Who Says We Aren't Punk?

What defines a person as Punk? The way they color or style their hair? The amount of stickers they put on the back of their car’s window? Or what about the patches on their backpack or purse? Is it ‘cause they have a guitar or drum set and can play a Nirvana riff? Or better yet can play the riff to that Deep Purple song. Or better yet is it the kind of music they listen to? As I search around the net I see nothing but discrimination toward others because of the bands they like ie. Good Charlotte, Blink 182, Simple Plan, New Found Glory, Yellowcard. I also hear the same kind of thing in my local Guitar Center; I over heard one person telling another person that he’s not punk for whatever reason and the song he’s trying to play doesn’t make him punk. That being the wrong conversation for an employee to a potential buyer, yet at the same time the conversation had nothing to do with a purchase, it’s his stance on what’s punk. Ok, understandable, but what makes the employee so much more punk than the other person? Physically, between the 3 of us there was nothing different. We all had the same style of clothes on, basically the same hairstyle, used the same slang and similar mannerisms (air guitar lol). So what defines us as punk?

A little about me so you can understand my standpoint. I listen to a lot of bands, granted, I’m new to this whole punk community. A little over a year and a half ago I was probably the biggest hiphop fan there was and I didn’t know a thing about punk. I just knew that punk irritated me. I’d rather listen to a synthesizer and a dumb machine than a guitar and a 7-piece drum set. Then hiphop/rap got boring to me. It seemed as if one day I woke up and didn’t care for that kind of music anymore. With acts such as Chingy, Cassidy, Lil’ Jon coming out and becoming so mainstream I couldn’t take the non-talent and repetitiveness of talking about cars and girls. And I never looked back. Sadly the band and song that turned me on to punk was Good Charlotte – Boys And Girls. I know, what you’re thinking, “he’s not punk if he listens to GC”. No, I never said I was punk. That is just a catchy song, I doubt there is anyone who listens to that kind of music and hasn’t found themselves thinking or humming that chorus from time to time. So, needless to say I picked up that CD and liked it, then I got their first release and liked that as well. Then from GC I progressed into other bands, mainstream bands, like Blink, Simple Plan etc. But now GC is pretty far in my rearview mirror. As I type this I have Fallout Boy playing in the background. And all around my desk are Nirvana albums, Thrice, Finch, MxPx (they are not pop), NoFX, and yes Yellowcard, just to name a few. And on my computers desktop I have a plethora of punk mp3s.

With Fallout Boy playing in the background, it leads me to think “Who and what makes a band pop or not really punk?” Yellowcard for example, I’ve seen plenty of people in the forum’s rag on others because they like Yellowcard and say that they aren’t punk. Let me just say this first, just because a band is on TRL does not make them pop. It says they make good music, have a good record deal and are making some money! Why to people say bands like Yellowcard and Blink 182 are sellouts because they are becoming so mainstream? All they are doing it making some money. They are still punk or whatever they claim to be. They just aren’t sheltered and the selected few only know about them. Now Good Charlotte, it's been said and it’s true they aren’t punk and they are pop as hell! They don’t even write their own songs (they co-write) but that doesn’t mean they don’t make good music. There I said it. MxPx, some people say they are pop. For those that don’t know, pop is short for Popular Music. MxPx is a great band with very well written songs and chorus’ and are very catchy. But what band doesn’t try to do that? System of a Down, now they write some of the worst songs I’ve ever heard and have the worst singer ever. But I don’t think they are punk. I just mentioned them to make a comparison. So why would they be pop? I think people get mainstream and pop confused.

Reading some of the other articles on this website lead me to think punk is probably something I’m too new to understand but then again, some people just talk out of their ass. Here is a quote from an article I really liked: “What respect I used to have for punk I've lost it all since old bands sold out and new bands degrade into garbage... I bet the majority of you punks can't name one band who hasn't sold out... Why do I say that? Because they probably had to sell out for you to hear about them.” (Why Punk?)

This quote brings me back to the mainstream and making money. What makes a band a sellout if more than a few thousand people know about them? Again, there is nothing wrong with wanting to make money. In all reality these bands make music to make money. Sure, some will say “We’d rather play than make money”(“We don’t need fortune and we don’t need fame, we don’t need bright lights to spell our name…- MxPx”) but in their heart they want to make money. That goes for any genre of music. Bands such as MxPx probably said that and meant it 10 years ago when they were starting out but look at them now. Starting at an Indy Label Tooth and Nail and now they are at A&M. Now that they are making money, they say that. Funny.

Let me take you back to something most of us can agree on. Nirvana, although not punk, we can agree that they were a great band. I can say that most of my life I listened to urban music but there isn’t a Nirvana song that I don’t know for some reason. People liked Nirvana for what reason? Their live performances, Kurt’s powerful lyrics and music; I think a mixture of all. Grunge music was to the early 90’s what punk is today in my opinion. And they were as mainstream as Good Charlotte, Blink 182, or Yellowcard and everyone loved them. I wouldn’t define them as sellouts but I would call them hypocritical. Their premise was to “write really good music, to write the best music we possibly can.” (Cobain – Guitar One) but then when asked about Indy bands going to Major Labels he says “Alternative music is no longer alternative music once its mainstream.” Every band wants to write good music and be a good band whether its punk, grunge, metal etc. but on the same token they wont run from a major label deal. My point is: just because a band becomes mainstream does not in anyway constitute anyone from defining them as something other than what they are.

On a quest to define punk and who and what makes them punk I’ll make some comparisons between commercial, independent. Blink 182, mentioned a lot in this article, they’ve been around for years, a great band with longevity. If you listen to the early Blink albums you can clearly hear a significant difference in the music they are putting out today. Is that due to major label success over the years? No, its called progression. With songs such as I Miss You and I’m Lost Without You could define them as a wuss band or Emo but listen to the other tracks such as Violence or Stockholm Syndrome. Very powerful tracks, lyrically and musically. And who says Travis isn’t a badass drummer. In comparison, which is essentially comparing apples to apples, red and green, Box Car Racer, 2/3 of the band and I’ve heard so many people say that they are punk, more than Blink 182. Yea, uh, Ok I’ll buy that, morons. There is really no need for an explanation on that one. You can figure it out yourself. Fall Out Boy, they are becoming more mainstream. I’m betting in less than a year they are going to be on Video Clash on MTV up against Story Of The Year. A great band but FOB has the same kind of tracks coming out as Blink. Some really poppy and lyrically emo-esq. Personally, I like them. Thrice, breaking out into the commercial side of things. A great band, a comparison between the two is likely, they both have very similar styles. Is either any less punk than the other? Nope. Then we have a band like Yellowcard, bringing something new to the industry with their twist of violin and they made it work. I wouldn’t define them any less punk than any of the other bands listed here but they do have a country twang. They have an entirely different style of music and I’d lean more to defining them as emo-punk with songs like One Year, Six Months, and Only One. Flashlight Brown, a good band and I wouldn’t be able to compare them to Yellowcard mainly because their style is so different. But punk is punk.

To me punk is more of an attitude, an outlook, an opinion. If you’re a self-proclaimed punk then you have your own opinion on to what’s punk and who is punk. Can punk be defined? No, not at all. Everyone has their own opinion. I bet if one were to ask Tom from Blink to define punk he’d give a definition totally different than christian rocker Mike from MxPx. Or to ask Ryan from Yellowcard. Then to hear my opinion as opposed to the guy that’s been a band that won your local Battle of the Bands. Or if we could ask Kurt Cobain how he felt about the punk scene today and to define it. Punk in a way, to others, can be a rebellion against “the man” then again what kind of rock related music isn’t? That goes all the way back to Hendrix, Sabbath, Pink Floyd, and up to Nirvana, NoFx and even AFI. The article Punk Life made some good points, and I encourage anyone who hasn’t read it to read it because it’s straight to the point on his view of punk. And honestly, there is no definition of punk and there is always someone who is going to call another person a poser.

Comments

[hobo8917]

alright article

[hobo8917]

biased but what punk article isn't?

[heshmen]

dude you can't call yourself a punk if you listen to fallout boy or ***in blink 182. The hell is wrong with you.

[ShadowRelcuse]

Well, punk is supposedly quite pollitically motivated, and NONE of the bands you listed were political in the least bit; save System of a Down, who you bashed. There's the difference between pop-punk and punk. Politics.

[RMR101]

you punks sure do whine alot.

[V12]

RMR101...that is probably the truest statement iv'e probably heard all month. hahahah i love it

[heshmen]

nofx is pretty pollitical. Wait how the hell do you spell pollitical?

[them_sell]

Good Charlotte, Blink 182, Simple Plan, New Found Glory, Yellowcard. arent punk. so never say it agian. punk's an attitude. and selling out, changing your music, so the record companys say ok. is not the right kind of attitude

[DParis]

you punks sure do whine alot.

:haha

[LastRockShow]

to Hesmen
a punk is not defined 'punk' by the music he listens to.

RMR101
DAMN STRAIGHT! lol

System Of A Down rock. You can't honestly compare Mark Hoppus's vocals to SOAD's lead singer. But in any case, I must say this was an incredibly well-written article. One of the absolute best I ever read. It may be a bit biased, but it's from your point of view, and you did a good job. And even though I don't entirely agree with your article, I am looking forward to more articles you write in the future.

[_1LaStTrY]

punk is dead, goddammit, i listen to "punk", but the word punk and the movement is dead. punk was created as a movement against president reagan and the royal family in the uk. it was political. "punk" is now maintream, when you see 12 year old girls dressed up like punks because of avril lavigne, you have to say to yourself that punk is now a fashion... they are still some true punk bands, who stick to the roots, that is political punk, like nofx for instance. system of a down could fit in that category also. punk nowadays is a lot like rap, bands talk about girls and shit like that, whiny bitches. i'd also like to say, stop the feud between metalheads and punkers ! we should unite, because we like the basics of those styles, the guitar ! i like metal and i like punk, i like rock in general. stop bitching, cause soon you'll have something to bitch about. trash is making a new face for itself, new trash bands are coming out of everywhere, so look closely ! this will be great !!

[heshmen]

Dude you have to listen to some punk music to call yourself a punk. you can't be a punk and have a couple of britney spears albums retard. Get your facts straight buddy.

[ShoeLaces907]

As someone famous once said, punk's not dead, it's just at K-Mart. And completely irrelevant.

[Shifty08]

Hah, it's funny that the people who say "punk is dead" don't even know when it started.

All these rants are getting kinda tiresome.

[GoodCharloteSux]

What makes yellowcard pop is the frikin violin player!

[nirvanafan11111]

this is a crap article u just gave ure opinions try being more open minded and how much of system of a down have u actually heard.

Well, punk is supposedly quite pollitically motivated, and NONE of the bands you listed were political in the least bit; save System of a Down, who you bashed. There's the difference between pop-punk and punk. Politics.

well put thts wot punk is itsbeing rebellious and not conforming too societies image or changing ure music too suit a record companies taste

[nirvanafan11111]

wtf i put quote

[im not mental]

system of a down rules.

[egor]

oh dammit dude , u cant call yourself a punk just because of music , and if u dont care that you are not punk so why to write this article ???? lol and from all the listed bands only nofx is punk , even thought i love blink182 , i know they dont write punk since dude ranch ... well go out and listen to some older stuff like social distortion , exploited , sex pistols , maybe ramones ...
and theres one more thing to say (it doesnt change alot , just my opinion) : there are 2 ways of selling out : 1 to make a music just to get $$ (like all the rap/pop which is the same thing nowadays) , 2 is to make a great music and get paid for it (like metallica , blink 182 , ) u can not to sell out , but then , only people from your town/state(in a good case) will hear you
and yeah ,,,, man yellowcard sucks ......

[egor]

simple plan , mxpx , good charlotte ohhhh man .... u gave me a head ache with these names ...

[egor]

sorry for my mistkes (if i did) english isnt my first language

[celluloid_dream]

who cares anymore ..

[crawlingfaster]

this is funny. everyone is saying o you listen to blink yellowcard and stuff your not a punk. but if you atualy read the article he says he isnt punk.

[X_Ray_Spex]

Dude you guys are all ***ing stupid. Punk is a music genre and always has been . You people took it upon yourselfs to try and call it a political movement. Bullshit. The Adicts, The Toy Dolls, and the X-Ray Spex they never talked about anything political in their music but would you call them not punk? I think not. ShayneBishop and all you other morons go educate uorselfs and listen to real punk bands like Resistance 77, Cocksparrer, and the Abrasive Wheels. 26th

[Kenney333]

whats stupid is that people see being "punk" as some kind of goal, or a good thing that yu have to achieve to be cool, its the stupidest thing ive ever heard. If i point out someone as looking like a douchebag because we wears all west 49 clothes, and has a trucker hat that ingeniously says "punk" on it, its not cause i think their not really whatever "punk is" its because they think that the image makes them better, because they actually think that theyve found some kind of true calling by wearing skateboarding shirts and trucker hats rather than the basketball jerseys and baseball caps they had on 6 months ago. It not cause i think theyre not "harcore enough" or some crap like that, its cause they think that what they wear and what they call themselves is more important thatn what they think or do, or that being punk, is more important than being themselves, that why the kids are douchebags.

[MrLucky77713]

^It's not a political movement, but you're shitting yourself if you think politics has nothing to do with it.

I think idiots should be banned from posting articles. Punk is still around and it's just as good as it was before. It's merely harder to find.

Wankshafts like this really fuckin piss me off. A lot of people have worked really damn hard to make punk a great musical genre, and a lot of people have given up everything to pursue it. By saying it's dead, or that it's all mainstream is to piss on those people, and besides that, you're lying to yourself.

Pop-punk is a respectable genre. Get off your high horse and see that some of it is really catchy and really good. Try the buzzcocks and the ramones and the queers. If you want something recent, fall out boy and the older Brand New and even NFG. Sorry, but I LIKE NFG. It's just really really catchy.

You can be punk and listen to Blink if you want. Punk isn't a fucking country club. People who smack everyone who isn't into the most hardcore of street and call them posers are just dicks.

I've had enough. Some of these weirdos are only alive because it is illegal to kill them.

[dangerlives]

I liked your article morte than most of the articles i read in here. I have always felt that "punk" is more of an attitude put forth in any aspect of self expression, be it music, writing or appearance. "Punk" is just a way to vent your feelings and kick some ass. As for selling out, until we get rid of record labels thasts just the way it's going to be. Concerned about selling out?: http://www.downhillbattle
.org

[offspring_punk]

wow a lot of people are dumbasses. punk is about the music and attitude you have. so ***ing what if you listen to blink-182? they're a good band and are punk. you guys say all these bands sellout and go with big record companies but think of this. if you had some shit recording studio and record label...your music would sound like shit and even if people did hear it they prolly wouldn't like it since it sounded so bad. some bands just sign with bigger record labels to get their music out there and heard. now ill admit..simple plan and gc are not punk. they try to hard to please the people and only talk about girls. but bands like The Offspring, blink-182, Bad Religion who you all say are pop-punk aren't. their music sounds different because people are different. and all these bands have been around 10+ years almost. their thoughts change and so does the world. people only think of how a band presents themselves as to whether or not they are punk or pop-punk. its really about the music. i get so ***ing sick of listening to you bitch about people who listen to certain bands. its their choice so live with it...and quit your bitching

[offspring_punk]

30th

[frauny]

In my opinion "punk" isn't about what music you listen to or what your look like it's just about being yourself and not doing things because other people do it. I'll admit i listen to some "pop-punk" bands: Milencolin, Sugarcult, Green Day. But there has been worse so called rock music out there just look at the hair bands from the 80s. And if you consider "selling out" signing with a major record label then why don't you consider the Ramones, Sex Pistols, the Clash, even Led Zeppelin sell outs.

[bennybeast1]

No, there isn't a definition of punk, it just a word they made up for the laugh in their pretty imaginations. What the fcuk are you talking about? Nirvana are as mainstream as Good Charlotte? Wake up and smell the coffe asshole.

[rockjock2552]

did this guy call nirvana punk man i will slap you. it is called grunge for a reason and pink floyd is not punk either neither is hendrix dumbass. go and learn what music people acually play.

[bennybeast1]

Also i would also like to say, Punks aren't who they are JUST because of what they listen to, you can't go catagorising someone just becuase of the music they like. Punks are famous for they crazy hairstyles, crazy clothing and not giving a damn about what other people think. That is how they got their name, Punk in America when it started was quite an offensive word, and by calling themselves that spelled out that they just don't give a damn and are rebellious to society. So get your facts straight next time.

[)Eric(Draven]

Ok hardcore punk kid, just go ahead and hardcorely think what you want and whine about your girlfriend, and I'll sit here and listen. I'll listen to you bitch about random shit, and I'll enjoy it.

[V12]

hahaha, listening to these kids argue...hahahahah

[RatiugLink]

You know what, I think we're all punks in God's eyes. Jesus only accepts those with green hair.

i equl totl punk perrfecshun!!!!!111111111

[MyungPetrucci]

Punk is a rebellious "I don't give a **** about you" type of rock, not "My girlfriend dumped me" or "I'm addicted to you", or Stink-182 for that matter. My opinion, but punk, as I once remembered it, was fast drums, loud distortion, decent bass lines, and somewhat yelled vocals. And the LYRICS don't deal with girls and love lives.

My opinion. don't flame.

[JPK]

Punk hasn't been a statement for years, it's now just a style of music. Not really my scene but still... Seems like a club to me, where none of the members think any of the other members are good enough to be in (todays punk scene)

[RedTears]

hey, bitch (article writer) i like Blink 182 (cant stand yellowcard though or NFG or simple plan or faggots like that) but uh, THEY ARE POP-PUNK! they aint punk. They are pop-punk. Anyways, you got the other bands wrong too, i didnt bother reading the whole thing cause it sucked.

[harm0n20]

heshmen:
dude you can't call yourself a punk if you listen to fallout boy or ***in blink 182. The hell is wrong with you.

obviously did not get this article at all.
who gives a *** about what punk is or not i say *** punk and all other music genres. if i want to listen to britney spears and blue man group and blink and metallica than i ***ing will and i dont give a *** about any of you ***ing dipshits or if i am "punk" or not. *** that.

[KeviePie04]

I personally think punk should be abolished as a genre, because too many people call too many completly different things punk. The only thing you talked about in this article really was why people don't like the bands you like. Punk is really undefinable now. Sure, you can call bands like the Sex Pistols, Ramones, the Dead Kennedys, whatever you want from back then punk, because they were really the bands that started it. Then, punk was more or less about the politics for a lot of bands, save a couple like the ramones and such, and it was really about the attitude. Now, its more about saying whether your a 'punk' or not. And if you are a punk, whats that do for you? Whatever, i have really no idea where the idea for all the recent pop punk bands came from, maybe record companys just wanted to make money off them because of the success of green day, who knows. It's pretty easy to whine about your girlfriend dumping you over a bunch of power chords, but whatever.
whats the point of bashing system of a down anyways?

[O_o]

finally someone is talking sense around here

[metallicahhut]

man punk isnt the music man its about the lifestyle oh you live. the i dont give a *** attitude screw the system ill do what i want. not caring of you sleep in a gutter that night wake up and eat some pizza from a trash can behind dominos. just because you sport black falg and listen to casualities and shit doesnt mean you are punk.its how you live man what you really are i. and *** man who cares if you listen to the popier bands. *** man i love punk the "real" shit but i also like blink and im a huge metallica fan its not about the music man its how you live i know i dont have it that bad since im on like a computer and shit because its the i dont give a *** attitude that i have that. harm0n20 you are ***ing awesome man thank you. you are a smart dude man you ***ers need to wake up and smell the coffee *** what you guys think is punk if i want to listen to "cock" rock like def leppard and then listen metallica and then dk or distillers i will so *** you and all you dumb ass ***s why dont you just go *** yourselves and listen to so emo or something. *** off

[chinko]

WTF

this article was just weird

it bored me

who cares, i define punk as 'blink 182' and older punk bands are much much better. punk is about just making music with simple chords n stuff (MY OPINION!).

and system rock

[RatiugLink]

GOD HEARTS PUNXORZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
1111111111YAYAYAYAYA

[kooldonuts]

_1LaStTrY:
punk is dead, goddammit, i listen to "punk", but the word punk and the movement is dead. punk was created as a movement against president reagan and the royal family in the uk. it was political. "punk" is now maintream, when you see 12 year old girls dressed up like punks because of avril lavigne, you have to say to yourself that punk is now a fashion... they are still some true punk bands, who stick to the roots, that is political punk, like nofx for instance. system of a down could fit in that category also. punk nowadays is a lot like rap, bands talk about girls and shit like that, whiny bitches. i'd also like to say, stop the feud between metalheads and punkers ! we should unite, because we like the basics of those styles, the guitar ! i like metal and i like punk, i like rock in general. stop bitching, cause soon you'll have something to bitch about. trash is making a new face for itself, new trash bands are coming out of everywhere, so look closely ! this will be great !!

damn straight!

[Fallen Link]

Worst article on this site.

[undead_bunny]

Opinoins Opinoins Opinoins.....

damn i cant spell!

[Zeke5000]

"Grunge music was to the early 90?s what punk is today in my opinion."
Okay grunge was a fashion. Nirvana and Pearl Jam and all of the rest didnt say hey lets make a new style of music they were just playing what they liked. Kurt loved punk music. He didnt think that punk was just one straight sound. He understood that Punk music was freedom and it isnt a look or anything like that. Blink 182 say that they used to not play something if it didnt sound like their style and that is not punk. mxpx are a ***ing christian band. their a christian band how the hell is that punk. Punk is against religions and goverment. Its anarchy you dont have a ***ing god and rules that you have to abide by. punk and anarchy go hand in hand and good charlotte are not anarchists. if they make something their record company doesnt like they aint gonna get that song on their cd. I dont see one mention of the creators the pioneers of punk in your piece of shit article. It sounds like you are just pissed off because you want to be punk so you started an argument defending your favorite conformist wannabee bands. Sounds like the only good bands you listen to are nirvana and nofx. unless you actually listen to Hendrix, Sabbath, and Pink Floyd.

[habebe girl]

okay its fine whatever you music you like but maybe you should listen to System of a Downs lyrical content a little better. I think that they are a great modern band, lyrically. Like I said hey its your opinion, but I suggest just listen to them once more and really try to focus on what they're saying and you'lll probly find that much of their music lyrically is a lot deeper than Ocean Avenue.

[awsomeguitarGOD]

hey i listen to alot of things. from metal to hardcore to hardcore punk to pop punk. And to tell you the truth to me its all good. At least its not god damn snoopdogg.

[awsomeguitarGOD]

I know punk when i hear it or see it. To me a fat girl wearing rubber bracelets ,a good charlott shirt, black eyeliner,baggy pants,converse and going around saying that she plays guitar when she doesnt even know what an E string is,definetly is not punk.

[derifity]

this article made some good (and some stupid) points but what the hell was the point of it?
damn "punks" ruining chuck taylors image for every1 else

[Cyberknight4000]

I wish I was cool enough to be a punk

[earlswoll]

dang it...punk isn't about music...or the way you dress or none of that crap. punk is a mindset, a "fight the system, we will be heard" mindset...and if you wanna argue bout what bands are punk then look at the lyrics...not the music, or how much money they make....


damn all you people who fight about stupid stuff and don't see good music, whether you call it punk or not

[cannonball_900]

what the hell is this

[washbrnxb105]

what I think about this whole thing is who gives a s**t if someone thinks you arent punk. Cuz punk is about being your self and not giving a s**t. And you whining and complaining about what someone said totally goes against what you are trying to be. I honestly dont consider myself any of these stereotypes because that limits what I can and cant do. I consider myself to be a part of a stereotype called myself and I think that everyone should consider themselves a part of that stereotype because that would allow you to do whatever the hell you wanna do and not catching any s**t from anyone

[SURFraptor7]

who cares... this is just another article that beats a dead topic into boredom. Jeez, an article that doesnt try to explain the word "punk" would be nice. I say who cares if a band is punk... whatever, but if I see another article about "who is punk and who is not" I'm gonna get sick...
write about something NEW!!
SLICK SHOES ROCKS!

[colefer]

You are a dumbass System of a Down kicks ass and they are hard rock not punk you queer!

[kyle_afi]

My opinion but SOAD makes piss-poor music.

[jeeba jaba]

SURFraptor7:
who cares... this is just another article that beats a dead topic into boredom. Jeez, an article that doesnt try to explain the word "punk" would be nice. I say who cares if a band is punk... whatever, but if I see another article about "who is punk and who is not" I'm gonna get sick...
write about something NEW!!
SLICK SHOES ROCKS!
[POSTED: 29 June 2004 - 00:15]|

coulndt agree more

[RevelationStorm]

Boring article.............and punks are stupid.

[RevelationStorm]

Kenney333:
whats stupid is that people see being "punk" as some kind of goal, or a good thing that yu have to achieve to be cool, its the stupidest thing ive ever heard.

Thank you, couldn't have said it any better.

[P_Gilbertrules]

Whats Wrong with Fallout Boy? Honest question...one of my friends is on a mixed artist punk cd with them.... I don't remember what it's called.... he said he liked them. Maybe, person who is writeing this article knows of a band called Scallywag? Perhaps you even own the cd that falloutboy is on with them. Perhaps even one of the band members is on this site, and saw this message? That'ed be wierd.... go LHS.... Anyhoo.... really, whats wrong with Fallout Boy? I don't personally like punk much, most of it annoys me, (I opened it by accident, saw falloutboy, and read the rest)but in theory if you're so "punk" why do you give a *** about what someone else does or listens to or supports?

[PychoArtRocker]

Blink182,GC an all of them are "Pop Punk". Punk was polical and they are not polical,so therefore they are not punk

[PychoArtRocker]

AND RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING NEW FOR A CHANG!!! I HATE GOOD CHARLOTT AND LIKE BILNK 182!!!I DONT CARE IF THEY ARE NOT "THE REAL PUNK" GOOD MUSIC IS GOOD MUSIC AND ANYTHING ELS CAN GO TO HELL!!!

[ZepHedJack]

If you have to worry about being punk, then you aren't punk.

[JPaul17]

you mother***er... dont ever rag on the system ever again. they are one of the best numetal bands out there

[Tuegli]

What happened to the days where people didn't give a f*** who was a poser or not!? I mean who cares? Punk started out as a music category and it was the ATTITUDE that kept it alive for god's sake! If U ask me punk is about the attitude (like if a trouble maker is about the old people say to the cops "I want this PUNK arrested", not "I want this PREP arrested!") not how U dress or the type of music you listen 2 (ok you have to listen to some punk) or anything like that!! And it's pretty gay if U ask me! I mean you listen to a band that not everyone likes and you get called a stupid poser and U never said you were punk. And who ever agress w/ me (or some what agress with me) that's cool! And if u don't agree w/ me, that cool 2.
Don't get mad at and start typing nasty s*** to me or about me. It's my opinion so GET OVER IT!

[WIZ]

GC sucks, thats a fact

[afirocker00]

AMEN THIS ARTICLE IS THE BEST YET!

[benjaminr]

I do, you're not punk

[issidvicious]

man, i'm really sick of these types of articles, and don't mention Flashlight, they're in a whole other category

[gryftorsguitar]

you say pop means popular music
you say mainstream is different from pop
isnt mainstream another way of saying popular music?
i mean seriously, it is, isnt it?
MAINSTREAM IS POP MUSIC

[Horebane]

Dumbass , punk is an attitude , it means not giving a *** about what others think of you or what they expect of you.

[metalmassacre]

hay i have friend and i his house is being remodeled by some guy playing the vans tour or some shit like thsat he says that nofx are a bunch of crackheads and that good charlotte said "yeah we want to do better stuff but this stuff makes money"

[Tim Woodrow]

Punk has been abused, by all of you -
It's not about a certain image just your own image -
whatever that may be!

[CasualtiesArmy]

Mind your own goddamn buisness. Why the hell do you care if someone thinks their punk or not? Dumbshit

[deadkenedy]

Who gives a shit call yourselves whatever you want, listen to aretha franklin and call yourself death metal for all i care. We all just need to relax, let people do what they want we can't stop others doing what they do no matter how much we have a go at them.

[t1mf]

"Punk aint no religious cult, punk means thinking for urself." so figure it out on ur own

[sycorax]

congratulations people!!!! we have ourselves another kutless!!!

ps.. and yello***ingcard werent to use violins.. let me point out the corrs used them WAY better than yellowcard...

[kyzar]

PUNK is quite simply crap - the most complicated thing they play is power chords and they are always crapping on about their dads in the lyrics. It facinates me why this "rock music" sells.

Did I hear someone stating that Good Charlotte are as mainstream as Nirvana. What the hell are they thinking/on? And how can you compare GC to Nirvana anyway? That comment was just as bad as one my friend made once, who classified Linkin Park as GRUNGE. I know your mouths are dropping...

Anyone who classifies Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix as Punk should seriously be given a crash course in Music.

[Emenius Sleepus]

aahhhhhhhhhhhhhh not a - ***ing - gain

[nouse4aname125]

^
name one punk band who whines about their dads.
remember i said PUNK not POP PUNK

[nouse4aname125]

^ i was poinkting up at kyzar

[nouse4aname125]

KUTLESS SUCKS!!!

[scumfuc_69]

The reason none of those bands are punk is because
they go against everything punk is about. Kurt Cobain
was a huge punk fan, but he didn't play punk. MXPX
was on one of those "...is my anti-drug" commercials...
if they want to speak out against drugs, that's perfectly fine, but they did it on a government-sponsored TV ad. There is no such thing as pop-punk.
It's punk or it isn't...bottom line.

[scumfuc_69]

one more thing, your hairstyle or style of dress has nothing at all to do with what kind of person you
are; it's just an image!

[playboypunk182]

hold up u dumb mother ***ers except the ones who agreed with the guy who wrote this obviously u all arnt ounk because if u were ud relise that punk is being the oppisite of some one else u just dont like the music how many ppl didnt like the pistols but like rancid and how many ppl liked deftones and not other bands its not the music that makes them punk its the way they present them selfs. do u really think blink gives a shit if u like them ???? no they just write there music. and u say its pop punk because its popular so what a band cant be punk and some one actually likes there music give me a ***ing break first off as a a bassist drummer and guitarist in 4 bands of my own u need to klnow how hard it is to make a living off that shit and then once u get signed that aint shit u have all this work to do after wrads u have to fricken have catchy songs so ppl like u. here put ur selfs in there shoes: ONE GUY SAYS/ hey lets write a song OTHER GUYS SAY/ sure RECORD LAbel says wow what a great song lets play it on the radio.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY FUCKING GOD PPL LIKE IT>>>>>> ALOT OF THEM OH SHIT IGUESS WERE NOT PUNK NE MORE. *** u mother ***ers go eat a ***ing uge piece of shit maybe then u can call ur self punk for being diff u ass ***s

[stone_misery]

none of the new bands are punk, to listen to punk music you gotta dive back to the sex pistols, the misfits, ramones, clash, (nirvana is grunge, not punk), the meatmen. i've never seen a true punk rocker with enough money to buy a car, let alone put stickers on one, or patches on a backpack. but good luck with you "punk" lifestyle

[kryptonite22]

Great, another punk debate. Let it be what you want, stop telling other people what "punk is". Who cares anymore?

[ckythc]

First off people make fun of Blink, simple plan, G.C., and Yellow card because they sux0r. Now about the whole punk thing, there are very few punks left in the world. Punk was a movement, a lifestyle, a revolution. Then it became trendy. Most real Punks dropped out in the late 80's because they got sick of it becoming popular. The music you listen to doesn't make you a punk, the clothes and hairstyles don't make you a punk, what makes you a punk is the attitude you have and the outlook you've taken on life.

[chevellerox2005]

why wont people just let others have their own opinions?

[bucky_2300]

Well, hate to break it to you, but the bands you are listening to are largely categorized on UG as "phillywack9", or "bad pop-punk", good pop-punk being The Descendents and Replacements. Listening to MxPx and blink and listening to T.S.O.L and The Vandals is very different. Dead Kennedys and GC are very different. Punk has something to stand for. Punk is political and social dissatisfaction. Not songs about girls. Everybody has a different definition of punk, and people insist they are, largely because you can buy the punk style at Hot Topic, and it's popular today. Punk doesn't require a line of clothing. Heck, look at the guys from Minor Threat. They don't wear any crazy studs, they wear jeans and t-shirts.
Esentially, this seemed like a rant to protect you from punks looking at you and telling you that your music is not punk rock.

[311DEF]

doesnt matter what kind of music they play.IT IS ALL BAD MUSIC THAT IS BEING FED BY TEENAGERS THAT HAVE NEVER HEARD ANY MUSIC THAT IS BETTER. OPEN YOUR EARS AND LISTEN TO SOME BANDS THAT HAVE SOUL.

[ever and a day]

im getting sick of these articles
although this one was better than most.

punk is different than punk rock.
and many of the bands that were mentioned in the article (blink, gc etc..) aren't punk rock
and that was a stupid move to mention them in this cause now you've got a bunch of kids freakin out and whining about how you can't be punk if you listen to them.
i really don't care if they sell out, or if people won't think i'm a punk if i happen to like those bands

i dont like them cause i think they suck.

people have to stop labeling music so much. i know that some labels are necessary but people have gone overboard.
just listen to the music you like.
dress how you want
nobody really cares.

[DMRocks_SOAD]

stop bashing System of a Down. Serj is a good singer; and they write great songs with meanings.

[Horneyman71]

Yo kids, calm down. I find it funny how pissed off you can get from an article on a website. Who cares what genre something is defined as, if u like listening to the music then listen to it. Seriously wtf is up with everyone gettin so angry, do some drugs, get calmed down

[bass_player15]

Punk is an attitude. not a stance. i can be dressed in a business suit and still be punk. its all about how u think

[bass_player15]

o by the way i am not punk. nor will i ever be. i am a full out rocker b!tch

[MyNameBeMikal]

I listen to punk music, but you cant be punk, punk as a characteristic of a person died, get over it.

[smell_my_cheese]

what i dont understand is, you probably spent over an hour writing that article trying to define punk, and you also probably realise that you are gonna be called a dick, an idiot and heavily criticised by most people who read this. so what i'm trying to say here is, WHAT WAS THE FUCKING POINT IN WRITING THIS ARTICLE?!!!!!!

[HurleyPunk]

ok all you dumb mother ***ers ranting that punk has nothing to do with music and is all "attitude"...can go *** them selves...and I bet you money that most of these people who listen to ?punk? aren?t ***in anarchist or atheist...Punk is all about the music and most of all u ***ers gotta stop living in the 80's...welcome to the twentieth century bitch...

[EpitaphMan440]

http://badreligion.com/news/essays.php?id=5

Read that. That pretty well defines punk. Greg Graffin is the most intelligent punk you will find. His PhD is in Evolutionary Biology... so i do not doubt is abilities.

[LastoBethLammen]

Punk dont excist anymore.
Nobody of u knows what punk is !!
And by the way The word punk cant change
If i call myself rocker and about 20 years the word rocker is used for weedsmoker that aint right ok? so stop living in the twentieth century caus if u want to be punk go 20 years back

[ever and a day]

i agree with MrLucky77713
Punk isn't a ***ing country club

[Brand Nizzle182]

you are only punk if you eat at least 5 nuggets of your own poop per week

[ILIKEMUSICALOT]

heshmen:
dude you can't call yourself a punk if you listen to fallout boy or ***in blink 182. The hell is wrong with you.
[POSTED: 28 June 2004 - 12:26]|

YOU SIR, ARE A FUCKING DUMBASS. HE EVEN CLAIMED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ARTICLE THAT HE NEVER LABELED HIMSELF PUNK. YOU CAN LISTEN TO ANY PUNK BAND YOU WANT AND BE PUNK. MUSIC DOESN'T MAKE YOU ANYTHING, DUMBASS.

egor:
oh dammit dude , u cant call yourself a punk just because of music , and if u dont care that you are not punk so why to write this article ???? lol and from all the listed bands only nofx is punk , even thought i love blink182 , i know they dont write punk since dude ranch ... well go out and listen to some older stuff like social distortion , exploited , sex pistols , maybe ramones ...
and theres one more thing to say (it doesnt change alot , just my opinion) : there are 2 ways of selling out : 1 to make a music just to get $$ (like all the rap/pop which is the same thing nowadays) , 2 is to make a great music and get paid for it (like metallica , blink 182 , ) u can not to sell out , but then , only people from your town/state(in a good case) will hear you
and yeah ,,,, man yellowcard sucks ......
[POSTED: 28 June 2004 - 13:44]|

BLINK IS PUNK, ANYTHING WITH FUCKING POWER CHORDS AND PALM MUTED POWER CHORDS ON AN 8TH RHYTHM IS PUNK. I LIKE PUNK BUT PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS PISS ME OFF. PUNK IS A SOUND. NOT LYRICS, NOT A WAY. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT REAL PUNK IS AND I SURE AS HELL DON'T. WHY GO OUT AND CRITICIZE SOMEONE WHEN YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT REAL PUNK IS? I BET YOU DIDN'T GROW UP DURING THE BEGINNING OF PUNK SO LET IT GO. PUNK IS JUST A STYLE OF MUSIC NOWADAYS AND IT'S OK BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL LIKE IT AND I'M GUESSING MILLIONS OF OTHERS DO BECAUSE THESE BANDS ARE ENJOYING A SHITLOAD OF MONEY FROM THEM.

[praise2hendrix]

Theres 2 types of punk, punk music and the punk attitude like in this article. Now if you really want to break it down you can get into poppy punk and all the other break offs nowadays. But those are just styles of music. Real punk is an attitude towards society that you dont care what they think and your going to do whatever the hell you want dress however the hell you like no matter what people think. It all started in the 70s in Britain and the bands with these attidudes followed. Bands like Blink and Story of Year are a punk style of music, but they are not true punk.

[Cookie_master]

youre dumb, punk is like being yourself. not the way you dress and there defenitly NO rules for it. waste your time on something else....

[JamesV]

...did anybody else noticed how the author only talked about newer punk bands, not the original stuff like Sex Pistols, Ramones etc? Punk was originally about being against the system. Now it seems to be about skateboarding, getting stoned and whining about an ex-girlfriend.

[backup and lead]

Good Charlotte's Boys And Girls had inspired me too

it got me into less mainstream punk then i had learnt how to play good music

[garagerocker69]

*stands up*


*claps*

[CobainWorship]

Punk is so hipocritical. Who gives a shit what someone's musical tastes are, as long as that person doesnt try to act like a fake because of the style of music(a.k.a. Gangster Wannabes, Punk wannabes(most "punks.") I dont care if someone wears a blue, long-sleeved button up t-shirt, tucked into their tight slacks with dress shoes and a tie, if they don't care what others think about them, they are punk. Punk wasn't about listening to certain music or dressing a certain way. Anyone who says someone isn't a punk, needs to question themselves. Since when the hell are you supposed to care about what others say or do? I wear pants,have medium-long hair(shaggy), a t-shirt with writing in black marker, and almost always a plaid overshirt. Am I not punk because I don't wear muscle shirts with patches and get a mohawk? I don't claim to be punk. I listen to the Beatles,Nirvana(of course),Rolling Stones, ACDC, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Ramones, etc. What am I classified as? Please someone tell me...am I not punk? Am I not punk because I am not conforming to a "non-conformist" style or taste? That's right, you "non-conformists" are still conforming. Please tell me what I am classified as though.

[Iron-Maiden-fan]

Why the F*** are you guys bashing the dude? he has alot of good points, didnt you read it the damn thing its about not critisizing people for the type of music they lisne to.

[CobainWorship]

I am talking about the retards bashing him...I have nothing against the author.

[Iron-Maiden-fan]

sorry not talken bout you

[music_49]

being a punk is not about how you dress or what kind or braclets you have on or how much make-up you have on. To make yourself look a certain way is not punk!!! Its so f***ing retarded how people listen to bands and then dress like themn just to be ''punk'' Punk is a type of music not a fashion statment! Punk music is mucis that is different! if you found a deffinition of punk in the dictionary it will probly say out of place or trouble maker, the type of music depends on where it fits in , there is pop, rap, jazz, ex.... but punk is different than pop and rap are a pair and jazz and and blues are the 2 that fit together the most like them and punk is original! its not something to be worn or acted its a music genra you cant be a punk if you dress like your fav. punk band! Its stupid how the word punk is now so comercialized that you have to wear something to be involved in the ''punk music'' phase and not be actually playing in a punk band playing the original music that comes from your creative music vibes. f*** stop trying to be punks and act like yurself!!!!

[TOMWAITSRULES]

System of a Down, now they write some of the worst songs I?ve ever heard and have the worst singer ever.

dude u are a ***ing moron. SOAD is more political and wise than ***ing blink 182. they are one of the few bands today who actually hold fast to their beliefes and play what they feel is true. you are a ***ing idiot. you need to check your facts man. ans Serj has a ***ing awesome voice.

[atc228]

nicely dun, but just one thing, about pink floyd,
they wernt going "against the man"
when syd was there they wer psychadelic, but the waters took over and he made them about himself and anti war, but good job

[dmasterfunk]

"f*** stop trying to be punks and act like yurself!!!!" thank you music_49!! finally. who cares if your punk or not, listen to music u like and defend it. i love blink and i dont care what genre they are or if they are punk or not. their music is still good. same goes for "punk" disputed bands. anyway, dress how u want,do what u want, listen to what u want, not just to try to fit into a club called "punk".

[letsgomurphys06]

thank god there are kids in here who say "yeah punk sucks" and then try to tell us what it is. Why do you people insist on coming into something you don't want to read about and commenting "PUNK SUX METAL ROX". Get a life you twats.

Yeah, this article was terrible. If you're so interested in people stop judging other people on how "punk" they are, then you should quit preaching and whining about how you like shitty bands and people make fun of you.

So I'm going to do this right now-

punk

a performer (or enthuiast) of punk rock [syn: punk rocker] 5: rock music with deliberately offensive lyrics expressing anger and social alienation

from dictionary.com.

Do Yellowcard Blink or GC say anything deliberatley offensive to get their point across? No. They are too afraid of bad publicity. That's what makes bands punk and bands not.

NOW SHUT THE HELL UP

[letsgomurphys06]

and CobainWorship:

Did I just understand you as saying the Beatles,Nirvana(of course),Rolling Stones, ACDC, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Ramones as being punk? You listen to nirvana and you think you can tell people what punk music is? Go to hell. Cobain might have listened to punk music as a kid, but that didn't make his music punk, by any standards. Believe me, I went through my Cobain Fanatic stage in earlier years, and I have read to this day 3 books about him. You know nothing of what you speak.

[tyler larsen]

i say we arent punk..

[bc2skaterpunk]

nice article! finally someone i can relate to

[JimmyPage1969]

Punk is what makes you different, so technically, listening to "pop-punk" or mainstream punk or whatever is popular does not make you punk. Listening to completely different stuff makes you punk, so if your school is overridden by "pop-punk" and hip-hop kids and you listen to classic rock or whatever. Actually, music started punk and you dont even need to listen to a different kind of music to be punk. It may just be being a badass or a nice guy. The music is just a way of letting people know about how you are punk. Guns 'N Roses were punk because of the in-your-face we-don't-give-a-*** attitude that the bands of that time just didn't have. Anybody who says punk is just music is an complete and total idiot. Most of you probably wont agree with me, but i started playing guitar because of punk before it was popular, before the GC was wearing all black clothes because they were told to, before Blink started writing "emo" songs, when I only knew one person who liked Yellowcard. "Pop-punk" is a phase that MTV needed to find for something new. A phase like adolenscense that is hard to go through, but when it's over, everything is better. And hopefully, that's soon...

[CobainWorship]

No...I didn't say the Beatles,Nirvana,Rolling Stones, ACDC, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and the Ramones were punk. I am just saying that people who listen ONLY to a certain style of music, e.g. Hardcore Punk, are major conformists. You need to get a variety of music, or else you won't have a very open mind on good music.

[metalmassacre]

dudes i know this chick who went from 7th grade likng backstreet boys biggest fan to 8th likng blink 182 to 9th being a hardcore punk how fast she changed :o

[An80sAbortion]

WHO F*CKING CARES! SHUT UP ALL OF YOU! GOD DAMN! GET OVER THESE F*CKING LABELS AND SH*T! STOP ARGUING ABOUT IT "BEING ABOUT THE MUSIC" OR THE "ATTITUDE" OR THE "MEANING"! IT DOES NOT MATTER! BE HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT NOTHING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT!

[Ibanez_PIp]

U darn punks!!! get off my lawn ya hear!!!

[AnnaPlaysGuitar]

This article was pointless... it obviously led us nowhere. It just started some more whiney arguments over what real "punk" music is. Get over it. There is no such thing as "real punk." JUST LISTEN TO MUSIC THAT GIVES YOUR EARS PLEASURE, DAMNIT. Don't even think about the genre, how cool it is, etc.

[kyzar]

nouse4aname125: Look at Simple Plan's Perfect. And Good Charlotte crap on about their dad in one of the songs on their album apparently.

I don't really give a crap about the dressing like a punk side of things - all I can say is Blink, GC, Simple Plan, Sum 41 and all that are not real rock bands and it's really sad that all they young kids when they first hear them think they are the most hardcore and rockin bands in the world. All of you GET OVER THEM and listen to real rock bands like AC/DC, Nirvana and Guns and Roses. Or if you want recent examples from today - The Darkness, Silverchair and Powderfinger.

[busted_chick]

I thought this was an awesome article! I myself am a big fan of bands like yellowcard, simple plan, blink etc. I'm not saying im a "punk rocker." I also really love bands like nirvana, placebo, silverchair and AC/DC.
PUNK IS OVER. nowadays, its just rock, or mainstream pop rock.
suck that.

[deadkenedy]

Who says you are punk ? This will never end, everyone can go listen and be whoever they want, do it because you like it do it to be cool i really dont care.

[deadkenedy]

And why did you say "that deep purple song" does the name baffle you or were you going for effect ?

[ranthax]

punk is many things. the end

[noob4lyfe]

ShoeLaces907:
As someone famous once said, punk's not dead, it's just at K-Mart. And completely irrelevant.

Rofl, it's at K-Mart now?! ;x

[noob4lyfe]

kyzar:
AC/DC, Nirvana and Guns and Roses.

Good bands, man

[Viv*d-kid]

Who really gives a flying Fu*k what people class as punk? Pepole will always have different opinions on the situation and you'll always have conflict so.... I for one am a big fan of NEW FOUND GLORY, Simple Plan, Good Charlotte, sum 41, The All-American rejects, Sugarcult and blink. So go ahead and judge me/us. We'll keep on listening to what we like and dressing how ever the Fu*k we want and fu*k the rest of you. So talk sh*t behind my back and judge me on how I look or do whatever it is you do.
Dose that make me punk? Who cares? I sure as hell don't. Or dose it have somthing to do with how many tattos I have or how I wear my hat? Or maybe it's how many beeds I can stuff up my arm? My point? People will dress the way they want and listen to what ever they want to listen to. And to look at someone and judge them as 'punk' because of these things..... Dude...? Small minded. And selling out? WHAT THE FU*K!???? Do you think your better than me because you like a band that only a minority has heard about? What is that all about? No sireus, somone please tell me. The whole reson I picked up a guitar is to learn these riffs and try and play like some of my fave bands.... SO....?

[Blackbullet]

*yawn*
you must be a poser if you care what you are classified as.

[Ddevil]

dude you are gay. why did u bother to write this article.

[AusFender911]

why the *** would u want to be punk anyway? i mean all it does guitarwise is limit your playing ability to powerchords. If you're in a "punk" band, as soon as u get a label or start making money you arent "punk" anymore, you're simply selling out. Oh and Kyzar you've earned my respect. Those bands are great but its awesome to see Powderfinger get some credit

[atc228]

ya know all of u ppl are making me hungry, hungry for pie

[atc228]

apple pie

[atc228]

o and another thing, how come if there is something someone doesnt like they call it gay? thas not very nice now is it? why should gay ppl have to be stuk with all the bad stuff?
one more thing, on the "punk" topic, i dont like just punk, ill stik with my clapton(all the bands he was in), zeppelin, pinkfloyd, bb king, and all of the other bands with kick ass guitarists (also queen, Brian May has a sweet guitar and knows how to use it)

[sixstingplayer]

Yellowcard and Good Charolette aren't punk they are in the category what i call pussy rock. Now there are alot of ban ds in there such as Hoobastank and Incubus is turning into one. What makes them pussy rock when all your fan base is mostly made up of girls and they think they should dress like you. You have become a pussy rock band.

[playonforever]

punk is music that doesnt attract everyone. Punk is music that not everyone can relate with. Punk is music that pisses alot of people of just when they here it. Punk is dewing things differently. Some bands that are all over the radio now are punk. They started out with someting different and it took a while for everyone to turn on to them. Punks bands are bands that dont have mainstream bands as influences. They took a new idea, and then commercialized it. GC is a good deal different than some of the punks bands out there. They tune down for one thing. They suck in my eyes but they dew do things a little differently. more later. SWEDEN RULES! LATER DAYS BEN

[felixpotvin86]

PUNK ISN'T ABOUT MUSIC STYLE...punk from its inception in some very alternative forms in the late 60's was about standing up to our near fascist establishments, through music or anyother communications pertaining to it, being interviews or radio shows. We had the anti-authority Doors who would swear on tv because they understood it was bullshit to be censored just like it wa sjust now...(ps. i know the doors arent a punk band in the common sense but they held very similar ideals). With the Clash and Sex Pistols it was turning thhe world to a mirror and saying "look you ***ing assholes we are killing, raping, stealing, and abusing eachother so badly, lets ***ing quit it already and act decent and quit suckholing to rightwing fascist adolph hitler loving cu-nts. That's what punk is, its not necessarily the sound ...you could sing a ***ing piano ballad and talk about social injustice and stand up to the rich mans system and that would be punk. Todays "punk" is pop because their singing about the same shit ABBA would sing about or the beegee's its pure bullcrap "boys loves girl"/"girl hates me"/"my suburban life sucks"...it has nothing to do with rebellion for a purpose to overthrow the right wing nazis that run the world its bubble gum lyrics...as the Ramones put it "beat on the brat with a baseball bat"....that seems likely to be what punk is....

[tragik]

I say we all should unite against bands like the Strokes, The Vines, The Killers, The Libertines, The Hives, The White Stripes, and any band with "The" in the title, because they suck

[ILIKEMUSICALOT]

AusFender911:
why the *** would u want to be punk anyway? i mean all it does guitarwise is limit your playing ability to powerchords. If you're in a "punk" band, as soon as u get a label or start making money you arent "punk" anymore, you're simply selling out. Oh and Kyzar you've earned my respect. Those bands are great but its awesome to see Powderfinger get some credit
[POSTED: 30 June 2004 - 09:20]|

First off, you don't have to limit yourself when you play punk. You can play with it a little bit and add solos and fills and such. And as soon as you start making money you're a sellout? Well that's not fair. They have to make money to live don't they? You can't expect them to go on tour and do all this shit and not make money. If they didnt make money, they'd have to have time for another job and they wouldn't. You're just saying any band who starts making money is a sellout. Well that's horrible because that is their job and they deserve money. I mean shit, people are paying these guys just to hear them play.

[ark]

...man, you just contradicted youreslf about how mainstream artists are not sellouts like yellowcard etc when you specifically said that you started to dislike the new hip hop stuff bc it was so mainstream and repeatitive. IMO people are turned off from yellowcard, GC, blink etc bc of the same reason, the style of "pop/punk" music, though sometimes catchy, can become quite repeatitive and since it is mainstream its palyed frequently which makes it even harder to bear.

[ratiug567]

burn in hell... nobody cares; at least make this interesting or insightful, quit brining up the most common convos on the forums or boards and wirte somethig OFF the subject of what is/isn't punk... itll never be agreed on

[NoiseNKisses]

Does being punk also mean that you can't spell because that seems to be the general theme here. Were all the punks too rebelious to turn up to English class?

[NoiseNKisses]

I'm such a hypocrite.
*Rebellious.

Damn me trying to be a smart @ss

[rancidrocker]

ok, Ilike pretty much al those bands, but i also like bands like Operation Ivy and the Swingin Utters,or the punk fonding fathers like the Clash and The Sex Pistols or bands like The Explioted and The Causaulities. And even some Free-form Jazz. I listen to all kinds of music (yes even some country like Sammy Hagare, and some pop-rock like Maroon5) And i still consider myself a punk. I think a punk would be someone who is well rounded, musicly anyway

[darkstar9814]

its alot about the singing and the guitars and personalities.

emo- whiny lil bitches
punk-...they sing like joey ramone, and just have a diff. outlook onlife then emo bands.

[darkstar9814]

o yea the misfits are hardcore punk and they dont sing about politics...just monsters.

[darkstar9814]

hey kenney333 wat abuout us punks that do skateboard???

[|Super_Naut+]

punk sucks

[Fallen Link]

A punk rocker is someone who listens to punk rock.
A punk is someone who gives head in jail for cigarettes. It's an insult.

[hoobariffer87]

Why can't people just shut up and quit worrying about who and what is punk and is not. If a band cannot be both well-known AND punk, then I say The Ramones aren't punk. Yeah, I said it, but only to show people how rediculous all of this is. I wish UG would stop letting "I'm Punk, You're all Losers, and here's Why" crap get posted. I agree with this article, though. I don't think anyone knows what the hell 'punk' actually is. Someone please give me a definition, if you can. And I agree with ILIKEMUSICALOT on all his points.

I finally respect more than two people on this site (also frigginjerk and backupguitar).

[Crux]

You've wasted way too much thought ona group of stupid people with stupid talentless music. And dont ever ***ing compare Hendrix to any of those stupid bands. Those punkers with all their talent put together wouldn't be half of Hendrix's talent. Punk isnt rebellion against "The Man", its a prepubescent rebellion against mom and dad.

[fender rocker16]

this is complete bullshit. Crux is on the right track but is only about half right. origionally, punk was a rebellion against the man. the man being anyone who tried to interfere with any aspect of your life. the man could be your parents, teachers, government, etc.

example: you want to go to a party but your parents say no. you sneak out and go anyway. you have a good time and stay away from the drugs and sex that your parents were worried about. you get caught somehow and you get in trouble. but for what? you went to a party and had a good and safe time. whoop dee ***in laa.

i am not telling anybody not to listen to expert opinions but there are times when someone thinks they can tell you what to do when they are actually full of bullshit. a true punk know how to spot this and ignore it rather than let their lives be run by some ignorant moron.
it is not about listening to a certain type of music or wearing a certain type of clothes.(these types of people are also known as false-punks or posers) It is about governing your life in a fair and decent way.(the ramones did what they wanted and they never hurt anyone) as long as you can be safe and have a good time, there is no reason to obey some shithead trying to tell you what to do; and that my friends, is "punk".

[fender rocker16]

one more thing about punk. if a punk listens to a certain band or wears something they like then more power to them. it doesn't matter if every other punk wears the same thing as them or listens to the same band. it may be hard for some people to understand but some people like stuff because deep-down they honestly do like it and are not trying to be posers. whatever floats their boats...

[IllegalMOFO]

so yea.......Metal gig on Saturday.

[uhh_me?]

ok, i don't know if anyone said this yet because i didn't read all the comments but punk is not a music genre, punk rock is and so is pop-punk

[AvixK7]

go to www.badreligion.com, in the essay section, if you want an appropriate definition of what is punk, coming from and undisputed punk band. Look up: "a punk manifesto" and "a punk synopsis". Whether you agree with these essays or not doesn't really matter, they're still interesting to read

[Blink_me_42]

good charlette aint punk

and...



PUNKS NOT DEAD, TUPAC IS

[CryingNut]

as long as the sound is catchy and u like it...
who cares?

i dont like lavigne cuz she make people look like her
she ugly

[kelseymotz14]

k punk is when u don't care what the hell people think u dress however u wanna dress be whatever the hell u wanna be and do whatever the hell u wanna do so u guys should just drop the subject. cause it's really stupid thing too be arguing about and the u play whatever kind of music u wanna play and listen too u say whatever the hell u wanna say u make whatever choices u wanna make u don't let anything in ur way that is punk..

[RememberMyName]

Music. Industry. Someone stole the "Music" part. What's left?

Punk was intended to be underground. The Voice of the Resistence. Now look at it. Love songs, break up songs, the "right look", and not an ounce of politics left (not including NoFX. George Bush sucks his father. Read some Michael Moore). Nice catch phrase; blink me. Yeah, and *** me while you're at it (that avril chick would be loose as a cannon by now). Hell, I'd love to get rich by playing my music, but Sid Vicious must be turning in his grave.Anarchy is just another big word for a preteen, like "individuality".

[RememberMyName]

Anarchy is just another big word for a preteen, like "individuality".

I meant "Anarchy is just another big word for a preteen to ignore, like 'individuality'."

[jnistler8]

punk is punk. obviously everyone has their own opinions on it so lets just cut the bullshit. im getting a headache

[DieMartyr]

Although a little biased, your article was good.

[kyzar]

Right on Crux and AusFender911. You guys know what you are talking about.

Anyone who wants to listen to REAL rock music go and grab Powderfinger's latest album Vulture Street. If that isn't Rock music then I don't know what is. Plus they have a Live DVD coming out in September.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - Punk (especially Pop-Punk) sucks and simply can't be classified as rock music. The only "punk" band I have cred for is The Offspring. This is because quite simply they have a "rock" element to their music that Blink and all that other shit doesn't have.

[Viv*d-kid]

I dunno what punk is....? Can someone please tell me? lol

[iron maiden man]

basically theres two types of punk old skool and new skool. old skool is singin way out o tune and playin really sketchy example:
sex pistols, the clash etc.
new skool is the likes of green day, good charlotte etc. who dont sing way out of tune but actually make an effort to sound good

[Viv*d-kid]

People care to much about how they're viewed or classified. Conformity is a wicked thing. I Say (And I Quoit chief Wiggum) "If It feels good do it"
And no you can't compare ol Jimmy to these bands lead guitarists. pff. That man was a freak. Why do the good die young?

[Scottydont26]

Fuck everybody

[*Arch Dandy*]

great article, dumb comments though, 5 stars

[AxeMan88uk]

another damn person who calls themselves punk and says blink 182 are punk, such people really annoy me. Punk was like a rebellion in the 70s hating the government and such, they were reconizable by power chord guitars , fairly simple, but had solos (sumtimes). Now all these bands come out like blink play some pathetically easy guitar (the only thing that is even like punk) sing retarded poppy lyrics and have loads of brainwashed kids followin them, claiming to be punk and prolly not knowin wat punk really is, they think their rockers but just arnt and those of us who listen to proper rock get lumped with and labelled with these so called punkers by all those over stereotyping fools.

sorry for the rambling, this topic jus makes me angry

[box_car_racer51]

real punk bands are the transplants, rancid, nofx, a and whats the deal with people... good charlotte never didn't say they were punk it was the media. but i don;'t care anyway... they're not that good of a band

[box_car_racer51]

oh... what the hell... i didn't even read the article

[leggomieggo10]

i think u are very wrong an i no alot of people who would agree first u like the shittiest bands the 2 biggest sellouts u like gc an blink dick suckers an simple plan there all sellouts but gc an blink being the biggest sellouts write now, u used to listen to rap which means u still dont no all the great rock music out there an the part about nirvana THEY ARE NOT SELLOUTS AN DAMN SURE NOT HYPOCRITICAL first off u gotta no wut the hell ur talking about with nirvana they didnt wanna be mainstream they just wanted to write good music they didnt like doing big concerts (an win they did do them at some concerts they told people not to come to anymore of them) but they had to cause kurt always tore up his equpiment so they needed money for new equipment they liked doing local shows an shows at bars an clubs better, there not hypocritical at all in anyway its not there fault there so mainstream an its only cause 50% of there so called fans only like them for smells like teen spirit yea i love that song but i love everyone of there songs but thats the song that makes them so mainstream an it isnt fair to nirvana to be so mainstream for that song an it isnt there fault kurt, chris an dave could come up with good music an kurt with his deep meaningful lyrics so why dont u go learn some music no wut the hell ur talking about an then post again an while ur doing that listen to pearl jam, stone temple pilots an alice in chains

[danzig88]

well punk is not a style it the notion of not giving a damn what anyone says or think F*ckem all

[danzig88]

o yea what u said was mostly p*ssy punk

[jimbo66]

1LaStTrY:
punk is dead, goddammit, i listen to "punk", but the word punk and the movement is dead. punk was created as a movement against president reagan and the royal family in the uk. it was political. "punk" is now maintream, when you see 12 year old girls dressed up like punks because of avril lavigne, you have to say to yourself that punk is now a fashion... they are still some true punk bands, who stick to the roots, that is political punk, like nofx for instance. system of a down could fit in that category also. punk nowadays is a lot like rap, bands talk about girls and shit like that, whiny bitches. i'd also like to say, stop the feud between metalheads and punkers ! we should unite, because we like the basics of those styles, the guitar ! i like metal and i like punk, i like rock in general. stop bitching, cause soon you'll have something to bitch about. trash is making a new face for itself, new trash bands are coming out of everywhere, so look closely ! this will be great !!

youve got a good point i mean the whole punk mainstream not punk and the actuall punk music for politicall reasons but god damnitt would it be great if in this era there was actually a punk band that like stuck it to the man like the sex pistols to the royal family type thing and how nofx is doing it to bush right no but i mean just coming out not been out for a while a band thats new and out of nowhere comes out and like thrashes bush(i personally hate him.... obviously) but it be kick a**

[ScarredFaith]

Everythings a ***ing fashion statement these days, MTV made sure of that. Ever wonder why we don't get any more Zeppelins or Floyds? Because the industry to concerned with making its money.
Fuck the norm, fight the war!

[Punk lives on]

Punks aattatude! not a f*****g fashion sense!

[CS91253]

I say you arent punk, biatch

[d3vilst3v3]

Bad Religion and Anti-Flag f*cking rock. Punk is not F*cking dead!

[ShayneBishop]

LoL, its funny how the retards comment after not reading the article, I did say that i'm not punk nor do I try to be and the bands I listed were mostly so everyone can understand with music everyone has heard, I believe i state that in the article also. it makes me LMAO at how more than half of the comments say something that I said in the article. READ BEFORE U COMMENT! And i did say I just got into this kind of music so dont expect me to talk about older bands although I probably know more about some of those bands than most of u. And u jackasses who said "punk is an attitude and blah blah blah", here is what is in my last paragraph: "To me punk is more of an attitude, an outlook, an opinion. If you?re a self-proclaimed punk then you have your own opinion on to what?s punk and who is punk. Can punk be defined? No, not at all. Everyone has their own opinion."

[ShayneBishop]

OH FUCK ME! As i read more of the comments I really know that no one read the whole thing. I never said Nirvana was punk ***ing idiots. "Nirvana, although not punk, we can agree that they were a great band. I can say that most of my life I listened to urban music but there isn?t a Nirvana song that I don?t know for some reason" OMG, read before u post, you all look like a bunch of jackasses

[bmartinak]

How can one even attempt a definition of punk without a single mention of the Ramones, Sex Pistols, or, most especially, the Clash? Kids these days...

[SickGirl]

since when is punk something besides music?

[SickGirl]

heshmen:
dude you can't call yourself a punk if you listen to fallout boy or ***in blink 182. The hell is wrong with you.


geez u guys are so paranoid over a ***ing genre. get over it. he never called himself punk u mofo. if any of you ppl call urselves a "punk" and someone mentions a band thats pop punk and they mention "punk" in the same sentense, u guys go crazy and start b!tching on wats punk and wats not. who cares??? if it sounds good then i like it. thats wat some of yall should do. heres some helpful advice. stop being so friggin paranoid and enjoy life!
ok im done 4 now.

[SickGirl]

AHHHHHHH!!! PUNK IS A GENRE!!!! NOTHING ELSE!!! END OF STORY!!!

[SickGirl]

awsomeguitarGOD:
hey i listen to alot of things. from metal to hardcore to hardcore punk to pop punk. And to tell you the truth to me its all good. At least its not god damn snoopdogg.

now thats a smart cookie

[vanceboy]

I love giving 1 star to these kind of gay articles.

[aperfectmistake]

I apologize if someone has already stated this.I do not have the time or patience to read all of the comments. with that being said i will continue with my comment. keep in mind this is my view point so do not go crazy if you dont agree with it.
In my opinion PUNK IS DEAD. Punk was started in 1976 around New York by underground bands. Then it moved to Europe and just exploded. Punk started as a genre of music that broke away from the mainstream so they could become different. It had lyrics that displayed the anger that some teens had about the government, and mainstream music. After the European punk explosion it spreaded to America where bands like the Ramones picked it up (The Clash and Sex Pistols also started punk but they were from Europe). Punk gained listeners as the years grew and by about this time the mainstream is made up of "punk rock" bands and other types of music. Now lets remind ourselves that punk was started to rebel and be different from the mainstream. But now, guess what! the mainstream is punk. So since punk was created to be against the mainstream but it is mainstream...i say it is dead.

OK...i may have fibbed to get my point acrossed. there are some true punk bands out there, they just are underground. With that said i believe i am done (thank god )

[gambit688]

What is Punk?

Two guys are walking down the street. One of them is a punk. The other guy asks the punk "What is Punk?"
The Punk stops for a second and thinks about it. He then proceeds to go over and kick a garbage can on the side of the road. "That's punk." he says.
The other guy sees another garbage can so he says "So if I go over and kick that garbage can it'd be Punk?" to which the Punk responds "No that would be fashion."

Punk is about being who and what you want without social constraints. The very argument that most people seem to have about being punk, is all about fashion. Every kid nowadays dyes their hair, or gets a tattoo, or a peircing, but that doesn't make them punk, it just makes them young. The music you listen to or the clothes you wear do not define you unless you choose to let them. And that my friends is just fashion, not punk.

[robinskc]

Exactly. I've never seen people who claim to be rebellious try so hard to label themselves so they could belong to a group. Remember, you're unique. Just like everyone else.

[mcww1]

punk sucks

[joshsirjoshules]

i know one thing, all of you little blink 182 copy cats are sure as hell not punk. it takes individuality and crap like that to be punk and if you want to try to be like that, stay away from those bracelets and playing ibanez guitars. they are not punk, at least not anymore because everyone does it, everywhere from preps to nofings to goths to skaters. it has already been done, so that is no longer punk. to be an individual and not to follow all of them blinik 182 look a likes is what is really punk rock.

[GreenDayGirl07]

I still dont know why it matters if something is punk or not. Go on with your lives people...IT DOESN'T MATTER.

[X-Tophernator]

I think this is an awesome article. Yes, I do like punk and pop-punk etc, but I also like many other styles of music. Maybe I am biased, but thats unimportant. All you need is common sense to see that it doesn't matter what kind of music someone listens to, what they wear, or whether they are punk or not. Just respect other people's opinions. I'm sure all of you people who criticise bands don't like having your favourite bands made fun of, so whats the use of being a hypocrite and doing it to someone else. JUST F**KING GROW UP! IT DOESN'T MATTER IF U ARE PUNK OR NOT!!! WHO CARES! It would be much easier if everyone just kept their opinions to themselves on this issue.

[Punk Never Died]

Hmm here's my input..... EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP

[Doctornick]

Lots of the bands you mentioned sound EXACTLY THE SAME, like Yellowcard (Hmmm, what gimmick will make the "kids" think we're different but will not affect the sound in the slightest?) and Story Of the Year (Do I hear a bandwagon a-rolling on by?). How can you mention this debate without references to the origins of punk (Ramones, sex pistols), or the originators of Pop-punk (the undertones, Green Day et al). Points for effort, but do your homework.

[Gurgle!Argh!]

None of you are punk. You're all posers.

























Note the sarcasm.

[chokeme]

you're totally right. I'm sick of all the 'punk' bullshit and all of the 'punks' fighting for what's more punka and what not. It's like trying to argue about colors with a blind person with some of them. Good article. no, GREAT article. could have been better written on some parts but the subject matter is one that needs to be spoken about.

[chokeme]

Quote from tom delonge (the guitarist from blink 182 for all of you who are way too punk to know that) on 'punk' -"I'm tired of being criticized by all these kids who only think they are punk because they have a purple mohawk or whatever."

[Jello6025]

punk is a state of mind. not a type of music. although one tends to lead to the other.

[SickGirl]

dude keep writing this is an awesome article!! thats all i have to say for now.

[SickGirl]

GreenDayGirl07:
I still dont know why it matters if something is punk or not. Go on with your lives people...IT DOESN'T MATTER.




amen to that

[pinholes89]

ok, first off, punk is dead, and I KILLED IT, ok.
Secondly, whoever the hell said that Yellow Card and Simple Plan, Fall Out Boy, and Story Of the Year are punk, theyre more Pop than are punk, i think u got it all wrong, u should listen to Green Day, Rancid, Bad Religion, NOFX, Misfits, Casualties, now that's real punk, although i'm not saying that they are 100% filtered from pop, cuz today, i dont see any band thats a 100% filtered from Pop, and thats not just about Punk bands.

[damnconfused]

Wow...

[grunge88]

first of all,punk is dead.If you want real punk listen to sex pistols,ramones,the clash and other bands from around their time.How dare you call yourself punk!

[gambit688]

Other great punk bands would be some from the second wave like Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Youth Brigade, Social Distortion, early D.R.I., Agnostic Front, The Misfits, The Damned, X, etc.

[punkrockdude2]

im sick of this shit u either like punk or u dont. who gives a flyin *** if u think gc or blink isnt punk and i swear to god theres no ***in thing calld pop punk they jus call it that cuz it is listend to by
lots of ppl and there jelous that there fave band isnt popular like that band

[scumfuc_69]

OK, the author of this has no reason to even comment on
punk, he even admits it in his 2nd paragraph!!! The
reason bands such as Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, & the like are not punk is very simple. People (or idiots) say they're punk 'cause they're young kids in bands who play rock. Big ***ing deal! They're just mainstream corporate pawns the stations can play so the stations can pretend that they play all types of music. Plus the kids who listen to their shit aren't punk. These bands also appear in teeny-bopper magazines
which no real punk band could accomplish on their own terms except maybe the Ramones. Punk is music of not
only rebellion, but being yourself. It's not only a
genre of music, it's a lifestyle. Most parents, teen
magazines, & TV stations frown upon that.

[Panatonix]

punk is dead as we all know it

[sanitarium017]

DIE PUNK *STAB* *STAB* MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

[sicklecow]

kryptonite22:
Great, another punk debate. Let it be what you want, stop telling other people what "punk is". Who cares anymore?

amen brother.

[Vogs]

How about everyone grows up and stops arguing over who's punk and who's not. that's what this whole article was about! gosh! call yourself whatever you want and if someone bashes you for it, why should you care? i dont have words for my frustration on this kind of subject! i'm out!!

[Dani_Filth]

Okay PUNK is not about how you dress what music you listen to or what your opinion on other people is...ANARCHY IS A HEAPING LOAD OF ****.....i hate the government...okay where did the tax from your spiked bracelet go to....hmmm lets see dumba$s.....THE GOVERNMENT!!! YES THE GOVERNMENT.....you think bands care if there punk or not? they don't .....green day and yellow card aren;t punk because there main stream well your a dumbass....bands want to sell records since when does a punk want to be poor....how are they gonnan buy there next guitar or drum set they can't! they have to sell records....i admit i do not like GC's music but i have respect for them because they don't label them selves as punk but frankly i wouldn't care what genre they are under.....punk isn't about all the crap you think it is ...it's about freedom, music, respect and not being a 12 year old brat that "pretends" to rebel against there parents....i'm sorry wearing make up does not make you a punk.....so what does?....ask yourself. am i a punk because i wear studs a pins?...am i punk because i have a NOFX CD?....am i a punk because i have label bought t-shirts that say anarchy on them?...i don't care what you have or wear or what kind of music you make....just as long as you belive in music-freedom-and anarchy is a load of crap....so next time you call a kid a poser because he likes GC..well your an idiot becuase i'm sure at one point you were like that....MAIN STREAM CAN BE PUNK...GREEN DAY YELLOW CARD I DON'T CARE THEY ARE ALL PUNK

[Mighty Mongoose]

Fuckin' pigeonholers!!!!!!!! Very few bands can be put into one genre, they have different songs with different amounts of different genres. Thrice for example have some songs which are pretty much heavy metal, some which are kind of emo-ish, others which are popish skate punk, and so on. The whole idea of genres sucks. Personally I like to listen to lots of different styles of music, so I like bands with some actual variety in their songs (eg. Muse).

In terms of punk as an attitude, way of life etc. rhater than a musical style, punk is all about not giving a **** about anything. How anyone can claim to not give a **** whilst criticising everyone else for everything they do I don't see. If someone is so concerned about how everyone else sees them that they have to keep proclaiming that they are more punk then anyone else, then clearly they care far too much. Punk should be about doing your own thing and ignoring anyone who disapproves.

Oh and another thing, everyone just chill out OK?

[Saptor77]

AMEN MIGHTY MONGOOSE!!



By the way, good name

[PunkanalHater]

i despise the argument of genres and labels...people shoudl be whatever the hell they want without being raped by everyone that disagrees...aka FUCK YOU ALL!!!..

[josie]

ok listen. I'm sick and tired of all you people saying that you're not punk if you listen to friggen blink-182 just becuase they've had success. Isn't the whole idea behind punk doing what you want? Therefore the kids who listen to blink regarless of what the kids with the purple mohawks say are more punk. Punk is supposed to be all about accepting people for what they are. Stop being so stupid about it. Just because you have studs on your belt doesn't make you a punk. Punk is an attitude - so just shut up already!

[GLADIATOR]

PUNK ROCK SUCKS

[Achmetha]

People who replied to this article either make me want to break some ankles or just listen to rap now. Thanks asses.

[kirei-ryuu]

Ok first off if everyone says your not punk the chances are you are lol, punk is all about not giving a s**t about what otehrs say or think.
Punk isnt about the music in my opinion its about being an arse for fun, so id say blink 182 are punk.
Admitedly a lot of people who listen to blink or good charlote etc etc are wannabees but then that dosent mean everyone is.

[MrLucky77713]

^I disagree, and I'll tell you why.

Punk is NOT about being uncaring. That's just being an egocentric dickweed.

Punk is NOT about being an arse for fun. See logic from above.

[Moroten]

I wonder why blink never gets invited to holaday in the sun, the worlds biggest punk festival, i'm guessing their just to punk..
You guys don't listen to punk you are listening to power chord pop..

[DaddyTwoFoot]

Actually, Nirvana was quite punk. Grunge music is a direct descendent of punk. The only real difference is that's it's not as politiaclly based, it's much more angsty on a personal level. And please don't argue "NO, GRUNGE IS TEH ALTERNATIVE, DUMBASS MOTHER****ER!!!!11!!!.." Punk and alternative go hand in hand. It's an extremyl wde stylistic umbrella.

[punkrock102957]

god damnit. all you jackasses just shut up and stop whining. practically noone here even likes real punk, and besides, its not like being called 'pop' (which good charlotte and blink are) is an insult, its just another kind of music

[punkrock102957]

plus, nofx which most of you think is punk is actually on the edge between pop punk and pop.

[spookykid_6000]

You fucker, didn't name one punk band there. Dude, people say you aren't punk, probably because you think bands like Rancid and NoFX are underground hardcore punk bands, when they are in fact very overground pop punk mainstream acts. Listen to some hardcore punk and 77, ie The Misfits, DK, The Clash, The Damned, Black Flag, Social Distortion, Minor Threat...

[punkrock102957]

are you talking to me

[theoddmenout]

What i wanna know is why you have to be labeled "punk". All that is is a stupid name. Punk is about being yourself, thinking for yourself, and doing things yourself. Although all the bands you are talking about completely suck, they don't limit your being "punk" or not. Howevever, the reason these bands get so much crap is because they're taking something that used to be underground and elitist, and making it popular, exposing the scene to the masses. However, in doing so, they completely ruin the purpose of it, making it more ear friendly, and politically correct. That is why you get so much crap. Good punk bands: The Clash, Minor Threat, Sham 69, 7 Seconds, Dropkick Murphys, the Briggs, Rancid?, and the Street Dogs.

[ratbollocks]

The guy that wrote this load crap has no idea about what hes on about. Blink 182 and all the other lame 'we think punk' bands have nothing to do with punk. Real punks use punk music to protest about real issues of todays society. Punk music is not mainstream either.If blink and all the others were real bands they would be banned from the music videos and all the others.Real punk bands are Oi polloi,crass,dead kennedys,conflict,flux of pink indians,4 skins, cock sparrer and more.I wouldnt expected the guy that write the article to know these bands. Because their not fashion icons. PUNS NOT FASHION!!!!

[punkrock102957]

you couldnt be more right! plus crass and dead kennedys kick ass

[godofthunder]

As someone famous once said, punk's not dead, it's just at K-Mart. And completely irrelevant

so if a punk band has to protect, is RATM punk? trying to draw a line between pop and punk is hard... some bands fall on one side of the line, others fall on the others, and some further away

"As someone famous once said, punk's not dead, it's just at K-Mart. And completely irrelevant"

thats where the pop-punk label came from, to describe bands that fall in the middle. i love the buzzcockz and hate good charlotte, but thats because of their music... listen to what you want and stop fussing about who is punk or not... in my opinion a punk wouldn't care one way or the other, to me punk is about the whole 'not caring' attitude... rebelling can be done by anyone, anyone can do apathy... punk is a label, some choose to wear it, some are given the label, everyone tears each other apart trying to decide where the label is most appropriate.

SID VICIOUS IS MY IDOL

[p0m182]

While it's become almost impossible to separate the 2, I don't think that image really has an awful lot to do with the punkiness of the band. If the Sex Pistols had dressed as pink clowns they wouldn't be regarded as less of a punk band.

I think at first it was mainly about shocking people and making them take notice of you through both your music and your actions, and the fact is that it's harder to do that today. Would a song title like "Orgasm Addict" create the same effect today as it did back then? Blink-182 have been the subject of a lot of critisism on here, but at least give them credit for trying to create an impact with songs like "Happy Holidays, You Bastard" and "Fuck A Dog."

I think the main reason why "punk" bands today are so hated by the old-school is the fact that they all look the same. Bands like The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned were all similar in some ways but very different in others.

I think "White Riot" by The Clash probably sums up the punk ideal best. "Kicking against Schools, Boredom and Conformity... a landmark punk blueprint for a riot of your own. (Mojo)"

And just to point out, the Sex Pistols were a manufactured band and are still considered the ultimate punk band.

[cicatrizATDI]

I am dissappointed that so many people still define bands and themselves by vague genres. Listen to what you want to, be who you want to, but if youre just shooting for an image or the title "punk", just give the f--- up. my tastes range from the pixies to dillinger escape plan, to coalesce, to the shins, to the bouncing souls, to the smiths. what the hell does that make me? a music fan. period.

[MisterChainsaw]

Punk never happened. I'm so tired of hearing this..oh yeah The Ramones started punk no the Sex Pistols started punk. No on started punk because it never happened. Punk is just rebellion, when people are against something. There are activists on the streets everywhere protesting for a cause, are they punk too? Sure the 'punk' bands of the 70's and 80's were good bands, but they weren't punks, they were just people like us trying to get thier point across, so please stop saying oh yeah i'm punk I love blink 182 and new found glory, because you are not punk, you are a brainwashed little bastard.

[proguit933]

This is the dumbest article ever, first off, youre labeling them, second its obvious theyre not, these new bands have all come from familys that have money and dont expierience all of the bad shit thats happening in the world, and that shows in their lyrics, *** they sing about stupid shit like girls in the stupidest ways and talk about the stupidest shit in their songs, f*ck, good charolette sings about hating rich and famous people when they in fact are rich and famous, they shouldnt even be making music, its ridiculous

and to top it all off, your trying to define punk which is pretty much impossible, somebody is always going to say something different like its an attitude, its the music, its your clothes, its a style, its hating the government...why dont you just not try to define it because over the past couple of decades the definition if there even was one, has been blurred, what we need today is another clash...but if i were to have to define it then i would say that it is exactly what i said before, punk is the fact that there is no definition for it

in closing, what we need today is another clash because im going to start running out of good old bands to listen to and im going to end up getting bored with it and maybe even fall into the same situation as the guy that wrote this article, we need a band that unfuses sounds in to there sound, and doesnt suck, and doesnt sell their image, and doesnt play to the crap demographic... we need better music

[proguit933]

o and another thing...if you guys are going to use big words can you define them please, im a f*cking idiot, thank you

[pistols]

Those people who say that to you are right.
The bands you listed suck.
And they aren't punk.
Want to know why?

You can look it up in the dictionary.
"Punk.
A peson or group of people who wear cheap accessory items, eg: safety pins"

I don't see those bands wearing safety pins, I see them wearing the most expensive stuff they can get.

So how do I define their music?

Crap.

[madvillebassist]

i thought the whole point of a punk band was to make music for fun and not money

[Yahiko357]

People are so overly concerned with labels, it's just sad.

I don't get what the big deal is about being punk anyway. From what I've seen ever since I first got into pop-punk a few months ago, punk is just a synonym for arrogant jerk. Let people listen to and wear what they want to and not give a crap what everyone else thinks, that's the beauty of personality.

[Mr. Clean]

Nirvana is grudge.

[Duone DSL DPK]

Man, chock full of scenesters, zinesters, wish-they-were-hessians and other clods who want to be something by posting about the nature of punk rock.
Is a dyejob punk?
Are saftey pins punk?
Are power chords punk?
Is spitting on the crowd punk?
Is flipping the bird to everything punk?
Is caring about the way your world looks punk?
Is not caring about the way your world looks punk?
Are patches, buttons, and sharpie written t-shirts punk?
Are phrases sprayed on a wall punk?
Is using the internet punk?
Is refusing to use the internet punk?
Is posting an exclusionary, self-defining, whiny, agressive or otherwise completely incoherent thought on an online forum by some site called "ultimateGuitar.com" punk?

I don't know, but I think that some kids could stand to really read the article, and then act on that.

[folksinger]

you wouldn't want to be punk anyway. Punk sucks. Listen to rock and alternative. you'll thank me when you turn 16.

[Bustout90]

ok being punk isnt about music or the way you look or anything it all depends on the way you live as it being a guy with a low paying job and a s***ty apartment where nothing could ever happen and being a anarchist showing what you can do the system or just be yourself because i think if call yourself punk because of music i will call you a poser cause its not what you listen to but how you live

[waterproofpie]

No.....

I live in a Suburb made up mostly of Christian people. I listen to punk, and regularly attend shows. I buy the records. I support the bands.

Guess I'm not punk!


I hate these articles, writing off a whole genre and saying its dead is being insanely narrow minded. You haven't even listened to current day Punk. If anything, punk band staying out of the mainstream is what's keeping the ***ing genre going!

Blink 182 is pop rock, please get over it. I'm sorry if some people are brainwashed to think that "punk" is the new word for "cool" and anarchy symbols are the new fun thing to write everywhere. I mean, every punk band I listen to that is into Anarchy doesn't wear trendy little anarchy bracelets.

And enough of this "What's Punk!" arguements. It's music for ***'s sake. You can be accepted into the punk community by listening to music/abiding by the culture. I don't think I know a sing punk with a dye job either, so you need to really shut up.

And just because you're not Poli/Crust, does not mean you cannot be a punk band. Hell, do you have any idea how many sub genres of punk there are?


Articles like this can be stopped by a little open minded-ness, respect for all music, and educating yourself a bit on shit before bashing it. I bid you adieu, asshole.

[xXPuremetaLXx]

U PUNX SHULD JUS VANISH OFF THA FACE OF THA EARTH..CEPT 4 SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

[monkeyspks]

hello!! punk is an attitude, not a style of clothing (although it may seem like it nowadays). its basically against the government. it started in the 70s or 80s, but imo, it was at its best in the 90s. now, the "punk" bands can't find anything to whine about the gov. , so they turn to girls. which makes it emo.

also, i think that if you're a self-proclaimed punk, then you must be a poser.

[Philosopher1989]

who reads all these comments? :p:

[mrcoffee]

omg, you people are sad, well first offspring_punk bad religion have been around 24 years and theyre me fave band, and i think mxpx, gc, and blink are punk in a way, cos say if you showed blinks tom mark and travis show live album to your mom or dad or grandparents wouldnt they be just a little bit offended? I think so, as with any blink album, or good charlottes hair! So shut up, you lame posers who try so hard to be real punk that you are hypocrites, and if your real punk shouldnt you be spending more time 'smashing the system' rather than sitting and arguing, see ya faggots.

[Super_Sexy_Owen]

Punk Doesn't have a true meaning

To me, its rebeling

[sk8nddestroi]

you did not mention one punk band in that entire article lemme see there was blink and gc but i am willing to bet that you have never heard of raised fist, the unseen, against all authority, crass the list goes on and on.

[dwnbowden]

Where the hell was green day in that article

[dwnbowden]

but i guess i am about to be called a non punk for saying that

[TuckerOBaker]

*** you dumb ***ing idiots, jello biafra was here '08 baby.

[eyehatepop89]

how the *** can you even COMPARE SOAD to these ***ing bands?! The singer's horrible and they write horrible music?!?!?! WTF is wrong with your dumbass?! You know what? Go *** yourself. I DEFEND SYSTEM AND ALL EXTREME METAL! \,,/ (>_

[underaidbassist]

Firstly, I forget who said it, but you do not have to eat 5 poop nuggets a week to be punk
That was the most F***ed up comment on the planet. Punk is who you are, what you think about the world, what you care about. The music, well, it IS relevant, but just listening to SOAD, Saliva, say.. Yellowcard, AFI, Tool,(although the bands are totally irrelevant to eachother)(and many are good bands) does NOT MAKE YOU PUNK. It's a state of mind.

Punk bands: They make music for the F*** of it. The like to make music, f*** whatever anybody thinks, 'cause they'll do it anyway. I am not a self proclaimed punk, and, monkeyspks, I agree.

I am in a punk band. I do play "punk" music. But really, it's all about you. If you think that you're punk, you probably aren't. so f***.
C'mon people. It's about being againt what you don't believe in. If you think the government would be better if they f***ed donkeys upside down, that's your opinion, and, most times, it's true. Punk is a politics thing.
Like it or not.

Trust me. I know. and to all you wanna-be punks: DONT> Please. we have enough posers in society already.

[scottarino]

If your a spotty teenager with no goals or aspirations or talent. And your idea about everything is cut-and -dried, black-and-white ect..ect... then your a punk. When you grow up you'll be embarassed how you were as a stupid kid.

[ANTIHIPPY102]

JESUS FUCKING TAP DANCING CHRIST!!!..
PUNK IS DEAD
TRUE PUNK LIES BEFORE THE 80's, when Punk music ahd not been watered down by corporations.

[underaidbassist]

ANTIHIPPY102:
JESUS FUCKING TAP DANCING CHRIST!!!..
PUNK IS DEAD
TRUE PUNK LIES BEFORE THE 80's, when Punk music ahd not been watered down by corporations.

Antihippy102, I absolutely agree.. this is what a socialist and socio-economic-based society has led to...

[TheMatches11]

Punk is about politics like it or not but even though bands like Yellowcard, New Found, and Simple Plan (even though i don't like simple plan) aren't as punk as other bands their music is still good i've even gone to a yellowcard concert because i like their music and you shouldn't judge people by the music they like. Even the singer of yellowcard said "We wouldn't call our music punk" on fuse tv for an interview, showing that these bands are aware that their music isn't exactly "punk". A good example of a punk band is The Ramones but in the end it's about you and your opinions not how you dress because PUNK ISN'T A FASHION.

[Paraniod Panda]

the only punk music that was ever created was from 1974 to 1979... later than that forget it.. its pop-punk

[Paraniod Panda]

punk was about being scary and saying to Margret Thatcher and the Torys (this be Britian I'm talking about) that they're rubbish and full of crap.

[Holm]

fcuk u u dissin blink huh

[acdc101]

Yeah, punks are pissy little shits aren't they.

[JL2085]

awesome article. listen to pop-punk and normal punk. I gotta say...the only difference is that one is liked by more. I mean.. there is a reason blink and greenday got so popular and everyone likes them. cus they just are better. I believe it was a guy from NFG that said people are turning punk into a fashion. and they are. All these kids walking around with 50 rancid and nofx patches on, and a black hair, then everyone says they are punk. Then another kid likes the exact same music, and does the same things and hes a poser just because he doesnt have the right cloths. Its just retarded. for the record "pop" is ashlee simpson,nsync, and hillary duff. Not Simple plan and blink 182.

ahh that felt good

[Paraniod Panda]

I would say that Blink 182 are almost pop. Pop by definition is just popular music, so whatever is hugely popular is pop. Blink are massive so surely they are pop? I'm only playing devil's advocate, they really almost are.

[mercedesisbenz]

youre all idiots... punk isnt what kind of music you listen to, how your hair is-- anything like that. its a mindset. its about individuality and setting yourself apart, when this suddenly became mixed up in the music industry as a relatively new genre.

[ibanez_gtrs]

in my opinion punk isnt categorized by just the music part of it.. punks are the skater kids that just care about skateboarding, getting smashed, and maybe playing in their band if they play guitar and making songs about their girl problems and life problems and then sometimes good things
and punk music is just the music these kids listen to.... and make...simple as that

[smb]

Buy a proper punk album and open your eyes. That stuff you watch on MTV and listen to on the radio isn't punk, it's pop. Listen to the Dwarves 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls' or watch their videos and see what punk can be. Lots of people dismiss punk because of rubbish like Good Charlotte, Blink182, etc. I'll listen to a good record of any genre.

[Diegob_86]

Just like you eolved into punk ou will evolve into metal and hate punk, then you'll go to classic rock such as led zeppellin and pink floyd ans stop liking metal so much... and then tou'll realize tehere is something to appreciate in every genre

[billiethesquid]

This guy doesnt know what he's talking about. I stopped when he started saying System Of A Down make rubbish songs. Like, WHATEVER DUDE!!

[BadReligionAndy]

I dont think it should be such a big deal, i mean musics music. Its about writing about passion and playing things YOU like. To get a fanbase ia a bonus. People cant help about what they get classed as or what genre they are put in. Just like what you like, and let others like whatever they want!! please!!!

[BadReligionAndy]

If you want to listen to what brought punk around, you wanna be listening to the like of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, even Elvis, these were the first artists to bring guitar into the limelight if you will. By doing this you might get a greater understanding of what you think punk nowadays is, compared to back then in the 50's and 60's...

[RememberSRV]

real punk is dead!

[askew]

I disagree with almost all of your retarded - the way you are purely to be 'different' and get attention seeking bullshite comments. You wanna be a punk? Who cares what you listen too. Punk is a mind state, not a ***ing clothing line or list of bands that you decided was cool. Punk is more than fashion victims plodding depressivly through cities hoping that someone is looking at them. Anyone who claims to be punk, proabably is. You know why? Because being punk is a personnal thing created in the mind and opinions of the person. Not what someone else is telling them to be. Infact that's the comoplete opposit of punk. Fucking kiddies...

[IxLIKExPIE]

ok first off i say you're not punk. your title says "Who says we aren't punk" indicating you calling yourself punk. then you just say you didn't call yourself ***ing punk, make up your make. i'll make it for you, you're NOT FUCKING PUNK! if you were punk you'd mention misfits atleast. little poser...GC SUCKS!!!! i bet you listen to avril lavine too, you should die and burn in hell for listening to those posers. dammit HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT everything which is nirvana, how DARE you disrespect it. saying "Ask kurt cobain" IDIOT!!!.. he's dead because of posers like you

[askew]

Actually he's dead because he decided to take a stroll to the bottom of his garden pump a shit load of Heroin and shoot his face off. Gutted.

[flossy]

Kurt Cobain - R.I.P

[ilovepixies]

Punk is an english thing im english. it came from KIngs road and it died when the clash released 'combat rock' end of story

[frey]

eh, led zep never had a hit single, because they chose not to, did they make money ?
If they were sellouts like all the mainstream crap you listed they would've been all over the charts.

I've got something to say
I killed your baby today
Doesn't matter much to me
as long as it's dead

That's a *** of a lot more punk than any girlfriend whining bullshit.

Yes this is just an opinion.


"Just like you eolved into punk ou will evolve into metal and hate punk, then you'll go to classic rock such as led zeppellin and pink floyd ans stop liking metal so much... and then tou'll realize tehere is something to appreciate in every genre"

Ha, this is just how it happened for me. Except first I was into hip hop, and when I heard police trucks - dead kennedys I was all liek "oh *** raps gay!@!@#!111" and I was hooked.

[chongee]

if your a good charlotte lover than your name is obviosly Jordan. and why the *** would you waste my time with this shit over whos punk and not. suck my ass. or better yet suck your moms ass.

yours truly,

Mike

[chongee]

suck my ass again.

Mike

[chongee]

if you wanna start something you simple plan loving homos call 1-909-599-9758
ask for sam

Mike

[chongee]

uto876t96t9

[frey]

You are a ***ing moron, if you like good charlotte or not. Although I am not a fan of good charlotte, I do know one or two who do come off sounding a little older than 12.

[zombieskater]

alot of you arnt seeing the point of this essay.

[chongee]

i think we are we just dont care

[canabis_365]

Punk is an idea. This idea is basically the idea that whenever possible you should stick it to the man Bands are punk because they fall in with that idea. This means that most bands that are labeled punk these days really aren't Punk. in fact the idea lost out to a bunch off highly distorted guitar riffs and then to MTV's commercialist corporate idea of good music years ago. Real punk is incredibly rare these days. I'm not saying Yellowcard is bad (good charlotte definitely is lol) but it's definitely not punk music by any stretch of the mind. Blink 182 used to show a bit of the punk spirit but their last album is in NO way punk. Same with indie. One of the fundamentals of Indie is a hatred of the spotlight.. The idea of indie is being lost as we speak to a type of music vaguely reflective of Pavement, Sebadoh and Radiohead.

[danceXcore]

this would prob be the best article on hear if u would take out like 3 paragraphs.that deffinatly made it one sided, and everyone else dont get me wrong i in no way like punk. selling out is not when a band goes mainstream its when they change there sound to apeal to the record label. the article is well written though and i am keeping my mind open with it .

[danceXcore]

o and for the record nirvana is over rated.(sry forgot about that part of the article.)

[kill the emokid]

jesus christ what is with everyone bitching about whos punk and whos not?? real punk for one, is almost dead. bands like the vandals the casualties the ramones and the sex pistols are punk. new "punk" bands are like pop music with guitars and stuff. they are goody freaking two shoes who are rich and sing about girls and how bad their life is. that is not punk. i skate play guitar and crap like that. but i dont go aroiund saying "im punk and youre not!" i am not punk. niether is anyone writing in this. man.

[mesmeric]

In minced words..
Punk bands are as follows.
The ramones, The sex Pistols, Minor Threat, Social Distortion.. to name a few.
While MXPX is and okay band they are far from punk.
GC is so not punk. Neither is Yellowcard. I heard them called emo.. HAHA yeah right.

[satan_sucks]

Only one band you need to listen to: RANCID

[alexcread]

its funny cos he made everyone so annoyed... New York Dolls are the real punks...

[HumanBlasphemy]

I think you people worry too much about what you "are". But then again, everyone does. I guess I'm not punk because I listen to what I want to. I mean, for crying out loud, I love Depeche Mode and A Fire Inside and listen to Britney Spears. Haha, you're laughing, right?

[GuitaPlaya]

its NOFX not NoFx u dumb shit!!!

[PrivateCity818]

I don't listen to punk bands like blink, good charlotte, simple plan, etc. But i can say that all of you fags that are dissing people for "not" being punk are just a bunch of retarded hypocritical bastards. Think about it, back then in the so called "good old days" of punk. If you didn't follow the trend of having a mohawk, died hair, piercings, tattered jackets, buttons and patches; you would not be called a punk. You would actually be spit on by sid vicous if you were in front of him. If you want to define punk, define by renaissance people who challenge the norms of society by music. Don't judge punk by a bands exposure, popularity, wealth, catchiness, style of clothing, etc. Because if you do, YOU are MORE of a SELL-OUT than the bands that YOU make fun of. So all you punk-pop prejiduce bastards, go F*** yourselves you hypocritical idiots.

[DisgruntledDuck]

For the record, MXPX are pop-punk, or at least I consider them to be. Just Blink 182, without the millions of dollars and "***ing your mum's gardener's dog in the ass on christmas day whilst eating m&ms". However, it really shouldn't matter what genre of music the bands you listed are. As long as you like it, then who cares what genre it is. I mean, i personally would have more respect for a die-hard Simple Plan fan who could justify why they like their music, as opposed to a whining bitch who desperately tries to label them as something that many people don't consider them to be. In short, it's about the music, and not about what genre the band is.

[GNRobsessed013]

heshmen:
dude you can't call yourself a punk if you listen to fallout boy or ***in blink 182. The hell is wrong with you.

Hhahaha Agreed.

[toolmunkey]

Being punk isn't about the music, or the cloths, or the way your hair is. Punk is about the attitude that you show. Listening to the right punk music, or the right music in general will help a persons image no matter what they are going for. But it is deffinetly not about the music. Music is just anj aid

[rage0898]

Punk doesnt exist in the charts anymore! so dont mention all these bands that enter the charts, here in the UK or the US. And it has a lot to do with clothes, hair and attitude.
All the idiots that hang around wearing track suits cetainly dont conform but would you call them "Punks"?
No i dont think so! also what music do they like? Eminem! 50 cent or half a dollar what ever his name is.
I grew up when true punk music and punks where around it was a shock to society back then but everyone is de-sensitised nowadays nothing seems to shock.
Anyway rant over.
Go listen to some real punk stuff
The Exploited, Discharge, Crass.

[bass_man_dan]

moo....
PUNK ROCK RULES!

[Emily Soler]

if he feels that`s punk,then he has all his rigth to think it.Punk more than music,is a feeling and a lifestyle,if u feel that punky vibe,then ur punk!

[Emily Soler]

if he feels that`s punk,then he has all his rigth to think it.Punk more than music,is a feeling and a lifestyle,if u feel that punky vibe,then ur punk!

[Kai-7]

You could define them as a wuss band or Emo but listen to the other tracks such as Violence or Stockholm Syndrome

DUDE! Get your facts right! Stockholm Syndrome is a MUSE song. Correct the file info on your winamp.

[kurt_was_killed]

well writen, and it has a good point but there were somethings i didn't get. oh and kurt said himself he wasn't in it for the fame, and system of a down is nowhere close to punk, buddy. in my opinion, if ur on MTV or Much Music, you're already to mainstream. GO UNDERGROUND PUNK. New wave american heavy metal sucks by the way (yes it has nothing to do with the article, but i figured i'd say it anyway).

[humbum1991]

y do most of u guys think Good Charloote, Finch, Taking Back Sunday and Yellowcard are punk?they are not, they are what i consider pop punk. Punk Is GG Allin, which i bet non of you have heard of, Ramones, And The Misfits. Do any of these bands sound like the founders of punk(Ramones) no.

[hippie_punk]

Um, lets think about this for a minute. Pop means popular music. So if someone is played on TRL they ARE popular so they are Technicaly POP! And for the last time, Popular music does not equal bad music. Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, The Sex Pistols, and Primus just to name a few have all had #1 albums at some time!

[BrianApocalypse]

none of those are even punk bands or anything to do wiv it.

[Brody101]

You talkin shit. Punk is not just music it's an idea. a way of life. Punk is do what you want, whenever you want, wherever you want as long as you don't hurt anyone. Punx are fighting for freedom, they fight for a better life. They live in squats, they don't believe in the system. they don't believe that a man need to work in order to survive. Punk is not blink 182 or simple plan or something like that. this are punk pop bands. The real punk bands are anti-flag, the unseen, rancid etc... they sing about police brutality about freedom about "*** the rules..leave us alone" kind of thing. they sing some real shit, about the world we live in, not like simple plan or good cherlott that sings about "how my girlfriend dumped me...oh i wanna cry". I have nothing against those bands, i just wanna prove my point.
Punk Will Take Control One Day!

[sppunk1991]

haha i like how everyone is saying punk is about not giving a *** about what anyone thinks but when you use ****to say the word ***.bitches.

[led zeppelin90]

all i know is punk is a rebelion against punk so when some1 says hey look at that pop/punk band its a oxymoron

[led zeppelin90]

all i know is punk is a rebelion against pop so when some1 says hey look at that pop/punk band its a oxymoron

[LochieW]

Dude, your talking about pop-punk. But that article is pretty good, 4 stars for the effort.

[crazygluedmybut]

we're not saying that those bands aren't punk because they're on mtv. we're saying they're not punk because:
1. their lyrics have no meaning
2. they can't play guitar for squat
3. it doesn't "sound" punk

[kelso12345]

^^^ true


and none of those bands u mentioned are really punk

[ss311]

wow a punk article with no reference to any punk bands other than maybe nofx

[Rock1986]

I don't like pop-punk,some ppl do. I myself am not a punk, i just enjoy the music, I see true punk as the Sex pistols, the Clash, Social Distortion, The New York Dolls and bands of that nature, that's just my opinion. I'm not here to says who's a true punk and who's a poser, hell, i also listen to metal (metallica, Motorhead, Megadeth), folk ( Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor) straight classic rock(Zeppelin, Queen, Black Sabbath) and even country (George Strait, Garth Brooks, Hank Williams Jr). I may not like this new pop- punk genre, but lets look at the big picture... at least it's not rap!

[carelessdrummr]

punk is a way for older teens and younger college students to get know for playing music without having to actually dedicate time to getting better at the instrument they play

[carelessdrummr]

punk is a style of music dedicated to those who want to get known fast for their musical talent but who never take the time to get better at the instrument they play. so they end up somewhere in the middle

[carelessdrummr]

?

[LeftyLoser]

Omg, some people rele need to learn what punk rele is, i hate bein called a punk coz i listen to blink, sum 41 and other bands like that, jeeze, okay i listen to SOME sex pistols an some other proper punk sh*t, but i dont rebel much, well at all rele, an all those girls wearin pink an black an sayin they are punk....goddammnit KILL THEM ALL!!!!! anyway, the article was okay.....better than anything i cld have written

[LeftyLoser]

Omg, some people rele need to learn what punk rele is, i hate bein called a punk coz i listen to blink, sum 41 and other bands like that, jeeze, okay i listen to SOME sex pistols an some other proper punk sh*t, but i dont rebel much, well at all rele, an all those girls wearin pink an black an sayin they are punk....goddammnit KILL THEM ALL!!!!! anyway, the article was okay.....better than anything i cld have written

[LeftyLoser]

oops sorry bout the dbl post

[cuponoodles]

once you know what punk is or try to be punk, you're not punk. punk is the most hypocritical movement ever.

You listen to pop, not punk. If you want to listen to punk, check out: Dead Boys, GG Allin, Nina Hagen, X, The Eyes, Turbonegro, Angry Samoans, Antiseen, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, etc- all of who are basic punk bands that most everyone who listens to punk knows.

dear 'rock1986' punk was inspired hugely by rap- namely Run DMC, Ice Cube, NWA, Public Enemy, etc. So you have no clue what you're talking about.

[METS]

t1mf wrote:

"Punk aint no religious cult, punk means thinking for urself." so figure it out on ur own

This dude gets it, Punk is political, end of story.

[Maggot penis]

you are talking crap who cares thats not but what is punk Im not a punk but i listen too punk

[lookz_r_dcv1ng]

i love this article...it's what you think about it, not what everybody else thinks...and to me that's cool, everyone defines 'punk' differently, to me, it's the attitude and lifestyle, to others, it may be a type of music or how someone dresses, but here's a thing, why do some ppl really care what others think...

[Ampeg J]

And honestly, there is no definition of punk and there is always someone who is going to call another person a poser

One word: Faux-hawk.

If don't have the grapes to sport the real thing, you ARE a poser. Wear one, or don't.

I know that has nothing to do with the musican aspect, but with some genres, more than just the music is involved.

I agree with the poster that stated that real punk is dead. I was around for it, yeah, i'm that old... it was as much an attitude and a movement as anything.

Something sorely missing from the wannabees.

[TheRattle§nake]

METS wrote:

t1mf wrote:

"Punk aint no religious cult, punk means thinking for urself." so figure it out on ur own


This dude gets it, Punk is political, end of story.

Yes most punk bands anyways. for example.. anti-flag,Nofx,Thought Riot and so on.

[whiteriot69]

at the end of the day, you are only as punk as you want to be. **** everyone else. that is what punk is!!

[punksucks23]

you know what? anyone whoes punk can suck my d***. punks are just a whiny bunch of biatches who complain about whos more punk. they should listen to real music

[punksucks23]

punk is a style of music dedicated to those who want to get known fast for their musical talent but who never take the time to get better at the instrument they play. so they end up somewhere in the middle

[punksucks23]

that was a quote

[death to emo]

Nobody knows what Punk is anymore at least true punk sure everbody knows AntiPunk why did I call pop punk and Emo punk Antipunk because those media *****s stand for everything opposite as True punk... then when you chat with people they have no idea what punk is.
For example I was in class I said I played guitar, and someone asked me what I played I said punk and they called me emo why I ask because I don't cut my wrists or whine about everything It's because nobody knows punk ANYMORE

[death to emo]

Punk isn't dead people just don't know what it is

[captain_jack]

ShadowRecluse said: "well, punk is supposedly quite polliticaly motivated, and NONE of the bands you listed are polliticalin the least, save system of a down, who you bashed. theres a difference between punk and pop-punk. pollitics."
i couldnt have said it better myself.

P.S System of a down rules!

[kecua]

Punk is Anti-government, anti-corporations, and anti-mainstream. They're lyrics are suppose to be very political. They're also game for breaking cultural taboo's. They're against mainstream bands because there's a possibility that the band will stop writing their own music and play whatever the record company tells them. They could of never made they're own music in the first place. Does it seem right to you if some pretty boy gets rich off of someone else's music? No it's not right. It should be the person who wrote it that get's rich. I know they sold their music to the record company, but it's just not right. The government is just messed up and real punks know it. If you don't agree with me about the government then look at the gay marriage issue, the abortion issue. The government is suppose to protect our rights. I saw yesterday on the news there's more oil off the coast of Florida then there is over in Iraq, Iran, and etc. We can't drill there though because of some damn law. Oh another thing the reason punks are all game for anarchy is because that's how it's suppose to be. Ever read anything from the founding fathers about how america is suppose to be? You'd realize that they wanted anarchy, but still have laws for things like murder, stealing, and etc. Now a days America is far from that. Punks want the founding fathers idea. Don't Agree that idea isn't in america? Again look at the gay marriage issue, abortion, etc. Does it seem like a free country to you? I know it's only in a few states, but it's still not just right. Punks aren't just people with crappy guitarist and fast beats. Punk started out as a culture A way of life. To know what punk is you gotta know that life style. Punk rock is just entertainment for punks. Real punks expressed their ideas and politics. They wanted music, but not mainstream crap that was about your girlfriend dumping you. They wanted music against everyday culture. They wanted music with more of a point and they made it. They put out records on their own. They got known on their own. They didn't help from a record company who could try to currupt their music. They just wanted to go against the currupt culturals around them, have their own ideas, and follow the founding fathers idea even if they didn't do it on purpose. I'm mainly just rambling on by now, but if you think no one knows punk is anymore well there's people who still do. I'm only 14, been into music for about a year, and I'm pretty sure I know what punk is.

[Orange~Love]

not many people even know what punk rock is. all the kids at my school listen to ****ing mainstream and it pisses me off because its just shit we hear over and over again and it sucks too. what the guy above my comment defines punk rock. punk isn't ****ing dead.

[Orange~Love]

simple plan good charlotte greenday and all that shit isn't punk

[DT191511]

This article made my dog kill itself

[Blessed Dead]

man ive heard all that shit from blink 182 to ****in the dead kennedys to the ****in ramones... why would you argue that youre part pf that "movement" those are the songs that you accidentally play when your all wasted and playing the guitar. no talent... no talent at all

[HughF]

If a band is mainstream it doesn't mean they are not punk. Now, if they change their original layout just to be mainstream, that isn't punk. This is also why it pisses me off when people make fun of Green Day.

[Punk Rock Dude]

Wow

Now that changed my mind of what pop means lol....
i thought it men boy bands and all that crap but from this quote

pop is short for Popular Music

i changed my opion.... i gess then i am in a pop punk band then lol..... we play punk music but try and make it sound good and make it popular lol..... i gess also this is random

emo=emotional! lol i bet u knew that lol oh well hehe !

[iamtheguitarpro]

Good Charlotte, Blink 182, Simple Plan, New Found Glory, Yellowcard

Good Charlotte is.. um... idk. Not punk, though.
Blink 182 was like soft punk, I guess.
Simple Plan is emo.
New Found Glory sucks donkey balls.
Yellowcard is alternative.

Punk is, like...
US Bombs
Anti-Flag
The Casualties

That kind of stuff.
I'm in a REAL punk band, kids. We play music about important stuff.. political stuff.

[aperfectshot176]

2 2 word phrases words can sum up punk.

you suck
and
**** you.

blink, fall out boy soad simple plan yellowcard good charlotte? y again do u call your self a punk u poser

[afc16]

Punk is meant to be against conforming. By having such strict rules about what is punk and what isn't, that means you have to conform to be a punk. Punk isn't about conforming to being like every other punk. It's about being yourself and not giving a cuk about what other people think.

Music isn't about whether a band is punk or not anyway, opinions should be formed on how good music is, and not ****ing credibility.

[datexrape_]

In MY opinion, punk is both a mindset and a type of music.

Not all punk bands are political.
Although yes, most are.
Try listening to some real punk.
The Casualties, The Exploited, Circle Jerks.
And you'll see why Fall Out Boy isn't considered a true punk band.

There's nothing wrong with pop punk, you're just all too closed-minded.
Where are you number 1 singles?
Or your highly influential punk albums?

And why do people keep saying all the pop rock bands he named were emo?
There's a difference between pop rock and emo.
If you want to hear real emo, try Rites of Spring.
Or Mewithoutyou.

If you see a guy on the street with a mohawk and some ripped jeans and shit you'll probably automatically think he's a punk. It doesn't make him one. He could like 50 cent and not have a clue about politics for all you know. Punk isn't image. It's a music genre and a mindset.

Nobody cares about our opinions, give it up.

[mattvh93]

ShadowRelcuse wrote:

Well, punk is supposedly quite pollitically motivated, and NONE of the bands you listed were political in the least bit; save System of a Down, who you bashed. There's the difference between pop-punk and punk. Politics.

theres more than that retard

[mattvh93]

HughF wrote:

If a band is mainstream it doesn't mean they are not punk. Now, if they change their original layout just to be mainstream, that isn't punk. This is also why it pisses me off when people make fun of Green Day.

greenday have changed

[Ad12ian]

Punk isn't about hating the world, nor about hating politics. In fact, like the article says, everyone hsa a different opinion. That means: if you're a hardcore, ear-blasting metal fan, you'll say that punk's just some gays without a sense of music; and if you're a rap, hommie, hip hop fan, you'll say that punks are freaks that hate all the world and make noise, not music.

I'm upset, because over the 50% of the posters on this column are rockers and/or metal fans, so What the hell are you doin' reading a post 'bout punk!!
I mean, you think punks are just some gays wanting to make some money and doin' anithing the audience like.

Other thing: punk has many branches: pop punk, hardcore punk, punk rock, etc. Especially here in Latin America(I said "here" 'cause I'm from Mexico)
there are many, many bands that combine pop( you know, American Idol's pop) with the riffs and rhytmn of punk.

So nowadays punk isn't what you were, nor the attitude, for me, punk is the combination of the rhytmn of electric guitar and a theme that is important.

[cortez0]

For me punk is: I don't care what you say, I like it! But not everybody who thinks like that is punk, if you listen to punk (any kind) and you have an own opinion (mainly politics) you're a punk (to me)

[rockingamer2]

_1LaStTrY wrote:

punk is dead, goddammit, i listen to "punk", but the word punk and the movement is dead. punk was created as a movement against president reagan and the royal family in the uk. it was political. "punk" is now maintream, when you see 12 year old girls dressed up like punks because of avril lavigne, you have to say to yourself that punk is now a fashion... they are still some true punk bands, who stick to the roots, that is political punk, like nofx for instance. system of a down could fit in that category also. punk nowadays is a lot like rap, bands talk about girls and shit like that, whiny bitches. i'd also like to say, stop the feud between metalheads and punkers ! we should unite, because we like the basics of those styles, the guitar ! i like metal and i like punk, i like rock in general. stop bitching, cause soon you'll have something to bitch about. trash is making a new face for itself, new trash bands are coming out of everywhere, so look closely ! this will be great !!

whoa, i never new how contreversial punk is. To me, punk is an enigma, your against rules and yet conform to the punk mindset. ???? So, basically punk should be political, great. But why is it dead. ALOT of people don't like Bush, like reagan. I think if you like punk, great, but unless you live and think the lifestyle, your not a true punk.

[Jerm_bs]

1.Come on!how can you say "Grunge music was to the early 90’s what punk is today" punk movement started in america and U.K. in 70's, then there was grunge(it's not directly connected with punk) and post-punk and now there's punk-rock. 2.sistem of a down has one of the best vocal thecniqe of metal. 3.Every band you named, exept Nirvana an system of a down are pop or pop punk, ¡¡F.O.B. PUNK?!! it's the most comercial band I've ever heard, I'll tell you some real Punk bands:The Ramones, The clash, Sex pistols, The adicts, La Pestilencia

[Jerm_bs]

if that's not punk I don't know what it is

[Jerm_bs]

sorry 4 that mistake, I am latin

[IzzieVicious]

You can't seriously call those pop-crappy-punk bands punk :O

[devinpalacios]

Goodness. I love punk music. But, I don't call my favorite bands "sell-outs" when they change their music styles. It's called growing up. How odd would it be for a forty year old man to be yelling about how the government is screwed up, he's been evicted, and he's huffing glue?

The punks that trash bands who have grown up, I don't roll with that crowd.

I love how some readers saw "Fall Out Boy" and automatically scrolled down and began flaming. Dumb faggots.

[Sabscope]

Punk is a misused word, as rock is becoming, used by anyone who wants to sound cool. Punk was a genre of music that is pretty much dead cept for bands like NoFX and similar blah blah. It was a 70s thing, a definable, certain type of music. Look it up. None of the bands you listened are in that category. I'm just saying - I don't even like punk, I just don't like to see people misuse words juse because "x is cool, therefore I will be cool". Like rappers being called rockstars. It's just an incorrect term.

[Motorbreath628]

CobainWorship wrote:

Punk is so hipocritical. Who gives a shit what someone's musical tastes are, as long as that person doesnt try to act like a fake because of the style of music(a.k.a. Gangster Wannabes, Punk wannabes(most "punks.") I dont care if someone wears a blue, long-sleeved button up t-shirt, tucked into their tight slacks with dress shoes and a tie, if they don't care what others think about them, they are punk. Punk wasn't about listening to certain music or dressing a certain way. Anyone who says someone isn't a punk, needs to question themselves. Since when the hell are you supposed to care about what others say or do? I wear pants,have medium-long hair(shaggy), a t-shirt with writing in black marker, and almost always a plaid overshirt. Am I not punk because I don't wear muscle shirts with patches and get a mohawk? I don't claim to be punk. I listen to the Beatles,Nirvana(of course),Rolling Stones, ACDC, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Ramones, etc. What am I classified as? Please someone tell me...am I not punk? Am I not punk because I am not conforming to a "non-conformist" style or taste? That's right, you "non-conformists" are still conforming. Please tell me what I am classified as though.

YES