Punk in the ICU
PUNK
3. music with no boundaries. music with no rules. music from the heart. (urban dictionary)
I'm a firm believer in the fact that in order to save the world, people have to first save not only themselves, but others. The planet will work itself out in the end--it always does. I'm not old enough to really have lived through truely great bands, but I'm not young enough to be stupid, either. That is why I want to say this: music is dead. Let me explain why.
Now, those of you who have even been semi-concious in the past decade should know by now: music, in general, has been failing the masses. From blues to new-wave, hip-hop to country and from funk to punk, music is in the shithole. It's been completely failing humanity for the past ten years or more. It all started when people became (if at all possible) more shallow and thus more idiotic. The only music worth recognizing these days is music made by a computer. That's right, I said it.
Every time the event comes around, I go to live shows. Why? Because I've found that with enough searching (or very little at all), any live performance is probably better than what is on the radio. Last night was the all-coveted "Punk Rock Party" in Nashville. Some of my friends were playing. They're more west-coast punk and I enjoy them. Now, let me first state that this was an all-time shitty show. There were maybe 50 people there in total, most of which were 13-15 and thuroughly deserved to have their asses kicked. There were also some older people there who were obviously looking for the same shit I was and came up disappointed. However, these older people I am speaking of were musical elitists and sat there and bitched and moaned the entire time. I'm willing to put my money on the fact they loaned most of their tastes from "underground" magazines and radio.
This show is the reason for my blog title today. Punk has been in the ICU for over a decade. I say this because occasionally you come across a good band or even a person that still knows what it's all about: no rules, just what you believe in. It used to be that you could turn on the radio or--heaven forbid--MTV and come across some sort of decent music. You could hear or see bands that were out there to not just make a name for themselves (albeit there were many like that), but they mainly were out there to get their voices heard. They weren't trying to rep their shit or sing about how sad and whiney their girlfriend makes them. Instead, their goal was to bring about a change in the nation, a change in the way people thought and saw themselves, to bring about a revolution if not in politics, then in an individual. How can you screw that up? All it takes is one person who is not satisfied with the way shit is going down and then makes it hit the fan. People bitch and moan about so-called punk bands bringing politics into their music. What have I been saying? It's about getting your ideas heard and not giving a rat's ass who likes it or not. It was originally about dissatisfication in the system. It was about anarchy and making a change. Groups like the Sex Pistols and The Vandals were screaming about anti-establishment, politically-based what would now be considered "nonsense" since the 70's and 80's. And you idiots want to tell me that punk has no place saying fuck you to the State? You idiots are getting mad because NoFx, Rancid and even Green Day want to educate the mindless drones that wear the Misfits and Ramones shirts and have only heard two or three songs if any at all? That have never actually been to a show where you aren't terrified of getting your ass kicked because you know at some point you will out of a sense of unity with the music? Back when "Oi!" meant 'listen to me motherfucker' and not "Well, I say, chap."
I get mad now because when I google "Long Hair Queer" or "The Damned," I can get shit like Thursday and Nelly and Korn. I get mad now because at Punk Rock Party, there were ska bands. Not just one ska bands, either: two or three. One was AKA:Rudie (who I like) who headlined. They're nowhere near punk rock--they just want to chill and be happy. The idea of punk rock has become a fad. When I see idiots prancing around in their denim loincloths and big boots with their girlfriends who are more into sex than I am it makes me sick. It's not just the image that makes it. When I try to have a conversation with you between sets and all you have to say is "I like the Misfits" and nothing else, you're a fucking dumbass. When I go to a show and have to sit through mindless conversations about how someone's shirt is sooooo punk and not pay a lick of attention to what the half-way-decent bands are screaming, I want to cut a bitch.
...and I just burned the back of my throat on tomato soup.
3. music with no boundaries. music with no rules. music from the heart. (urban dictionary)
I'm a firm believer in the fact that in order to save the world, people have to first save not only themselves, but others. The planet will work itself out in the end--it always does. I'm not old enough to really have lived through truely great bands, but I'm not young enough to be stupid, either. That is why I want to say this: music is dead. Let me explain why.
Now, those of you who have even been semi-concious in the past decade should know by now: music, in general, has been failing the masses. From blues to new-wave, hip-hop to country and from funk to punk, music is in the shithole. It's been completely failing humanity for the past ten years or more. It all started when people became (if at all possible) more shallow and thus more idiotic. The only music worth recognizing these days is music made by a computer. That's right, I said it.
Every time the event comes around, I go to live shows. Why? Because I've found that with enough searching (or very little at all), any live performance is probably better than what is on the radio. Last night was the all-coveted "Punk Rock Party" in Nashville. Some of my friends were playing. They're more west-coast punk and I enjoy them. Now, let me first state that this was an all-time shitty show. There were maybe 50 people there in total, most of which were 13-15 and thuroughly deserved to have their asses kicked. There were also some older people there who were obviously looking for the same shit I was and came up disappointed. However, these older people I am speaking of were musical elitists and sat there and bitched and moaned the entire time. I'm willing to put my money on the fact they loaned most of their tastes from "underground" magazines and radio.
This show is the reason for my blog title today. Punk has been in the ICU for over a decade. I say this because occasionally you come across a good band or even a person that still knows what it's all about: no rules, just what you believe in. It used to be that you could turn on the radio or--heaven forbid--MTV and come across some sort of decent music. You could hear or see bands that were out there to not just make a name for themselves (albeit there were many like that), but they mainly were out there to get their voices heard. They weren't trying to rep their shit or sing about how sad and whiney their girlfriend makes them. Instead, their goal was to bring about a change in the nation, a change in the way people thought and saw themselves, to bring about a revolution if not in politics, then in an individual. How can you screw that up? All it takes is one person who is not satisfied with the way shit is going down and then makes it hit the fan. People bitch and moan about so-called punk bands bringing politics into their music. What have I been saying? It's about getting your ideas heard and not giving a rat's ass who likes it or not. It was originally about dissatisfication in the system. It was about anarchy and making a change. Groups like the Sex Pistols and The Vandals were screaming about anti-establishment, politically-based what would now be considered "nonsense" since the 70's and 80's. And you idiots want to tell me that punk has no place saying fuck you to the State? You idiots are getting mad because NoFx, Rancid and even Green Day want to educate the mindless drones that wear the Misfits and Ramones shirts and have only heard two or three songs if any at all? That have never actually been to a show where you aren't terrified of getting your ass kicked because you know at some point you will out of a sense of unity with the music? Back when "Oi!" meant 'listen to me motherfucker' and not "Well, I say, chap."
I get mad now because when I google "Long Hair Queer" or "The Damned," I can get shit like Thursday and Nelly and Korn. I get mad now because at Punk Rock Party, there were ska bands. Not just one ska bands, either: two or three. One was AKA:Rudie (who I like) who headlined. They're nowhere near punk rock--they just want to chill and be happy. The idea of punk rock has become a fad. When I see idiots prancing around in their denim loincloths and big boots with their girlfriends who are more into sex than I am it makes me sick. It's not just the image that makes it. When I try to have a conversation with you between sets and all you have to say is "I like the Misfits" and nothing else, you're a fucking dumbass. When I go to a show and have to sit through mindless conversations about how someone's shirt is sooooo punk and not pay a lick of attention to what the half-way-decent bands are screaming, I want to cut a bitch.
...and I just burned the back of my throat on tomato soup.
posted by Meg M at 11:59:00 PM
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