I've been listening to this great band called Bad Religion. I heard their music on the radio, it turns out they are fantastic. I've been listening to them all day, either getting their music from iTunes or Amazon :S I like this stuff. It's kinda weird and strange in some ways, one song is even about a computer "I Love My Computer" it's actually good, lol I like their messages in their songs too, go check'm out in previews on Amazon.com and stuff.
That's funny. Their lyrics and message is the main reason I love them. Their music is pretty run-of-the-mill.
I hate their sound, and could never really get beyond that. Actually, I could get beyond that, but only to dislike them. I don't know where punk went wrong, it turned into californian wusses against people for being mean, when it used to be mean people against people for the sake of it. It used to be confused primal aggression, young people who aren't smart yet and so aren't pretending to be, but rather expressing their raw emotions poorly, and that was something worthwhile. The fact bad religion have a message is annoying in itself. California was a perfect example of somewhere a punk would never ever come from, now it seems all punk comes from there, it's like overnight punk did a 180, turned into the exact opposite of what it was, while miraculously and inexplicably maintaining it's "punk" name. It seems the children of hippies merely donned elements of the style, and because punk died they became seen as punk, but they're not. They are actually the kind of people more offended by punk than anyone else. Their songs often complain about punk acts. When there's "punk" songs complaining about skinheads for example, the world is upside down. Skinheads are punk by definition, people stupidly angry and violent, who can't intelligently argue their case, they just feel against stuff for no good reason and they physically express themselves. That is so punk. "Chill out man, everyone needs to calm down, accept our differences and love one another" isn't punk. Even if you add "I hate the government" at the end. The original punks were anti-establishment in that they were anti-peace. Against the niceties and politeness of general society. Anti-government policy is really not the same thing at all. Twisting "anarchy" to mean "don't hate on a dude for being queer" is ridiculous, and that's what the californian punk scene did. Ironically interpretted anarchy as "don't do this, don't do that", anarchy is do whatever the fuck you want, period. So I don't like bad religion, and I REALLY don't like how they are considered punk.
They've changed styles a lot over the decades, but I would never really have considered them punk either. For one thing, they play their instruments too well. Punks have a 90-second attention span and no discipline, so they can't learn more than three chords.
Thats not true at all, racid antiflag, nofx, all have compilcated songs and bass lines. Punks not all 90 secs of crap Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
It should be. By the way, everything I said applies to rancid, anti-flag (not from california but still remarkably gay) and nofx as well, ESPECIALLY nofx. Bad religion are low on my radar, I haven't really paid much attention to their music, but I know they are part of the californian faux-punk scene and that they are really hippies deep down. Some real punk, running time- 89 seconds; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWWI2rGdda4 It would be too tame if it came out now, but this was the 70s so it's ok. And it's hardly even about the music. These guys played to skinheads as black punk rockers, when the skinheads would shout and spit at them they'd jump down and head butt them or throw their instruments at them, but they wouldn't stop playing. That's punk. Nofx would cower, retreat backstage and cry and then write a song against racism in society, even though they're white, which is mega gay. It seems modern punk attracts extra wussy people, the tough image with tattoos and piercings is used as a mask to hide their insecurities about being weak and frightened. Like I said they are hippies, opposite of punk, they try to incite love and tolerance rather than violence, and it's a disgrace. I don't understand why it can be considered the same thing, the similarities are extremely superficial.
Perhaps you could shed some light on what Is real punk then? Nofx, bad religion, rancid, op ivy are good punk, there are different sounds to punk, and its all about the expression of disdain for society through loud fast music. Since you seem to be putting some kind of label on what punk should be why dont you tell me what good punk is. Sure there are the classics but why dont you tell me some good modern punk bands then ?
I don't think there are any, that's what I'm saying, punk died and hippy children slithered into their clothes and staked their claim on the genre. Kind of like how modern egyptians think they are descendents of ancient egyptians, they're nothing more than beduoine roaches that scurried into the ruins of egypt after ancient egypt fell. Modern punks are not punks, but they're happily recieving the accolades from people who like the genre, while twisting it's ideals to suit their political agenda. There probably is genuine punk somewhere, but the fact that when people think "punk" they think of bands which are precisely the opposite of punk (like the ones you listed) is a disgrace. Some modern punk can sometimes sound like punk, modern punk bands are mimmicking old punk bands, and if they happen to write a simple song about being annoyed with no specifics they can for all intents and purposes sound punk. But then they ruin it by surrounding that song with political hippy songs, exposing that they aren't punk at all. Fairly recent real punk came from an australian band called Franzal Rhomb. Even though they were almost a comedy band, they stuck to the basics of being punks talking about their real lives- Telling some dude he sucks- or simply feeling like someone needs a punch in the face; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_LULf591AY See that's where they went wrong, punk is all about expressing yourself with a disregard for society, not expressing a disdain for society. Perusing government policy and then saying "I don't like this part and this part" is not punk. That's actively giving a shit and punk is about not giving a shit. It's basically a teenager in music form- simple, messy, self absorbed, trivial, energetic and unconscious. The so called punk you talk about tries to sound like this, but then they talk about issues and are opinionated and sensitive and blah blah blah, so the sound is fake.
