"My little white ass is tickled pink when I listen to the music that makes me think" Red Hot Chili Peppers
Watched a doco on SBS tonight titled Punk:Attitude which explores the history of punk music and the attitudes which drive it. Some of this is captured in the interview below with film-maker Don Letts.
Punk was brought to the fore in the 70's at a major time of unrest, when things had gotten so bad that the people started to stand up and literally say "FUCK YOU". It was a style of music that was in your face and shoved its message down your throat. It rebelled against the establishment and encouraged its audience to take action. It was more than just music and an image - punk was an attitude.
A lot of this attitude carried over into more mainstream music in the 80's with bands like Midnight Oil, Dead Kennedys, U2, Black Flag and Public Enemy. In the 90's Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana and The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy continued the attitude. But what about today? In a market of sanitised commerciality it is hard to find any bands or artists who hold true to the punk attitude. Certainly, there are 'punk-rock' bands such as Blink 182 around, but their sound and attitude is more mum-and-dad radio-friendly than the "FUCK YOU" attitude of the earlier punk bands. Green Day are still holding on to some of their punk roots but have let it slide since their earlier releases of Dookie and Insomniac. Even U2 has moved away from raising social awareness through their lyrics.
Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil made the following comment in his acceptance speech when the Oils were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame last year:
"Maybe complaint rock is still being written, but is ignored by an industry hypnotised by get-famous-fast TV shows. Bless you, John Butler, but you shouldn't have to do it all by yourself."The challenge was thrown out to the industry, but no-one seems to have taken it up. It appears the music industry has become too obsessed with cheap and un-nasty artists who are going to turn a profit in the least amount of time. It is afraid to sign or promote artists who may have a political or social message in case it upsets the stock-holders. This is unfortunate for any talented, unsigned artists out there as the major record companies are in bed with the radio stations, the media and the retail outlets, so independent releases rarely make it to the mass consumer ears or market.
The internet does give these unsigned artists the chance to self promote, and we have seen successful acts, such as Jet, emerge this way, but only a very few. And again, Jet's music and attitude is far from punk. Today's generation are being feed corporation pleasing lyrics, sometimes blatantly incorporating product placement. A new voice is needed - one that isn't afraid to speak its mind, to challenge business, government and society, to motivate its audience, and to say "FUCK YOU".
"All you need is one guy or girl to stand up and say "fuck this", and everyone goes: "Voice of a generation"."
Henry Rollins
Songs played while writing this entry:
"My Lovely Man" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Love For" Glenn Underground
"Why Go" Pearl Jam
"Cranium Accelerator" Sven II
"Defiant" Christopher Lawrence
"Welcome To The Jungle" Guns N Roses
"Khe Sanh" Cold Chisel
"Breaking The Girl" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Coded Language" DJ Krust feat Saul Williams
"Anything Goes" Guns N Roses
"Time Out In Toronto" SS
"Back Porch" Presidents Of The United States Of America
"Come and Die" Therapy? & Fatal
