In connection with my recent trip to The Fest in Florida, I began to ruminate on why so few people are interested in attending such an immense, dynamic event. What it always seems to come down to is this (false) perception: punk is for the kids.
It seems everyone and their mother goes through a "punk" phase in one form or another. Whether it be Ramones or Simple Plan or NoFX, everybody seems to dip their toe in the water, before rapidly removing it by high school or college, only to look back nostalgically and scoff at their perceived immaturity.
The truth about punk though, is much more dynamic. In listening to punk and its many iterations over the past 13 years of my life, I can say that this seemingly simple music of rebellion has more to say than most other forms of music combined. Inclusive of the poppy hooks of Lemuria, the focused aggression of Paint It Black, and the sheer technicality of A Wilhelm Scream, punk can mean a lot of things to a lot of people.
Generally, definitions include a certain do-it-yourself attitude, an eschewing of the mainstream (whatever that means to the given listener), and a bit of crunch, edge, or rawness to the music itself. Founded as the music of pure rebellion, punk has certainly evolved over its now-lengthy lifespan. If one is willing to truly listen closely, punk artists offer humorous spit-takes, complex rhythms, excellent energy, and some of the most biting political, social, and philosophical critiques in classic or modern music. Kids music? Far from it.
While misunderstood youngsters might be attracted to the nasally whine of pop-punk made by the Menzingers, older, more aggressive ones may find release in the power of hardcore like White Lung. And older, more thoughtful folks will keep the spirit of their youth alive alongside nostalgic ruminations from Restorations and Gaslight Anthem.
For those willing to give it a chance, punk isn't the sole affection of scruffy, smelly, mohawked youth. Instead, it can also be the music of social change, and the stuff of dissertations.*
*Thanks to Greg Graffin of Bad Religion for making that statement true.
I love this. Although I don't listen to punk myself, both of my brothers did (do) so I was certainly exposed to it growing up. And yes, I did go through a Simple Plan phase ;). But I like what you said about social change and even dissertations. My oldest brother was a political scientist and got his PhD. I know his music had a major influence on his thoughts and politics. It's cool to hear someone else feel the same way.
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