Friday, March 8, 2013

Never Mind The Bullshit, Here's The Punk Rock



A lot has been made of the Seattle Weekly article by  John Roderick proclaiming "Punk Rock Is Bullshit." When I became aware of it, I went to the original article and read it post-haste. My initial reaction was that the essay was so ridiculous that it must be a contrived and disingenuous work created only to get people talking about the author and his band, The Long Winters. To generate website “hits” if you will. And it worked, I have to admit, I went to The Long Winters page to see what Mr. Roderick is all about. Admittedly, I didn't stay long, just enough to determine that the band creates some well-done jangly and emo-ish rock. 

However, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt and take the essay at face value, that these are really his opinions, his feelings. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, ideally an opinion based on facts. Sadly, Mr. Roderick is flat wrong or extremely misguided in many of the "facts" that he bases his opinions on. His critique of punk rock ideals, accomplishments and ethos is primarily based on amateurish generalizations and a misunderstanding of punk.

   

Punk never ‘swelled into a Stalinist doctrine of self-denial.’  This is one of the lynchpins of Mr. Roderick’s essay and he is dead wrong. The punk rock I remember was about excess and living life to the fullest (Hello Iggy Pop. Hello Mike Ness). The fastest car, the loudest bike, the newest skateboard, the best turntable, if they could afford it. Of course, for every punk with this mindset, there are those who were “keeping it real” and living a modern-day ascetic lifestyle, but to generalize that this represents punk in its entirety is just foolish.    

Mr. Roderick has some 40-year old friends who don’t have savings accounts and he knows some punk rockers who suffered a failing business. Wow, I didn’t realize that these problems were exclusively ‘punk rock” problems or due to being a “punk.” I suppose he would support making generalizations about the 52-year old waitress or 23-year old painter I know who don’t have bank accounts. Here’s an idea…it’s poverty! It’s living day-to-day. Probably something this son of a politician wouldn’t know about. Speaking of politicians, how about the poster-child of failed business, failed oil tycoon and former United States President George W. Bush. Did his businesses fail because he has punk rock ideals?”

Punk did teach us to rebel against authority. Authority that was suppressing social justice and fairness. Authority did not include “everything,” let alone piano lessons and fire insurance.  Punks do not have contempt for every institution. Punks get married, have children, buy homes, and join the military. It’s funny that Mr. Roderick refers to Fugazi here as the one institution punks can agree on.  I don’t know Ian MacKaye personally, but I know he’s a smart guy. You can bet that he has fire insurance on any buildings that house his very successful Dischord Records music label.

I don’t know the people Mr. Roderick associates with, but this crowd that abhors happiness, has no pride and hates themselves sure seems like a downer. The punk community I'm familiar with loves a good party (karaoke even!) and includes artists of all types that KNOW their work is great and has value.Punks are so much more than the cliched gutter punk sitting in a doorway wrapped in a thrift store blanket. It's a shame that Mr. Roderick is blind to this.

Mr. Roderick’s knowledge of punk rock music is lacking beyond belief.  Contrary to common belief and group-think (his word), the Ramones were far from conservative.They adeptly took their signature punk sound and brought elements of other genres into it.  Listen to what they did with “Wall of Sound” producer Phil Spector on the Pleasant Dreams album. Listen to their take on hardcore punk on the Animal Boy album. Listen to what they did for Stephen King on the theme song for his film Pet Sematary. Sure, it’s not all great, but it’s far from conservative. Finally, if Mr. Roderick believes that he is listening to world-music or the antecedent to the Red Hot Chili Peppers when he hears the first two Clash albums, well I don’t know what to say.
More to come…
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