Continuing with 1970s era this week, many aspects of punk were talked about.

It was thoroughly interesting to read about the punk culture and how hardcore fans reacted to this style and co-culture.  Punk musicians like the Sex Pistols were very rebellious, and had views of the world very uncharacteristic of other genres like rock, and pop.  To me I feel that the punk craze isn’t like what it was in the 70s.  After reading the Sex Pistols essay, I believe that punk has evolved to what we think of punk.  1970s punk was crazy madness, and rebellious.  Today’s punk is more tame but rebellious mostly in the lyrics.  The concerts of the ‘yester-year’ punk was like a riot.  Today’s punk concerts are collective and energetic but in my opinion isn’t as crazy as the 1970’s punk.  Maybe because of safety and commercialism is what’s affecting today’s punk.  What do you guys think?  Would you like to experience the original punk bands or modern day punk musicians?

I feel that punk should receive more awareness but for more so of the origins of it because it inspired a dedicated movement.  If anything in the music world causes an impact of that caliber, then I feel they deserve all the credit possible.  Though I’m not much of a punk listener/fan, I’m more open to listening to some punk especially bands like The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones.

Sex Pistol’s God Save the Queen Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeP220xx7Bs

I found this video to be catchy with the guitar and vocals as the primary way to convey the message.  It was such a simple music video, nothing fancy with the camera work, and imagery.

But Anarchy in the UK is a different story.  The pandemonium in the crowds definitely exhibits the true punk performance with the fans.  Fans are so diehard, truly amazing hardcore supporters of punk that they literally feel like a member of the band.  See for yourself in their video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAsWdUo7r4c&feature

This video was wild, people looking all comatose and dazed out while they danced.  At certain moments it looked like the fans were choking each other as they hear the band play.  To me this video defined a huge chunk of what punk truly was.  Crazy, influential, supportive fans around the world were in a frenzy with this unique genre.

Fans demonstrated the “pogo” move which is literally jumping up and down from where you stood at the punk concert.  They looked funny doing it but it was a popular and normal move to do at such a venue.  I wonder what crazy moves (if any) are inspired by fans today if they see what these people did back then.  I don’t think you want that kind of craziness back then today, it would get you into deep trouble along with unnecessary riots.  But who knows, we might see a totally new kind of punk that could be different but just as insane as the earlier bands.

Reading about punk this week opened my eyes as to the true “punk” that is known by music historians.  I feel that now with a clearer understanding of this “culture” of a musical style I get a better sense of how punk shaped the music scene then and now.

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Posers were true fans who emulated the artists they loved.  Reading about posers made me realized that its not a recent term.  It established alongside many artist of the 1970s like David Bowie.  As a collective society, these posers dressed and acted like the artist they love.  The dedication is amazing, almost borderline scary because a whole lot of fans were doing it.  Luckily for bodyguards nowadays, posers are more controlled in the audience (for the most part).

Fanzines were another way to express love for a band or musician.  These were fan made magazines where they discuss tastes, and interests about a band or musician.  I feel this was the start of fan clubs, membership only deals, and user-generated fan fiction which ultimately led the way to the modern day fan memberships online and in exclusive places like chatrooms, streaming concerts online, and digital subscriptions to the band.

Some Further Questions to Think About:

Do you have a band that you absolutely love to the point where you try to emulate them?

Do you have a membership of any kind or form to your favorite band?

Have you been to a concert where there’s a collective sense of what to react when listening to a song other than swaying your hands left and right?

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