Big Blog no.1 - Punky Punk

    Who likes super distorted guitar tones? What about surprisingly deep lyrics? Ooooh what about very nasally singing?! Well those three ingredients make up the wonderful genre that we all know and love. Punk music. Maybe not everyone, because people are entitled to their own opinions ya da ya da and for some sad, depressing, and heart wrenching reason, not everyone likes punk. Sad.

What Exactly is Punk?

    Punk is one of the many offspring from the mega genre that is rock, which changed the face of music forever. Known for it's high energy it is easily identified for being a more aggressive genre. Punk is often associated with rebellion, teenagers, and anything that screams "anti something." 

Below is an example of a very punky song. Give it a listen and see how it makes you feel.

Pretty awesome right? We will touch more on Green Day after while, they are my favorite.

The Roots

  If someone were to ask you, "Hey bro, when exactly did Punk music start originating?" You would most likely say, "The 90s man!" Well I hate to break it to you friend, but you're wrong. But hey don't feel bad, I thought the same thing as you did before I cracked open the metaphorical book that is the internet and did my research! 

The wonderful genre that is Punk music actually originated in the mid 1970s, and can even be traced back to the 60s as a nickname for musicians who were playing shows with little to no experience and a lack of musical understanding. Another common misconception is that the home of punk is L.A. It actually was New York City, as well as Detroit, which made my head turn as I re read that passage a few times. It was during the late 60s that young people were pushing for peace and equality, but not everyone had that mindset. Many people were also protesting at this time in anyway shape or form. And for bands it was through song.

This is a band called The Stooges, which were one of the first bands to be classified as "Punk"

Give this recording a listen and see what you think

As you listened I'm sure you were able to pick out many of the punk like elements that were scattered throughout the song. The guitar, the drums, the singing, the tempo. The music is fairly straight forward and quite simple isn't it? I have no doubt you heard those lyrics too, they are very much political and took jabs at governments around the glob. To me there is beauty in having the freedom to say what you want, it is the first amendment after all, and the fact that this Detroit boys do it through song is awesome. 

Now onto the 70s:

In 1974, 4 guys who lived in Queens, NY, officially formed one of the most respected and influential punk bands ever. The band is called Ramones and thanks to them punk is still played today. 

Think about the time in which this was released, this was nothing like The Beatles, Eagles, Or Led Zeppelin. This was something new that hadn't been heard on that level yet. And people loved it. The energy was fresh, the lyrics were harsh, and the music was heavy!

Regardless of the time, all punk music follows the same set of fundamentals that make punk, punk.

Punk in the 90s

    Ah yes! If I could choose to be a teenager in any era it would most definitely be the 90s. I love the fashion, the culture, and most importantly, the music. If I could I would write an entire paper on 90s music and dive deep into all the songs that still blast through our headphones today.

Now lets talk about the ultimate 90s punk band: Green Day

Green Day is why I love punk music. In my eyes they are the best of the best. And just to throw this out there, when the band was formed it contained only three members! I just really connected with their music, it made me feel alive, made me see that it was okay to swim against the stream, and be comfortable in your own skin. Granted I never took part in any rebellious activities growing up. I mean I never went to parties and I didn't really date until senior year of high school. But Im okay with that. You don't have to be angry to listen to punk, you don't even have to be a rebel. It is all about what speaks to you and how the song makes you feel.

Now what does that make you feel? It makes me feel like a badass... I tend to speed when this song is on my radio. Maybe I shouldn't listen to this while I drive.

The lyrics of this song, and a majority of Green Day's songs, are much deeper than you realize. This is indeed a protest against the American government. At the time of it's release the US was involved in a war against the Iraq because of the traumatic attack, 9/11. At the time George W.  Bush was in office, so many speculated that the song was aimed towards him. In an interview, guitarist and singer of Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, explained that, “I would never think of American Idiot as being about the Bush administration specifically. It’s about the confusion of where we’re at right now.”

Don’t wanna be an American idiot!

Don’t want a nation under the new media

And can you hear the sound of hysteria?

The subliminal mind fuck America!

Welcome to a new kind of tension

All across the alien nation

Where everything isn’t meant to be okay

Television dreams of tomorrow

We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow

For that’s enough to argue

Lets back track about ten years, to their legendary 1994 album, Dookie, more specifically their first single from that album, "Longview."

This song is completely different from the 2005 hit "American Idiot." This song tells the story of a teenage guy who sits at home all the time with zero motivation to do anything, but ironically has nothing to do. Lyrics even talk about how even masturbation cant cure his boredom. Yeah you read that right. Its college people, we're all adults here.

My mother says to get a job

But she don't like the one she's got

When masturbation's lost its fun, you're fuckin' lazy

Bite my lip and close my eyes

Take me away to paradise

I’m so damn bored, I’m going blind

And I smell like shit

Even though these songs are different, it's easy to see the similarities between the two. Just like The Stooges and Ramones, these songs are heavy, fast, and full of aggression, because those are the roots of punk music. The lyrics may be different and tell another story, but you can feel and hear the frustration in the both of them. That is what punk is all about, being heard, sharing your voice. Sometimes the easiest way to be heard through frustration and anger unfortunately. To me, punk music is a genre that almost anyone can relate to, because we have all been angry, heart broken, horny, or whatever you want to feel. Punk is so much more than nasally singing and gritty guitars. It is a way to connect to your emotions, which I think is music's general goal. 

Oh you want some more songs? Ill list some of my personal favorites below!

Here ya go homie :)

Jimmy Eat World - "Bleed American", these guys are very very underrated

Reliant K - "I Need You", these guys are a Christian Punk Band. I would so play this in church.

Paramore - "Careful", yes I may have a crush on Hayley Williams... but who doesnt?

Green Day - "Macy's Day Parade", this is a very different vibe from the Green boys, but its still punk!

Works Cited

Cooper, Ryan. “A Beginner's Guide to the Evolution of Punk Rock.” LiveAbout. LiveAbout, April 10, 2018. Last modified April 10, 2018. https://www.liveabout.com/history-of-punk-rock-2803345.

Hopper, Alex. 2022. “Behind the Meaning of Green Day’s Protest Song ‘American Idiot.’” American Songwriter. August 10, 2022. https://americansongwriter.com/meaning-american-idiot-green-day-song-lyrics/.

Huber, Chris. 2022. “The Meaning of Green Day’s ‘Longview.’” Extra Chill. April 1, 2022. https://extrachill.com/2022/04/green-day-longview-meaning.html.