Punk week at
audiography
Apr. 7th, 2006 03:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I just knew this week's topic would bring wank. I'd ask what is it about punk fans that makes them so confrontational about their music more than any other genre fans, but that would be rhetorical.
Already we've had bickering over the definition of "real" punk. The usual intimations that "back in my day..." punk was this, punk was that, punk was just TOO HARD CORE OMG and you so couldn't handle it!
At least there were a few honest folk who admitted that most punk music is loud and incoherent and harsh to listen to b/c most of the "musicians" involved couldn't sing and quite often couldn't really play, either.
I'll readily admit this is one genre I just don't "get", although I'm sure some of you might. I love music and there's not a genre out there in which I can't find something I like - except punk. My sister loves the stuff and I had to suffer through so much loud playing of The Ramones and The Clash and The Dead Kennedys and other harsh guitar abuse riddled with profanity until my ears bled. It may be a statement, it may be something, but I'm not sure I call it music. I sure don't call it pleasant to listen to.
I hope this week's theme is over soon. I'm getting tired of all the "punker than you" elitist attitudes that are coming out of the woodwork thanks to this one. No one posts anything w/o taking a cheap shot at previous posts, then someone always comes by and says it doesn't conform to their definition. Though I'm sure they'd detest my use of "conform" in this case.
They're talking about following up with a "hardcore" week at some point. I love my community, but it's sure to end up on fandom_wank that week.
Already we've had bickering over the definition of "real" punk. The usual intimations that "back in my day..." punk was this, punk was that, punk was just TOO HARD CORE OMG and you so couldn't handle it!
At least there were a few honest folk who admitted that most punk music is loud and incoherent and harsh to listen to b/c most of the "musicians" involved couldn't sing and quite often couldn't really play, either.
I'll readily admit this is one genre I just don't "get", although I'm sure some of you might. I love music and there's not a genre out there in which I can't find something I like - except punk. My sister loves the stuff and I had to suffer through so much loud playing of The Ramones and The Clash and The Dead Kennedys and other harsh guitar abuse riddled with profanity until my ears bled. It may be a statement, it may be something, but I'm not sure I call it music. I sure don't call it pleasant to listen to.
I hope this week's theme is over soon. I'm getting tired of all the "punker than you" elitist attitudes that are coming out of the woodwork thanks to this one. No one posts anything w/o taking a cheap shot at previous posts, then someone always comes by and says it doesn't conform to their definition. Though I'm sure they'd detest my use of "conform" in this case.
They're talking about following up with a "hardcore" week at some point. I love my community, but it's sure to end up on fandom_wank that week.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 02:39 am (UTC)I adored the Clash back in the day, and I even got see Gang of Four live... but I understand that technically they were
considered "postpunk." Sometimes I get the impression that only The New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols were considered "true punk." And then only on alternate Thursdays. When it was raining.
Sheesh. Kinda like OTP wars, but with piercings.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 03:18 am (UTC)*snicker*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 03:17 am (UTC)As for dealing with the punkier than thou people, you could try reminding them that punk was never really about the music. It's not about the clothes either. The music and clothes were just an expression of the attitude.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 03:20 am (UTC)You wouldn't ban me from your home, y'know. That would deprive you of entertainment and mocking ;P
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:33 pm (UTC)My husband might kill you if he found this out.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you own some Dropkick Murphies albums?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:45 pm (UTC)I don't own any of their albums, just random songs. I like the ones that are more celtic rock-ish than punk. The other songs are just too loud and screamy for my taste.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 10:25 pm (UTC)I'm thinking that you may not have been exposed to enough punk. Shut up, don't argue with me in your brain until you've read what I have to type. I mean it. Shut up. Okay? Okay.
I understand, to a certain degree, why you might think you don't like punk. Yes, there are bands out there that play one chord and sing like crap. But there are many bands that don't. Punk is generally a stripped down sound, but that doesn't mean it's any less musical. And before you think, as you usually do, that I don't have a clue what I'm talking about I would take this moment to remind you that I was a music major in college. I know music. I would suggest that you listen to more of the West Coast punk... NOFX, Nerfherder, and, oh, here's one you might know... Green Day. And I don't give a frak what the snarky old farts say, Green Day IS punk. I live with a NYC punk who spent his formative years in CBGB's... and even he admits Green Day is punk. It's more pop than a lot of the mid-80's stuff, but it's still punk. It's also my preferred punk. I LOVE Nerfherder. And if you want to expand your horizons a bit more, I might even suggest a couple of *gasp* ska bands. I don't like ska, not my thing, but I like Goldfinger and Dance Hall Crashers. Especially Dance Hall Crashers... it's a female ska band. They lost the horns and became the Soviettes... which is a sort of punk band. They majorly influenced one of my new favorite girl bands... Go Betty Go. I like West Coast punk, pop punk, and Oi... and I think you might too if you give it a chance and if you try to listen to it without prejudice.
But you still can't come to my house. Maligning the Ramones is a killing offense in this household.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 10:39 pm (UTC)I've tried ska, too, and there are a few things I've liked. I like some Green Day, but not all of it. I just don't like screamy music, full stop. It's the reason I skip over half the tracks on my Linkin Park CDs - when the bands start screaming, I'm done.
I'd come anyway and play weird music back at you. But not if I'm to be preached at like I'm just so sheltered b/c I don't care for something.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-08 01:52 am (UTC)And you never say I don't know what I'm talking about, but you always assume it. I was heading that bus off at the pass.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-08 11:07 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-08 10:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-09 12:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-09 12:40 am (UTC)And I didn't realize we were arguing. I was just discussing. Sorry.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 02:31 pm (UTC)Now, speaking as someone who was actually an living teenager during the punk era who went to concerts by the Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, The Clash, etc. in their heyday -- someone who was actually in a horrible punk band, and lived that kind of semi-homeless lifestyle of crashing on people's floors one step ahead of the police while your roommate is outside banging Henry Rollins in Black Flag's van -- I can attest that 95% of the punk genre is just indeed screaming noise intended to release aggression that would otherwise manifest in serial killings or professional sports.
It's all a matter of taste, and it's stupid to argue about 'street cred' especially if you weren't even alive when the music was created. I would rather listen to thrash punk than rap, even though the message in either is incomprehensible most of the time.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:49 pm (UTC)I must be terribly boring, b/c I don't see how any of that was fun. But that's probably due to watching how that kind of lifestyle has left my sister thoroughly messed up and going nowhere.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 07:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:33 pm (UTC)Also, they probably wouldn't like me for thinking that my alt-rock band Breaking Benjamin does their one punk song better than most punk I've heard. ;-p
At least they're not having an emo vs. punk war.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 06:50 pm (UTC)Ha! God help us all if they do. *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 07:26 pm (UTC)Anywho, I will be making a music post of interest to you, soonly.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 07:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-07 11:30 pm (UTC)