Maybe There’s Something Wrong With The Audience
September 29th, 2005 . by Quinton
A few weeks ago Against Me! released their third full length album entitled Searching For A Former Clarity. I hesitated for a while to write this review because I was not entirely certain of how much I liked the album.
I’m not a fan of much of the newer punk that comes out, although I grew up listening to so much of it. And I’m still a big fan of punk and hardcore from the 70’s and 80’s, but it seems like most of the bands on punk labels these days are bland and have a hard time identifying themselves.
That being said, I’ve loved everything Against Me! has ever put out… but some feel that they have migrated to a more mainstream sound in the past few years. In the beginning, Against Me! were only a drummer and an acoustic guitar screaming through three minute songs. Now they’re a four piece and have been for quite some time. They’ve gone electric, back to acoustic, and then back again. They’ve always had great lyrics and simple catchy songs that I want to listen to over and over again. Singer and song writer Tom Gable screams every song with so much emotion I can taste blood in my own mouth, and I love that.
Admittedly, the new album does have a different speed to it. It’s still angry and political (the way I like my punk) but not as fast and punchy as it used to be. They incorporated a few country western instruments, but keep singing with the same context. The more I listen to this album, the more I love it like the rest. I could write a book about these guys.
And for my money, they’re the most entertaining punk band to watch live. Check them out when they play the Epicentre in San Diego on October 30th.
I have a couple of questions for you. Maybe your handy guide to punk could answer them for me. Why is that punk kids cant tell the difference between punk and hardcore? Why do you kids hate it when the bands you like progress musically? Can you see the difference between punk in the 70’s and the 80’s? I’m mean you know it’s not the same, right? And, finally dont you feel ripped off when your “punk” bands put out the same album over and over again? Your paying over and over again for the same twelve songs. No offense I’m just asking a couple of friendly questions.
I thought we already went over this, jorge?
I remember the part where I already asked it. I just cant seem to remember the part where I got my answer. Pardon me I must been having one of my drunk blackouts. Do you mind humoring me and answering my questions.
I’m going to speak in very broad terms here. I didn’t make up a rulebook and I wasn’t the one handing out categories and dividers between one type of music to the next.
but I always refered to the music that came out from ‘76-’81 as ‘punk’. (i.e. misfits, ramones, clash, pistols, new york dolls, dead boys, ect.) safety pins, mohawks and fake british accents. and then it died.
some kids after that took it a bit further durring ‘80ish-’85 and called it ‘hardcore’. (i.e. minor threat, the germs, dead kennedys, fear, 7seconds, descendents, ect.) since punk died, these kids wanted to make music faster without all the flare. they started their own record lables and put out their own ‘zines in their local towns and didn’t care about world tours or making lots of money. I suppose some of that later transpired into the typical punk ethic.
after that, I don’t really care about where one band or another falls into whichever categorie. everything bands tried to do after that was only copying what had already occured years before. yes, it is regurgitated, but it’s what I grew up on. when I was in high school, all I wanted was fast music, but metal wasn’t my cup of tea, so punk (in all it’s forms) was perfect.
I didn’t feel ripped off when punk bands put out the same record three times in a row because that’s all we wanted.
‘progress’ USUALLY ment slowing down their songs and searching for a mainstream audience and a bigger record lable and more money. as an audience, we feel betrayed because it’s a little like the band was saying that their fanbase (us) wasn’t good enough.
sorry for the history lesson. this isn’t my point of view, it’s just how this type of music is generally perceived to their audience. maybe I got it wrong. I’m sure you can find someone to disagree with me.
I don’t really want to talk about this subject anymore because I don’t like having to defend my point of view to someone who doesn’t like that type of music anyways.
yeah yeah
punk sucks
morrissey is great
I learned my lesson
see if I ever post again
No No No you got all wrong. It goes punk sucks, morrisey is good, the smiths great, the jesus mary chain majestic.
Ps. wawawawawa
Quinton:
Is their peformance anything like the International Noise Conspiracy? If so, then I’d like to see them play.
I remember when I first met you, you had on a hooded sweatshirt with a Fear patch on it. I remember being intrigued that you liked that older punk since everyone that I knew was into the cheesy pop-punk (Blink and Lagwagon).
the international noise conspiracy are a bit more pop-ish, which is great because it makes them a bit more palateable to people who don’t usually listen to punk.
Against Me! is definatley on the more loud/wreckless side, but their fans are really great and know every song lyric; and when you see kids who are so into the music, it makes the band excited, and everyone stirs up into a big frenzy. their drummer, Warren, has a lot of character, and I really like the way Tom Gabel(the singer) sounds. all sandpaper-ish.
it’s very different than going to see a band like sigur ros, where the audence is melow and the music is so beautiful and kind. but every once in a while, it’s nice to participate at a show by dancing/screaming/throwing hands in the air in a punk fashon.
You know Quinton for all of the flack I get, because you know Im such a snob, its funny to me how much you get away with. You talk to people in the most generous manner while the whole time stating something as obvious as the difference between a Sigur Ros show and an Against Me show. Tsk Tsk readers for not seeing through it. Its cool though we always need to hate someone. So for the time being bring it on!
there is no injustice to a punk band attempting to retain a sort of political streak grounded by their forefathers. and hence being labeled “punk”. whilst there remain complaints from underground punk fans that, by being signed to major labels and appearing on MTV, these bands are buying into the system that punk was created to rebel against, and as a result, could not be considered true punk, there still remains an attempt to re-emulate something great. not recreate it. we might as well damn the whole renaissance period for abusing every inspirational column pericles built. we might call this a travisty of the arts. but something great can be emulated in various forms. there is a difference however to abusing that art. this i think is what every loyal punk kid should be concerned with. so whether you classify it as hardcore or punk, label it you please. in the end it’s whatever tickles your fancy right.
My biggest concern with the punk emulation isnt the use of what its taught us. In fact how can you grow without learning from the mistakes that were made before you. I think the issue is that many punk outfits are trying to replicate those mistakes. Reconstructing an era and issues that are no longer relative in the same context. Being this contrived seems to be in direct conflict with itself.
I want to clearify the reasoning behind my comment, it was never meant to insult anyones opinion on the matter. Actually I was looking to creat the exact opposit. I welcome the debate as I am very interested in the subject.
but just maybe those issues, regardless of context come to the fore once again, simply because change is not possible. and ideals are theories impossible to be practiced by ill-fated humans. i mean looking at the political success of Georgy Bush and Tony Blair inspired both songs and political action from punk rockers, that can be compared to the original rage at Reagan and Thatcher..and further back we go. kids just want something to scream about. i don’t see how things have changed all so much. arn’t our jeans just as tight?
or maybe the only essence of trueness today is the punk that is blink 182. i’ll be more than happy to throw my peanut-smeared panties at those boys and cheer them on whole-heartedly.
this is a family blog.
let’s try to keep it clean kids.
coming from a scene that labelled itself predominantly “metalcore”, all you could do was pity. an acquaintance once gave out handouts of the ‘definitions’ of “post-hardcore”, “pop punk”, etc. as he wasn’t “satisfied with South Australia’s understanding of good music”. clearly, they all gave up spreading the so-called understanding when they started labelling their own music and making their own rules.
oh man, i could go on for hours about tight pants
I think people have lost touch with the purpose of tight pants. It isnt fashion its population control, tight pants will make you steril! If this is what punk was advocating, pierce me in three different places (special places).
Regarding the teenage angst bit, kids need to scream I get it. However, it isnt the kids doing the screaming its usually some thirthy something singing the anthem of their lives. Besides its silly to try to accomplish something with the same failed method over and over again. You get angry, you play insignificant guitar riffs fast and hard, you scream and bang the drums and nothing changes. And nothing changes! This is alright for kids, they screw up thats what they do but shouldnt the balding guy in front of the mic know better.
Its all true the governent sucks, capitalism sucks, small minds suck, the music industry sucks. There are plenty of bands who are aware of it are very vocal about it and yet they dont make the same albums over and over again under the masked pretense of “punk”. I believe these guys start off really angry pour ther ideals and sweat into their first couple of albums and then get comfortable with there fan base. With the fear of loosing what recognition they have they just chug along pretending their still as angry as ever screaming and stomping around on stage. The whole time just thinking of what their wives are making for dinner hoping they pick up a KFC family meal with an extra order of mac and cheese. Maybe thinking about the really crappy detail job Pablo did on the Explorer. Damn you Thacther um… I mean Reagn.. um… wait… is it Bush I was mad at? Yes, thats right Bush your illegal imigrants are lagging on their so called skills.
Your right things havent changed our pants are still as tight as ever. The government still sucks. Punk is still where it was 10 years ago. All and all I guess its mission accomplished or business as usual or whatever it was you were trying to tell me. You know whats the funniest part of it? These “kids” who are screaming for change usually come from middle class priviledged homes. I wonder what exactly they want changed? Oh yes, MTV should play more punk and less pop. I’m sure thats exactly what the impoverished are screaming about too.
Once again I am not demeaning anyones opininon this is just friendly banter, I hope. A big shout out to my girl Anna K down in the wonderful land that gave us The Go-Betweens.
here’s to friendly banter. chink chink.
chink? chink? what kind of a racist blog is this, anyway?
Aha! Amelie you thought you could just vanish without a trace. I bet you think you’re pretty sly. I’ll admit you did conceal yourself rather well for quite some time, but you made one little mistake, you posted a comment again.
Whats a’matter you can’t call nobody? Its just one lousy quarter! Is this about the whole prison thing cause I swear that was a type o. What I meant was prisms you know as in rainbows. I was upset becasue they get such a bad wrap with whole blinding color thing. If you ask me the media should stop embelishing stories.
PS. this just in punk has been dead since around the time we were all born. Sorry I just couldnt help myself. We should all just burry the hatchet about this, after all its a corpse that were talking about. Dont you see a rotting carcass is tearing us apart! A CARCASS! Lets come to our senses. A CARCASS! No offense to anyone except Henry Rollins, from one carcass to the next. Carcass, carcass, carcass, carcass, carcass, carcass, carcass, carcass, carcass. Ok I think I’m finished.
off topic - the go-betweens…easily the best aussie band ever!!
ps - sorry
Dont appologize we needed to change the topic. And your right The Go-Betweens are the best Aussie outfit.
Punk is dead, but bands such as greenday, Blink 182 ect still live on!
What happened to Blur???
but we can also find better:
Feeder?
Oasis?
Dj Rankin?
MC Devvo?
The Devoted?
Shady Pies?
System of a down?
these are just randomley selected from my CD collection! dont go judging me a “chav” because i like Dj’s. i like everything!
Alimuham!
Believe you me, it isnt the DJ’s im cringing about.
Against Me! is an amazing band with great heart behind every one of their lyrics. they are slowly helping to spread the true anarchist view to todays youth. these boys could incite a revolution all on their own. Tom and Warren (singer and drummer) started the band with a dream of anarchy, music, hate, and the love of the lyrics. not a dream of succes. if they wouldve had just 10 fans that came to their shows, sang along to their music, they wouldve been happy. they are developing a following though, and the dream is spreading.
even though they switched to a more mainstream label, its easy to see these boys are sticking to their roots. they put on an amazing live show and know how to put the heart back into the music. you dont see many bands like against me! anymore. most the stuff out there today is watered-down corporate crap.
Anarchism will collapse into itself. You can only heat up until you evaporate, you will eventually evaporate. Before you know it your ideals are king and someone else wants you off the throne. The flaw is the age gap; You can’t tell the youth to rebel against the ideas of the old when you are the old, this is planning your own demise. The End…
I love how old this post is. Wal-mart is putting out 13 year-old punk fans daily. I just can’t keep up…fine you all win…punk rules…the changes it’s brought for society have no measure. Nothing cooler than 40 year-olds singing the anthem of my 20’s.
anarchism existed before punk, jorge. you make them sound the same.
but I suppose you’re right, they both fail.
I love anarchism!! I just hate it people who profit from it, in the same way I hate rich communist.
…I also love punk in it’s young unadulterated form. In the same way I love embryos but hate children.
well put.
By the way I think I meant - ‘I hate people who profit from it’.
Quinton & Sandra: We should really start writting on here again before Jill excommunicates us.
yeah you’re right… that is if she hasn’t done it already! i would totally understand that!
i love how everyone knows everything.
what a refreshing take on things, bored is it?
this post won’t die.
R.I.P.
father
husband
lover
saint
sinner
hello Jill… its Nathan here… that person who lived on your couch for 2 weeks….. next to quinton and anna….. yes… I know… and I agree… it was weird….
do I have to sign up for this business…>??
Nathan:
How could I ever forget someone with such incredible whistling skills?
emal me…. i entered it in the Mail (never published) section… .I presume u can see it
hehehehe…..