Editor’s Note: Readers were not shy about expressing their opinions about John Roderick’s March 6 cover story, “Punk Rock Is Bullshit.” Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the hundreds of comments, tweets, letters, and e-mails:
Who Needs a Rule Book?
Short response: If I remember my MRRS correctly, doesn’t the saying go that anyone who defines what punk rock is is not punk rock ?
Long response:
I was first exposed to punk in the early ‘80s in Alaska. While I liked it, as a youth I ascribed to Groucho Marx’s saying “Any group that would have me as a member is not worth joining,” so I never wanted to wear the uniform. Plus, I was a bit of a metalhead, into stuff like MOtorhead and Metallica. So while I liked the Dead Kennedys and HUsker DU and Repo Man (and even briefly played drums in a crappy punk band in ’85), I just did my own thing.
After moving to Seattle in the late ’80s, [I was] able to see more live music, plus there were tons of great zines out. So, yeah, I did get really influenced by the DIY idea. This led me to doing pirate radio, booking shows, DJing for real, and even owning my own club.
I remember an argument I had once with someone who thought fighting at shows was punk rock. I told him if punk rock was violence, then I’m not punk rock. People can make their own mind. Me, I ain’t gonna argue it because it’s a dead end. In my eyes, punk rock is not just one thing.
In my life, I’ve always seen joiners, people who need some kind of rule book to live by, be it religion, or politics or sports, D&D, or, yes, music scenes. Some people have little imagination. I’ve also seen people take inspiration and make up their own shit from whatever culture they were exposed to, something to prime the pump, jump-start their own creations.
As to this whole article: Feel free to think punk is whatever you want. I’m sorry punk didn’t do everything you wanted it be, but I always thought culture was supposed to inspire, not just provide a user’s manual.
Brian Foss, owner of the now-defunct Funhouse
Yay, Capitalism!
To Mr. Roderick:
I appreciated your honesty and wit in the “Punk Rock Is Bullshit” article. Numerous times, I have shared many of the feelings you expressed in the piece. I especially felt that way when I played drums for a punk/grindcore band. I got tired of hearing about people dumpster-diving, robbing cars, avoiding showers, and hopping trains while subsisting on a vegan diet. In my opinion it seemed highly superfluous to live that way, especially in the post-modern world.
I wanted to share a funny story. I remember this one time, a guy tried to sell me a patch that said “capitalism” on it. Above it was a stick figure pointing a gun at another stick figure. I mean, look, the funny thing is that if I had bought the patch, we both would have been engaging in capitalism. Which ties into to the whole “DIY” ethic. I think you’re spot-on about that. I mean, I like Black Flag as much as the next guy, but Henry Rollins didn’t invent “DIY” at a Baskin Robbins in 1978, you know?
I’m sure that you have and will get a lot of flack for this article, but you should keep at it. And keep at it not just because I think so, but because there needs to be more practicality and shrewdness in journalism. And you’ve got it. And I’m saying this because most music journalists seem like a bunch of self-righteous pricks, but you must be one of the good ones.
Many regards, James
Punk Never Asked to Be Liked
John: Punk rock was the necessary enema much needed to cleanse the world of big-hair bands and disco. It was refreshing, necessary, and not a blemish on the music scene.
Your manifesto is mildly entertaining, but having been born in 1962 and listened to many forms of music along the way, punk rock was no more than a gag reflex to the scene at the time. It never asked to be liked, and it would be the first to agree with you. You’ve called a spade a spade, but the spade knows it.
Boomer
LOVED THIS PIECE! So many good lines.
Ken Jennings
Yeah. I’m mostly pissed I won’t get the 20 minutes it took to read his pitiful article back.
Janet Weiss Tint/[Black] 25%25E
music@seattleweekly.com
