

hahaha... YES

this is the most punk post in the punk thread!!!!


I will post more in here when i read the rest of the thread... BRB




I've seen similar things to what i am going to say posted in here, but i am going to say it my way, because i want to!!!!


There is always a lot of talk in the punk and hip hop scenes about who is punk and who is hiphop and who isn't and all that.

Amazingly, hiphop and punk scenes are insanely similar. I have had the pleasure of wittnessing both of them. Personally i like hiphop better than punk, but i will always say yes to listening to an older green day or strung out tune.

None of that matters though.

I have realised one thing about the hiphop and punk scenes.

So many people try way too hard to be more punk or more hiphop than the next person.

90% of the breakdancers out there who are all about hiphop say that they are more hiphop than the next guy because they are doing something for the scene (breakdancing).

90% of the punk rockers out there think they are more punk than the next guy because they know the first song on the first samiam album or something.

The thing about these people is, they are so closed minded and all they think about is what other people think about them.

It doesn't matter what you know or what you like, all that matters is who you are. Who cares what this guy is doing to girls, as long as it's not one of your friends he's doing it to.

A common fact about both of these scenes is that the people who are hardcore into these scenes think that they, and anyone else who is 'cool', are more knowledgable than the next person. They think they have an iq way above 100, because they are open minded enough to actually pay attention to what goes on, rather than follow the crowds.

In reality, they judge people by their clothes and everything else. One would think that they are above all of this, when in fact they are worse than the jocks and everyone else they are against, because they think they are more knowledgable and above all that, but they contradict themselves.

I say that the more 'punk' or 'hiphop' you try to be, the more fucked up you are going to be. I say, just listen to your music.. dress the way you want to dress and if people don't like it, fuck them.

This person sounds like he is caught up in the punk scene, but him being an asshole to that girl is one simple thing... he's a guy who wants to bust a nut.

anyway.. i hate these selected 'scenes' that we have based on what type of music you listen to... can't we all just get along?




Also, something that should be applied to the punk scene as well... this is a del quote (hiphop guy)

fuck this is hiphop and this is rap.. it came from the same place

.....


we've all got some preferences, that's just how it goes
but when you see there's an effort being made don't turn up your nose
turn up the base, race, and go and buy it
don't dub it, some of yall do, don't deny it.

nate_dawg

anybody who thinks they're punk probably arent
who cares, labels suck
just do what you like, fuck the rest

taog

i half agree

do what you like and don't stress about the rest

Let people be and do what they want and don't worry about it. Just do and be who you want.

The best advice in the world is, be happy with yourself first. As long as you are happy with who you are, no other things that come in your life can take that away from you. If you gain something that makes you really happy, and you stay happy with who you are, then you lose that one thing, what are you left with? Being happy with who you are. That's called being eternally happy. Basically it means that, if you gain something or lose something you will always be happy with who you are, which will be more than enough to keep you a happy person for the rest of your life.

In other words, do what makes you happy and don't stress about what other people are or aren't doing. Who cares if they are being 'punk posers' or who cares if they are carrying a skateboard, even though you know they can't skate and you can. In the large picture, it doesn't matter at all. People in this world are way too worried about what other people are doing and they are way too worried about fitting in and making it seem like they have control over their actions. Don't worry about weather this is right or wong. If these people want to be like this.. if it makes them happy, let them do it and don't bother with judging them.

Humans are meaningless and all this little petty bullshit that goes on on earth means nothing.

The universe is some 13 billion years old. Do you think our span of like 1000 years of human beings is going to make any type of impact on the large scale of things? If we blew up our solar system, or even galaxy for that matter, is that going to have any effect on our universe? Hell no..

in other words, humans don't mean anything in the big picture, so don't worry about what other people are doing. Worry about yourself and making yourself feel important to yourself for this short life that you are going to live. Make your short life happy. In reality, that's all you have.

Soggybagel

Here's the funny thing about punk and what not. Those people you are with at college...I'm not sure what college but unless its more of an arts based school they are gonna have to change soon. Seriously, as a hiring manager I would not hire someone who not only loves the "lifestyle" but actually lives it. I'm not against punk nor do I hate them or anythign, just once they enter the real world workforce things change fast.

hambone

Its just a word. It means what you want it to. Just like what you want. doesn't matter if it fits the category that most of your likes do. Why claim to be something that is so poorly defined? No matter what someone will find a way to call you a "poser".

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laxative

unfortunately henry rollins is a tool, and glen danzig is a midget