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joyce-neltora-delly · 2 years

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Despite not being that much into the musical style of punk, I always enjoyed the lyrics, which were very empowering for me and made me feel like I belonged and my problems were valid.

It also showed me that punks can be vulnerable as well, because I always imagined them as tough and badass people with no insecurities at all. It helps me with not putting too much pressure into being the "real punk" and accept myself a bit better.

I just wish people didn't judge punk just because of it's music, it can go much deeper than that.

“And when you wake up, everything is gonna be fine.

I guarantee that you’ll wake in a better place, and in a better time.

So you’re tired of livin’? Feel like you might give in?

Well, don’t.

It’s not your time (Streetlight Manifesto, 2003).”

The quoted lyrics come from Streetlight Manifesto’s debatable best known song “A Better Place, a Better Time”. Streetlight Manifesto is a band that falls under the category of Ska Punk, a genre that can sometimes (based on personal observation) be mistaken for Screamo orSatanic music, and thus it is undervalued and not listened to by many. According to Songmeanings, the song tells the ballad of Annie, who “wants to kill herself but he (the singer) can’t stand by and watch, he doesn’t want her to do it and just wants to save her (Songmeanings, 2004)”. The song itself ,while maintaining the occasional booming blast beats from a drum and the punkish melodies from a guitar that most come to know with Punk music, offers a message of hope to the suicidal: when you wake up, you will be okay and I will be here with you; you are not alone. Does this sound like the lyrics of musings of some satanic cult? Streetlight Manifesto, belonging to a stem of the Punk Rock genre, is a fantastic representation of the problem with Punk Rock: because it sounds, looks, and feels different (the blast beats, loud guitar, occasionally screaming vocals), it is misinterpreted when in fact it could inspire you, fill you with hope, or make you a downright healthier and happier person.

In our current day and age, mainstream music has shifted substantially since its former days. Whenever you look at Billboard Top 100 now-a-days you’ll normally see artists like Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, Drake, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, etc. reigning at the top. These artists, these “kings” and “queens” of the Pop and Rap genres that now rule the mainstream don’t seem as confident or emotionally invested in their music as the rulers of the underground: the Punks.

The Punks, the Punk culture, and Punk Rock find themselves misinterpreted due to one core reason: they’re different. Taken from WhyIHatePeople, “people tend to think that these types of music (Rock, Metal, and Punk) are sending the wrong message to kids; that they’re all about death and violence (WhyIHatePeople, 2011, para. 1).” The classic images of punk involve loud, overbearing music; people screaming at you nonstop; music being blared and none of it is truly able to be understood. Because of how some Punks carry themselves (spikes hair, spikes jackets, hardcore lifestyle) most people associate this with violence and death. People created a stereotype as they do with anything else (Racial Groups, Political Factions, etc.): they gave Punk Rock a horrible public music because they wore different clothes and had a different musical taste than the rest of the world.

For years now, Punk Rock has found its true ideology and meaning lost in the midst of its dissimilar nature. In the words of the Guardian, “it’s been a long time since the term “punk rock” could strike fear into the […] establishment (Harris, 2012, para. 1)”. Punk Music has been viewed as “different” since it was first introduced. The music isn’t accepted by the mainstream; as stated before, if you look at the Billboard Top 100 you will see only artists that fill the genres of Rap or Pop filling their ranks. Only in the days of big names that everyone knew (The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, etc.) would Punk receive the attention and recognition it deserved. All because Punk Music, whether it be Post Hardcore, Glam Rock, Ska Punk, Metalcore, etc., doesn’t adhere to the type of music that’s accepted by the mainstream, it’s been cast out from society and exiled; human beings have never been known to like change.

This is an unfortunate fact because of what Punk Rock represents. Taken from Axio-Rock (2011), “in its original nature, the punk culture has been primarily concerned with individual freedom, which tends to create beliefs in concepts such as individualism, anti-authoritarianism, anarchism and free thought. Punk ideologies have often included a critical view of the world; seeing modern day societies as placing extensive limits on humanity. Punk ideologies are usually expressed through punk rock music (para. 2).” Punk Rock is different on purpose; it offers an outlet for all those that don’t want to conform to the mainstream of media and music and life itself. Even if you want to be a part of that, that’s fine completely your choice. The punk lifestyle and music accepts everyone no matter their views. Punk Music is meant to stand as an outlet and a source of hope for many; a way for all to express their individuality; a place where everyone who has ever felt alone finally feels like they belong.

While being given this stereotype of only revolving around death and violence, my own personal experience with the genre has been more fantastic than I can possibly describe. I’ve felt welcomed and like I’m part of something; I feel like I’m my own person, being filled with pure innovation and inspiration from this music genre and that entire stem from it. Unfortunately though, as stated countless times, because it is different, the mainstream will never accept it and give it the credit and spotlight it deserves. The ironic fact though is this fuels the punk movement further even when it’s “dead” as it currently is; the more you beat it down, the more run to it as a source of inspiration and as an outlet.

If you are enticed by Punk Music, even if you don’t think it’d be the music type to suite you, simply give it a chance. It is a choice just like anything else in life; no one is forcing you to listen to it. However, not many even want to give it a chance. Since Punk Music’s approach is so diverse and strange when seen versus the norm, many people seem to get scared off by it. Taking example from La Dispute’s (post hardcore band) lyrics “Can I still get into Heaven if I kill myself? (La Dispute, 2011)”, just because the approach of this musical style is different or even intimidating doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a strong meaning. Personally, experiencing bands that fills the category of “punks” such as Streetlight Manifesto, Black Flag, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Bomb the Music Industry, etc. have inspired me and helped me grow as a person; their upbeat and passionate lyrics have inspired me to grow as a person and find hope even when the world may seem hopeless. As a youth, or as any person in a world that can sometimes seem to be devoid of light, anything that can inspire and reignite that light is something fantastic that exists in this world.

You may be wondering “what would happen if I actually gave Punk Music a chance?” That completely depends on you. What exactly are you looking for? Are you seeking a source of inspiration? Are you trying to find an answer to where you belong in the world? Are you attempting to vent all the pent emotion you have inside? Whatever your desire is, Punk Music can aid you in trumping it 10 fold. Tim Mckee of “This Very Second” stated “I found punk rock right when I needed it. My parents had just gotten divorced, and my mother, sister, and I had moved from West LA to Pasadena in November of my fifth-grade year (McKee, 2011, para 1.).” He goes on to say that Punk Rock acted as a venting source for his anger; when everything seemed its darkest and he didn’t know his place in the world, he’s put on his favorite song and let the lyrics wash over him like high tide on a beach. Tim “was angry inside: pissed that my parents had gotten divorced (McKee, 2011, para. 6).” He was a youth who didn’t know what to do with his life, and by placing his trust into a music genre he had never really experienced nor given a chance, he found his coping mechanism and outlet for this rough period in his life.

See yourself as Tim in this situation; imagine that rage bubbling inside you and you have nowhere to put it, nowhere to dump it; imagine letting the Henry Rollins, the former lead singer of Black Flag (one of the biggest name in the Punk Movement of the 1980s), voice and lyrical mastery wash over you and tell you “we’re gonna rise above (Black Flag, 1981).” Despite the usual harshness and blaring vocals and instruments from Punk Rock, submerge yourself in this message of positivity. Even when everything is at its worst and blackest, even when everything is completely broken and lost, imagine yourself rising above it all, standing tall and strong.

If you want to see yourself filled with the inspiration and hope the likes of which you’ve never seen, you have to give Punk Rock a chance. It doesn’t matter what genre: it could be the melodic horns of Ska Punk stars Streetlight Manifesto, or the soothing yet loud voice of Pop Punk figureheads The Story So Far fall onto you, or the perfectly blended blast beats and folk guitar shredding of Folk Punk musician Andrew Jackson Jihad; it doesn’t matter what genre nor band that stems from the core that is Punk Rock as long as you experience it. Lives is about branching out and experiencing new things; why not stop listening to “Hot N’ Cold” by Katy Perry or “Royals” by Lorde and finally find a proper source of inspiration in an unlikely source. Why not give Punk Rock a chance?

Take the chance and engulf yourself in a few songs, no matter the artist. It could be Punk Rock, or Pop Punk, or Ska Punk, or Folk Punk, or Glam Rock; it could be any genre that stems from Punk Rock. The point of this music remains the same: to offer a voice of individuality and give hope to those who lack it. Stop misinterpreting Punk Rock and allow yourself to experience it. Even if you don’t like it, open your mind to the lyrics these musicians are presenting to you: to stop feeling so weak and alone; to stand up and fight for what you believe in; to stand your ground and realize you have the support from everyone else who loves this music and the musicians themselves. Punk Music, no matter the genre, offers a place where you may finally find where you belong; it may change your life. In the wise words of Andrew Jackson Jihad, all that myself and my fellow punks ask of you is to “be the best fucking human you can be (Andrew Jackson Jihad, 2007)!”

#punk #empowerment #mental health #punks not dead

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