Punk Is Really Dead
It’s lame that I’m going to write about how punk isn’t dead so instead I’m going to write about how it is dead, long dead. There’s punk and then there’s punk culture, kind of like rap and hip hop, where the lifestyle is defined by its own musical product. Like the corporate infiltration of the Seattle grunge scene, where after the successes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Sound garden, corporate record labels began to throw ridiculous record deals at premature bands simply because of their geographical location, the same is happening to punk. These corporate record companies randomly pick what they consider “punk” and give them a record deal, money, and an artificial fan base. With bands like Blink 182, and New Found Glory, the corporations have a nasty habit of taking something that has been around for some time, give it a new name and credit themselves as the discoverers. Because of that we have pup-punk. What the fuck does popularity have to do with punk music at all? By giving punk a new name and making it more friendly, its only bringing the music to people who shouldn’t listen to punk, people who don’t have that natural rebellious personality.
These newly manufactured punks are another example of corporate infiltration. We all know the Seattle grunge scene for its flannel wearing smelly culture. But in reality they wore flannel cause it was cold. Now human necessity is a fashion statement. For punk, the fashion was always something that came out from corporate infiltration and social conformity. “Here are a few patches and a pair of worn out black stretch jeans, now that we made you into a the punk parents hate but kids want to be, go out there and recruit.” Now kids can go out to their local hot topic and buy that obnoxious pair of bondage pants and that Bad Religion sticker to put on their dad’s car to show their suburban community how fucking punk they are. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Punk is in the mind, man.” If that’s true then why do kids feel the need to look like a dead punk rock star from the 70’s.
Corporate infiltration has been so rooted in both punk and punk culture that its already impossible to even say punk isn’t dead. “It’s not dead, I’m a real punk and I’m trying to keep it alive and real.” Well do something else except sewing patches to your jacket because corporations still have their hands in punk and are using you as a fashion role model. Punk used to be in your head, now it’s the 19.99$ price tag you pay at Hot topic. Go make something new, it was always about something new and countering pop-culture.
These newly manufactured punks are another example of corporate infiltration. We all know the Seattle grunge scene for its flannel wearing smelly culture. But in reality they wore flannel cause it was cold. Now human necessity is a fashion statement. For punk, the fashion was always something that came out from corporate infiltration and social conformity. “Here are a few patches and a pair of worn out black stretch jeans, now that we made you into a the punk parents hate but kids want to be, go out there and recruit.” Now kids can go out to their local hot topic and buy that obnoxious pair of bondage pants and that Bad Religion sticker to put on their dad’s car to show their suburban community how fucking punk they are. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Punk is in the mind, man.” If that’s true then why do kids feel the need to look like a dead punk rock star from the 70’s.
Corporate infiltration has been so rooted in both punk and punk culture that its already impossible to even say punk isn’t dead. “It’s not dead, I’m a real punk and I’m trying to keep it alive and real.” Well do something else except sewing patches to your jacket because corporations still have their hands in punk and are using you as a fashion role model. Punk used to be in your head, now it’s the 19.99$ price tag you pay at Hot topic. Go make something new, it was always about something new and countering pop-culture.