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  • Punk Rock

    I was only nine years old when the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, the UK Subs, and all of the other first generation punk bands burst onto the music scene in 1976/77. I remember my dad taking me into the city centre and there were all of these punk rockers standing around in the square. It was all very exciting, rebellious and colourful, and I was attracted to it like a magnet to a fridge door.

    By the time I came of age and got into punk it had evolved into the hardcore punk movement with bands like Crass, Discharge, Conflict, GBH et al. The music had become faster, harder, and more aggressive, and the subject matter of the bands lyrical content had become almost exclusively political in nature. It wasn't called "Anarcho-punk" at the time, that label was created in subsequent years to label that specific genre, and it could easily have been tagged as "political punk", as that is essentially what it was.

    Despite being heavily influenced by hardcore political punk bands such as Crass, what I took issue with was that many of them criticised bands like the Pistols and the Clash; accusing them of being "pop-stars", "sell-outs", and "only in it for the money". Many viewed the Pistols as puppets manipulated by Malcolm McClaren, and the Clash as dupes of the big record companies. Crass even sang "Punk is dead", which essentially condemned the whole punk movement as a farce which had sold out to big business.

    Crass were Anarchists in the classic sense of the word. They were ideologically motivated and weren't really a punk band in the popular conception of the genre, they were more of a political machine which used musical instruments as a vehicle to promote their political ideals. Despite having all their albums, I wasn't really that keen on the Crass sound, it was more their politics, imagery, the shroud of mystery in which they enveloped themselves, and the esoteric nature of this band which I found alluring. Listening to Crass made you feel that you were being informed about the inherent corruption of society; something which the general population were in total ignorance of and not interested in, preferring to keep their heads buried in the sand.

    But I didn't like Crass's attacks on the first generation of punk bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash, as without these bands there would have been no Crass and no Anarcho-punk. The Sex Pistols and The Clash et al. were the progenitors of the punk movement. They were rock revolutionaries, and their music and attitude influenced a generation; including Steve Ignorant of Crass.

    Crass took a chip off the old punk rock block and created their own sub-genre: politicising punk to the point of political overload; virtually eliminating the fun element of punk and making it all very dark, cynical, and serious-minded. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated Crass, as they provided the punk movement with depth, substance, and political clout; but I also loved the more light-hearted nature of the Sex Pistols and all of the first generation of punks bands, and still do.

    These bands may not have liked eachother, but I liked them both. They were two sides of the same coin, and both had something to offer. If you've never heard of "Crass", it's probably because they were strictly anti-commercial, opposed to the mainstream record industry, and promoted themselves through their own independent record label, thus staying outside of the musical mainstream. They had their faults (some might suggest that their music was one of them), but as Anarchists, they practiced what they preached, and attempted to transform punk into a way of life, as opposed to just another passing fad.

    I'll be 44 years old this year (that's a bit scary!), and I still love and listen to punk rock, as it has an authenticity, spirit, and energy found in very few other musical genres, and despite no longer being the biggest Anarchist in the UK, I still try to live my life in line with those ideals; continuing to reject capitalism and materialism for a simple way of life.

    What are your memories of punk? Did it mean anything to you? Who were your favourite bands? And do you still listen to punk?
    Last edited by Nostalgia; 05-06-2012, 12:55.

  • #2
    Re: Punk Rock

    Like yourself,I can remember being no more then about 9-10 years old when punk rock hit at full pelt.And like yourself it was the way they dressed that interested me as a child.Unfortunate in this area within a few years several punk rockers died from glue sniffing which was either done openly in the park or on the streets or in one of the small punk rock clubs,dens at the time which sprung up.
    Everything to do with the punk rock movement was banned at school,even badges were removed if they caught anybody wearing them.We also had nearly monthly lectures about the punk scene and the glue sniffing that often could be seen with it.It was peoples attitudes at school that reflected the time and movement more then anything.
    Several times our school marched on a neighbouring school to give them a bit of what for and several times the police were called to seperate the two schools or to stop us marching in force.This problem had started about 1977 and continued through till 1980.It bagain when a gang of kids beat up one of our lads who used to dress in a punk style.It ended in a full out school fight with several teachers getting injured,one with his hand being impaled on the metal spiked school fence.By the time I left school in the early 80's it had all mostly blown over.I eventually fell in with a band of rockers(teddyboys to be more precise)and I started to go around the club circuits.At first we were fighting punk rockers all over the place,then later on we saw them as allies as great new bands like Meteors and Sharks appeared on the scene which crossed over the boundaries of rock and roll,rockerbilly and punk.These were the best times when psychobilly/punkerbilly hit the clubs.Went to see the meteors once and was lucky to have seen the sharks as well as many other bands around that time on the same venues as well known rockerbilly/rock and roll bands.Well mixed up times indeed but rather fun in places.

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    • #3
      Re: Punk Rock

      ive got never mind the bollocks....in my record collection but knew from the start the pistols werent for real they were important in opening the peoples eyes to punk but were 1976 `s equivalent to a manufactured boy band ,steve jones paul cook and glen matlock and mainly malcolm mc wanted a singer to look the part and lydon was that that they took it one step further when they sacked glen matlock and replace him with sid vicious who had the looks but couldnt play bass sid wasnt even allowed to go near the studio when recording the album.

      the clash had it all talent, the anger ,the ideal, but lost face when signing to cbs they became easy to be called sell outs but still ive got all their albums

      the bands though that mean more to me though are Crass Conflict and flux of pink indians they made sense to my own angst at the time they came on the scene their hatred and anger was real not the manufactured anger for cash of the pisols

      i still go see punk bands im off to see discharge in a few weeks before that im going to a NOFX gig then in september ill be at the london punk festival ( 3 nights of punk featuring bands like discharge peter and the test tube babies tv smith (from the adverts) the ruts and glen matlocks band )
      i had tickets for an anti jubillee punk festival this weekend which the damned were due to headline but the festival was cancelled at the last moment

      (im 47 got 5 kids my wife thinks music starts and ends with pop stuff abbba and looks at me like im an alien most days )

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      • #4
        Re: Punk Rock

        @battyrat: I can relate to just about everything you've said. I was expelled from school in 3rd year for dying my hair red and having it spiked. I remember the gang warfare between skinheads and mods. In fact every working class area where I lived had it's own gang, and these gangs used to clash frequently. I was beaten up pretty badly one night by a small gang whilst walking though the city centre. Ended up in Hospital with a badly beaten face and was kept in overnight for observation and treatment. I remember the psycho-billies and their punk-rockabilly hybrid music. In fact a couple of my closest friends really got into all of those bands ie. the Cramps, Meteors et al.

        I remember the early 80's and all of the aggro between rival youth cultures and gangs, and used to think it was madness. The punks were generally pacifistic, but there were always antagonisms and not everyone appreciated us, as was evident form the beating I received from a small gang of thugs. But I lived to tell the tale and learned from the experience ie. that it's not wise to stroll down a city street late at night as a punk drinking a bottle of cider and not expect to receive the wrong type of attention.


        @n3llyo: I agree with everything you've said about the Pistols. They were a manufactured band, and Sid Vicious looked the part, but couldn't play the bass to save his life, but I still liked their energy, sound, and attitude. Despite what McLaren said in the Swindle, they actually could play and were a great band. The Swindle was just his version of the Pistols, not the actual Pistols. I seen the Clash play about a year before they borke up. One of the best concerts I've ever attended. Their debut album is a punk classic.

        It gave me a tingle to read "Crass, Conflict, and Flux of Pink Indians", as these were the bands that I really got into and appreciated. What makes it really special to read that someone else was into these bands is that unlike the Pistols, Clash et al. the anarcho-punk bands like Crass and Discharge were very uncommercial and thus not known to people outside of the hardcore punk movement at that time. Only a very small minority (in terms of the general music listening population) got into them, and the politics of these bands was just as, if not more important than their music.

        I understand your wife thinking you're an alien, as all those bands you listed were very close to my heart in the early 80's, the unfortunate part being, they were so uncommercial and opposed to the musical mainstream that they got very little if any exposure to a mainstream audience, and that's why most people have never heard of them. But they existed, and they were great, as there was much more to them than just music. Those bands actually provided me with something to believe in: an alternative to capitalist, mainstream society (anarchism), and an ability to question social norms.

        Here comes the embarrassing, contradictory part which makes me sound like a hypocrite: last night I sat down and watched the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert, and despite not being into any of those bands, I can tolerate them and I actually enjoyed the positive buzz and all of the merriment surrounding the proceedings.

        I'm at an age now where I appreciate anything that makes people feel good and raises their self-esteem, and although I understand and appreciate the opposition protests of a small group of "Republicans", many of whom might call themselves "Anarchists", I can't and and have no desire to call myself an Anarchist any more, as although it's a nice idea, people are not how Anarchists assume them to be. Many people are highly competitive. They want government, laws, a state, a Police force, a church of England, and a monarchy. Anarchism shall never come about on a grand scale, as most people have no desire for equality. Its that simple. They want social structure, hierarchy, and division. And whilst I'm not a monarchist, I can no longer call myself an Anarchist, as although I still believe in the values, ideals, and the spirit of Anarchism, I'm also a realist, and know that it's not going to happen. So I drunk beer last night and watched the Queen's gig at the Palace under a framed photo of Crass that I have up on my wall, lol.

        **** it, I'm 43 and can do whatever the **** I like. If age has made me a living contradiction, oh well, I'll just have to live with my cognitive dissonance.
        Last edited by Heather74; 05-06-2012, 22:24. Reason: removing 'drug' content

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        • #5
          Re: Punk Rock

          love a bit of punk myself...........I have always found the history of punk incredibly interesting.......I bet whatever your taste in music there will be one punk track that you will enjoy

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          • #6
            Re: Punk Rock

            Very interesting ost and follow ups. I have been into the punk and Oi scene sicne about the ages of 10 and I am happy to say there is a great stream of underground punk/oi bands still treading the boards slogging thier bits off every weekend to a steadily growing audience. Of course there is the circus that is Rebellion Festoval each year which is quite franky a shocking hideous vile gatheirng of once a year poseurs who polish the studs on their carefully preserved bikers jackets and gel the hair up for three days before travelling to blackpool to sit outside the pubs and ignore all the "smaller" bands playing the venues then run to watch the likes of the Damned and **** Sparrer, before returning home and paying nop attention or support to the punk/oi scene the other 362 days ofd the year.
            My band have been on the scene for about 7 years and having supported the likes of Sham 69, UK Subs, Anti Nowhere League, 999, Vice Squad, Cockney Rejects, The Business, Bad Manners to name drop but a few we still have to go out there and work hard often for a loss but safe in the knowledge we are doing it for the right reasons and not as a fashion statement.

            Unashamed plug for my band coming up www.citizenkeyne.com

            Have a look / listen if you get a spare minute !
            When I Was Good No One Remembered, When I Was Bad No One Forgot

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            • #7
              Re: Punk Rock

              @ CitizenKeyne: The photos on your website made me smile. When I was a kid growing up most of the other kids in my area were skinheads and very much into bands like The Specials, Madness, The Beat, The Selecter, Bad Manners et al. Ska music was great, then the new wave of "Oi!" bands came in and they all got into the likes of the 4skins, The Business, Blitz, SKrewdriver et al. I saw the merging of punk and skin and liked the sound of many of these bands, Blitz in particular, but the racist element kind of put me off exploring them further.

              It was a strange situation back in the early 80's. Some skinheads who had been into Madness and all of the other ska bands (who had both black and white members) then got into the new wave of pro-National Front, pro-BNP bands, and began listening to music which was unashamedly patriotic and racist in nature, while other skinheads veered away from it, and continued listening to bands like The Specials.

              I was trying my best to be a good Anarchist at the time, but sometimes I sampled some Oi! and liked the spirit of the music, even if I didn't agree with the politics. Having said that, after having done a grand tour of English cities two years ago, and experienced the multiculturalism of Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham and many other big cities, I understand the where the politics of the far right comes from.

              Where I live I haven't seen skinheads in many years, and to see middle aged skinheads still doing their thing, that's just great. Tbh, the punks had a love/hate realtionship with the skins, as although we listened to similar sounding music, the politics were divisive; as most punks were far-left Anarchists, and many skinheads were very into the far-right. Nowadays I really couldn't care less about anyone's politics and listen to any type of music if I like the sound of it.
              Last edited by Nostalgia; 06-06-2012, 14:51.

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              • #8
                Re: Punk Rock

                Yes I have to agree that there was a upturn in the far right element of oi in the 80's which forced a numbr of the bands to call it at day, however times have changed now and the oi scene is back stronger than ever with no politics involved, as we say bring your boots and your braces but leave the politics at home. Its been a struggle to get the venues and promoters to take the chance again because of all the scare stories form the 80's but thankfully the message is getting round now that its just music nothing more and nothing less.

                Where do you live ? We can try and get a good old knees up in your town ! :-)
                When I Was Good No One Remembered, When I Was Bad No One Forgot

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                • #9
                  Re: Punk Rock

                  I was, like others have stated, about 9-10 years old when punk happened. I was was made aware of it through my older brother. I was a big fan of The Stranglers, as well as the The Clash, The Damned and Siouxsie and the Banshees. I had friends at college who were into Crass, GBH and the hardcore bands but I was never really into that.

                  I followed The Stranglers quite avidly until the early to mid-eighties, when they started becoming experimental and 'arty' and finally gave up with them when they released '10' which was awful imho. I must admit the some of their recent stuff has actually been quite good, a bit like their early stuff.

                  From the mid eighties I started listening to The Sisters of Mercy and The Cult, followed later by Fields of the Nephilim and The Mission.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Punk Rock

                    Originally posted by CitizenKeyne View Post
                    Yes I have to agree that there was a upturn in the far right element of oi in the 80's which forced a numbr of the bands to call it at day, however times have changed now and the oi scene is back stronger than ever with no politics involved, as we say bring your boots and your braces but leave the politics at home. Its been a struggle to get the venues and promoters to take the chance again because of all the scare stories form the 80's but thankfully the message is getting round now that its just music nothing more and nothing less.

                    Where do you live ? We can try and get a good old knees up in your town ! :-)
                    I grew up in Belfast, during the troubles. I'm now living in a small rural location. Whenever I fly over to England to see family and friends (I have family in Leicester), people think I'm Irish. I'm not, I'm British. Sometimes I get tired of explaining the political situation in Northern Ireland, and how there are two different tribes here ie. British Unionist Protestants; descended from English and Scottish colonial settlers (my ancestors came from Durham in England and Galloway in Scotland), and Irish Nationalist Catholics. I'm a British Unionist, and if you ever want to see the biggest festival and celebration of Britishness in the UK and indeed Europe, come to Belfast on the 12th of July.

                    You'll be impressed.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Punk Rock

                      @ citizen keyne was going to ask you before when seeing your name crop up on here if you were aware or had anything to do with the band of that name now youve answered it ungreat britain loved that album and "punk not fashion" from the unity album im allways playing that to my eldest daughter and her boyfriend who think they are going to punk gigs by going to see paramore or green day
                      Last edited by n3llyo; 06-06-2012, 17:05.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Punk Rock

                        @n3llyo - hi there yeah for my sins I am the lead singer thankyou very much for kind comments and really pleased you like the albums .. we are currently writing material for album number 4 .... running ut of things to moan about though
                        When I Was Good No One Remembered, When I Was Bad No One Forgot

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                        • #13
                          Re: Punk Rock

                          Just been listening to some of your material, Citizen Keyne, and your band has a great sound and some good songs. Liked "Stand Proud" in particular.

                          Back in the 80's I used to like One Way System, and you sort of reminded me of them.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Punk Rock

                            Thanks Nostalgia for the kind words. Yes Stand Proud is a live favourite and won song of the year on a respected punk site whe it was released, its something I am very happy with, in particular the lyrics.

                            You are not the first person to raise that as a comaprison, others are Sham 69 x Stiff Little Fingers with a hint ofd sex pistols lol
                            When I Was Good No One Remembered, When I Was Bad No One Forgot

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                            • #15
                              Re: Punk Rock

                              Seen Stiff Little Fingers play the Ulster Hall in Belfast three years on the trot back in the 80's. They were the best punk band to ever come out of Northern Ireland, as they sang about what was actually happening here, whereas the Undertones and others shied away from it, preferring to sing about "Teenage Kicks", pfft!

                              One of their classics:

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