Has (punk) music been degenerating over the past several years?

[Cursive_Knives512]

(btw, this is a hard question for me to answer because I'm only a teenager)

It seems as if every band I've liked has sold out, died out, or mutated in some way. I've been thinking about this today since I got Bratmobile's most recent album, "Girls Get Busy." It's a disappointment that really depresses me. I have no faith in punk or indie anymore.

(You might not know these bands, but here are some examples:)

Bratmobile: mutation to generic
Sleater-Kinney: mutation to "nicer"
The Donnas: too much to say, not enough time
Kathleen Hanna: mutation to "mulitmedia techno" (I still like her though)

Does a girl like me have any girl punk role models anymore? (note: Don't say Avril!!! :eyes:)

[neverborn]

1. Well...

Punk has always sucked, but now they suck more. Like Dashboard. This emo crap has got to go.

[KissMyAsscroft]

2. Stop worrying about being "punk"

and just like the music you like.

[Cursive_Knives512]

4. I'm not obsessing over the label or anything

I'm just lamenting that the whole girl-punk movement has basically died out and left me with.... I'm not sure what.

[Rev. Day-Bu]

9. ...Sheryl Crow. Mwahaha!

Just kidding.

[KissMyAsscroft]

11. Its left you with the oppurtunity to start a band and blow everyone away.

That's what it's left you with.

Now get to work!!!

[MrSlayer]

3. Punk has been dead for a long time.

There is very little real punk left. Emo is pop garbage not Punk.

[muffin_man]

5. What do you consider selling out exactly?

[Wickerman]

6. It was that way from the beginning

most punk bands burned themselves out rather quickly. Hard to maintain that intensity. Plus, punk has that distinct disadvantage of sounding better when played from the heart, not with technical skill. So, when a band plays night after night, it loses its intensity and the players actually get better on their instruments. Horror of horrors they may actually think they are good players and want to make an aesthetically pleasing lp and the punk cred goes out the window.

Go back and listen to some of the early punk for some role models. Try Patti Smith. She did the punk thing forever and still puts out great CDs.

[rudeboy666]

7. you mean the last 20!

....some said that punk died when The Clash signed to CBS in 1977!

The point is that punk(as it emerged in the 70's) raged in a certain time and context(which could never be repeated again). Spiking your hair back then had a different meaning than spiking it today(even MTV loves spiked hair now!).

While punk is more than mere style, the fact remains that the outrageous(now appearing banal in light of MTV and Avril) style of the early punks did make a radical statement in their societal enviroment.

Ultimately, what matters is the punk attitude that drives certain individuals towards radical styles and sounds. This is something that the corporate machine could never extinguish(or co-opt).

It is up to you(and your peers) to create the new sounds and styles.

[Rev. Day-Bu]

8. Punk was always degenerate

The whole punk genre started as a knee-jerk reaction against bands that actually knew how to play their instruments and some actual knowledge of music. Kids who couldn't play their guitar and didn't have the discipline or dedication to actually practice and learn just set out to prove that you can make music even without any knowledge or talent. :eyes:

Basically it was just started by kids who hated Pink Floyd, Yes, (early) Genesis and King Crimson because the people in those bands were musically inclined and wrote material that was both challenging to play and challenging to listen to.

And no, I don't hate all punk. It's just that "punk" (which does not and has not existed since it turned into new wave circa 1980) ain't all that great for the most part, and is largely overrated. After all, a song with just three or four chords loses its mystery pretty quickly as you know all their is to know about it, while albums like Yes's "Close to the Edge", Genesis's "Selling England By the Pound" and Rush's "Hemispheres" can be listened to over and over and over, studied inside out, and yet still hold new little secrets to find even on your right-hundredth listen.

If you want interesting, avant-garde modern music, check out Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and Sigur Ros.

Oh, and check out Porcupine Tree. Everybody on Earth should check out Porcupine Tree.

[rudeboy666]

10. Genesis? I'll take the Ramones instead . :-) n/t

[Rev. Day-Bu]

13. Oh god, please say you aren't serious!

:puke:

Ever actually listened to "Selling England By the Pound"? Enough times to start to understand what it's about, and what they're accomplishing musically and lyrically?

*sigh* Well, I guess to some people transparent simplicity is better than challenging, multi-layered artistry. That kind of simplicity typically gets boring very quickly to me. I don't understand the attraction of transparency in music. But whatever floats your boat, I guess.

[el_gato]

21. genesis? LOL! weak and lame

multi-layred atistry? wow!

[Rev. Day-Bu]

24. So, like I asked before...

Ever actually listened to "Selling England By the Pound"? Enough times to start to understand what it's about, and what they're accomplishing musically and lyrically?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

25. Yup. Listened to it four or five times, and it bored the hell out of me.

Like every other Genesis recording. Particularly The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

23. 'challenging, multi-layered artistry'?

Sometimes, if you haven't got a tune, you'll go to any lengths to disguise it. There's your 'challenging, multi-layered artistry'.

[DBoon]

12. You may be right

But look at how long these bands have kept this up. Sleater Kinney has been around since 1995 (9 years). Bikini Kill since the early '90s etc.

Times change, something new and exciting will come up.

In the meantime, go back to their roots - Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde, The Slits, maybe even Suzi Quatro. See what came before and what they still have to offer.

[leftofthedial]

14. what in the world would punk "degenerate" into

I thought the whole point was that it was already degenerate.

I guess the only thing further devolved than punk would be rap/hip-hop or beating on rocks and grunting.

[everythingsxen]

15. IT'S ALL CRAP!

Everything is crap!

[Rev. Day-Bu]

17. Now THERE'S a true punk attitude! :-D

:lol:

[Turkw]

16. What's your definition of punk, not all of early punk was not "HARD"

There was a lot of reaction to pop, disco, and concept rock in punk.

I've been turned on to the Modern Lovers recently, my favorite punk band is FEAR, picked up a Dead Kennedy's CD a few days ago. All older groups, but the music is good.

Look at some of the older bands, new bands will come and pick up the banner, even if just for a short time. Some will be good, others bad.

[TopesJunkie]

18. It degenerated in 1985 -- it's been on the same plane ever since --

[Turkw]

19. punk is, period

it's not about evolving or degenerating, if anything it is about taking back the music and doing what every you want to with it. Angry, Whimsy, rebellious, back to the roots of rock and roll, what ever you are thinking and feeling, all aspects of PUNK. Punk is, be punk, not a punk. I am becoming more punk as a get older.

Of course, the angry and rebellious got more news play. Don't confuse punk with anarchist, but a lot a punk is anarchist.

[neoteric lefty]

20. the commericial punk... yes!!!!

what they throw out on MTV and stuff is not punk (I don't like it but I can't call it BAD music; it just isn't punk). I'm only in my 20's so I wasn't around when real punk music was coming into itself but there are some good bands out there that are still making important music with important statements.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

22. There hasn't been any 'punk' music since 1979.

Music remains as it always was. Much of it sucks, the odd band makes the whole thing worthwhile.