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Old 12-12-2009, 09:37 PM   #1
powerviolence
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Default Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

In this thread I will attempt to explain what I believe to be one of the most noble artistic movements of our modern time, in its current form it arised in the late 70s and still exists to this day, it influenced countless artists and thinkers around the world, it encompasses music, art, poetry, writing, protest, manifestations, stencil, street art, performance art, and pretty much any other way in which you can express its message, it has been kept alienated from all forms of mainstream media and capitalistic enterprises since its inception(by CHOICE), it's probably one of the largest underground movements and it inspires a passion like no other in the people that are part of it, you won't find it on TV, the radio, newspapers, magazines, or anywhere else that a mainstream minded person would think of. Before the internet, it found its vehicles in live performances and tape-trading for music, DIY zines for writing/expression, stencil art, graffiti, and primarily word of mouth, somehow it proliferated all over the world in the 80s, long before the internet, and of course the advent of the internet brought on a whole new way to share and interact, because mainstream media would never be a proper vehicle for this type of music/art/thinking, but WHY you ask, what makes it so special?

I'm speaking about something I call the Anarchist/Radical DIY Movement, I define this way because although anarchism is a key part to the ideologies of many artists, it is not imperative and a lot of artists who don't label themselves as anarchists are still DIY, are still very radically minded and are part of the movement, what is DIY? It means Do It Yourself, it's one of the key ideologies of the movement, and it means you do everything yourself, if you're a musician, it means you(or you and your band/friends/collective) write, you compose, you record, you design, you press, and you distribute. There are no managers, no companies, no contracts, no corporate influence of any kind, that's essentially what DIY means. This is why you'll never see it in any store. The movement tries to distance itself from capitalism as much as possible, but money is still necessary to fund projects so often times the musicians/artists/writers will sell their work for a few dollars/pounds by themselves or through very grassroots/underground distributers(distros) and labels that are mostly built on word of mouth and networks of activists, every major urban area has its own "scene", which basically just means the large group of activists and sympathizers in that area, within the scene there can be concerts, festivals, clandestine art shows, distribution of zines/books/writings, everything has to be very grassroots and very underground to avoid disruption from outside influences, the bigger scenes will have as much as entire anarchist bookstores/cultural centers from buildings that have been squatted in, donated, or otherwise obtained by no capitalist means, every scene has its own touch, its own story to tell, its own 'legends', its own problems.

Now, what are the ideals of anarchism and radicalism that are so important and urgent to put in music or writing and disitribute? Well I will attempt to explain anarchism in my own words first, if you were coming from a mainstream background and you heard the word "anarchism" or "anarchy" you might think of chaos, buildings on fire, people throwing stuff, terrorists, etc.. that's no coincidence, and that's exactly what the system would want you to believe.

But anarchism actually is a very beautiful philosophical way of thinking that stems from centuries ago, in which the individual pledges no allegiance to any outside organizations/forms of power, attempting to return the individual to its most purest, untainted state, in other words, the anarchist wishes to see a place with no governments, a place with no flags, no countries, and no religions, the anarchist can't be caught up in petty issues like race, gender, orientation or nationality, anti-homophobia, anti-sexism and gender equality are key ideals of the movement, the anarchist attempts to live in this capitalist world by consuming as little as possible and participating as little as possible in mainstream society. Most anarchists are extremely creative, artistic and expressive people so they choose to embark in projects in order to express these radical thoughts, whether it be musical,written, or whatever else, it's always done in a very humble, very underground way, always with a "those who want it will find it" point of view, the projects will be shown/distributed to the local scene and from then on it'll seep to the global scene as a whole, through word of mouth mainly, with the internet it became much easier for things to be distributed, and now underground blogs, sites, etc.. serve to connect scenes a lot, there are no hierarchies within anarchism, no leaders, no presidents, organization is always based on mutual help/responsiblity, it's a mini-utopia of sorts.. who knows if this could work on a larger level for the entire society, but as an art movement it mostly serves to educate and inspire.

If you're familiar at all with spirituality/conspiracies you'll know that the only way to be 'enlightened' is to discard all petty distractions of mainstream life, for they have been created by outside forces, to never trust goverments, media, or religions, to see all artificially imposed borders and distinctions for what they are, to find out you're your own god , to discard money and currency, basically the purity that we all seek, now you see why anarchism is important? it advocates those exact things, except it doesnt come in some campy new age video you paid 20 bucks for and if you're on this site then youll understand the urgency of these people to express these messages and the need for their thoughts to be expressed the way they are.

Now onto some actual artists... Let me begin with what I believe are the catalyst for our modern radical movement.. this was a band/collective that started in the late 70s, it was the first of its kind, it was the first punk band, they were anarchists, they were activists and they set the blueprint for anarchist collectives, if you come from a mainstream background you might be thinking "sex pistols", the answer is absolutely not, that was the systematic, mainstream response to 'punk', which of course was nothing but a mockery, a farce, it distorted and bastardized the meaning of the words punk and anarchy forever which of course is what the system wanted.

The first punk band was named CRASS. They employed the ideals of anarchism, not mindless anarchy/destruction, from their inception they had several ideals that would never be broken, they were never to be related in way to any corporations, companies, or record labes, they were never to be on mainstream media of any type, they were going to design, produce, press, and distribute their records all by themselves, they were a collective of people that included artists and filmmakers, their live performances would be composed of music, a film projection, and distribution of written anarchist material to those who attented, their music would be extremely underground, their lyrics would relentlessly denounce all systematic oppression as much as they could in every song, no time was to be wasted, they were rabid, they also had female members, which brought on another dimension to the band and established one of the cornerstones of the movement, gender equality,sexism was angrily tackled by crass' female singer eve libertine, in fact one of their records was called 'penis envy', crass had a male singer and a female singer, which would became a customary tradition for a lot of bands to come, they would sell their records by themselves for a meager amount in order to finance their cause, they formed in 1977 and from the beginning announced they would end in 1984, but not before changing the world forever.

It's not that CRASS' music was life-changing or earth-changing, although it was very avant-garde and it helped to spawn the much more elaborate and heavier genres of hardcore punk, anarcho punk and crust punk, it was the way in which they did things that inspired and influenced people, anarchism existed beforehand, but never as a musical/art movement, this brought it directly to the YOUTH, which clinged on to it with upmost passion. Anybody could start a band, group or collective, anybody could write a zine, anybody could distribute, anybody could stand up and protest and express dissent, this brought on a whole new generation of DIY musicians and artists, all around the world. Crass are the fore fathers of anarcho punk, but the movement influenced many more genres and forms of expression. Crass' own scene had plenty of key-artists that collaborated with crass, who made their own underground record label in order to produce and distribute all this material, many records were produced, many performances were made, and many people were inspired. Crass did break up in 1984, but by then, punk movements had spawned all around the world thanks to mainstream punk becoming widespread, and it wasnt long before anarcho-punk movements spawned within those scenes. The anarcho punk sound evolved into crust punk, a much heavier, much brutal form, which in turn fused with underground metal and evolved into grindcore it also helped to spawn many other subgenres of punk such as dbeat, power violence, stenchcore, sludge, doom, and pretty much any type of DIY radical music.

Now, one of my favorite aspects of this genre, or movement, is its art..I'm an artist myself, and this type of art just speaks to my heart, its urgency, its blunt look, its underground origin.. the music is very very heavy at times(although also melodic/mellow somtimes) so I would say it's mostly inacessible unless you enjoy punk/metal music, but the art can be looked at by anyone, so I will post a few pictures of album covers and other anarchist art, keep in mind there's quite possibly hundreds if not thousands of examples, mainstream society would have you believe "punk" is some stupid genre of music about little kids with spiky green hair, skateboarding, throwing things around, silly stuff, who knows what else , in reality its the most widespread global form of direct activism through art/protest and all that with no mainstream/capitalist influence whatsoever.

Crass/british anarcho punk imagery 1977-1984:




















The british anarcho punk scene was pretty much the blueprint, but scenes sprung up all around the world, and exist even to this day, now some examples of things from other countries:

Atrocious Madness - The Uses of HAARP - 1997 - USA


Desobediencia Civil - Cuanto Tiempo Mas? (How Much Longer?)- Mexico


Aus Rotten - And Now Back To Our Programming... - 1999 - USA


Antisect - In Darkness There Is No Choice - 1983 - UK


Antisect - Peace Is Better Than A Place In History - 1993 - UK


Anthrax - Capitalism Is Cannibalism - 1982 - UK


Atoxxxico - Tu Tienes La Razon (You Have Reason)- 1990 - Mexico


Fusiladxs Por La Democracia - Argentina - 2008


Active Minds - Capitalism Is a Disease And Money is An Addictive Drug - 1991 -UK


Contravene - Forever In Struggle - 1999 - USA


Antischism -All Your Money Stinks Of Death - 1988 - USA


Desacato - Lucha Por Tu Libertad (Fight For Your Freedom)- 2006 - Uruguay


Psicosis Social - El Punk Es De Los Explotados (Punk Is From Those who are Exploited) - 2001 - Bolivia


Barrakas - Que La Realidad Te Lo Explique Mejor (Let Reality Explain It To You Better) - 2008 - Costa Rica


Masskontroll - Will You Ever Learn? - 1995 - USA


Acefalo - Transito De Los Muertos (Transit of The Dead) - 2007 - Chile


Swasticarcass - Lowest Display of Humanity - 2007 - USA


His Hero Is Gone - Monuments To Thieves - 1997 - USA


Profit And Murder - Self-Titled - 2006 - Germany


Anyway, I hope I have given you a little insight into something that we aren't generally exposed to, something that is portrayed as something entirely different by mainstream society/media, if there's interest I could post more album covers or even song lyrics to further explore this very interesting genre of music/art/protest.

Last edited by powerviolence; 12-12-2009 at 09:42 PM.
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Old 12-12-2009, 10:01 PM   #2
Oliver
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Thank you, Powerviolence.
Punk have a pure energy of love for freedom.

This is Anarchopedia link. Can be useful.
http://www.anarchopedia.org/Main_Page

Greetings
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Old 12-13-2009, 10:39 AM   #3
Anchor
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

This thread made me happy.

I also think the correct method of control going forwards into a new and better paradigm is not to have any.

Each man and woman complete personal accountable for their own actions and taking complete responsibility for each thought action, word and deed.

Essentially, perfect anarchy.

No boxes. No lines in the sand.

When you are creators - this is the way it is. The only laws are the laws of creation and the associated physics and metaphysics - the truth of all manifest things.

A..

Last edited by Gareth; 12-13-2009 at 07:21 PM. Reason: Spelling
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Old 12-13-2009, 11:04 AM   #4
Oliver
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Indeed, Anchor, the personal responsibility is a key to an anarchy system.
Ontologicaly, Anarchy blocks the behavior pushed by the ego.
Two main manifestations of the ego are Power and Property.
The first self-proclaimed anarchyst Pierre-Joseph Proudhon in his groundbreaking work "What is Property?" (1840) answered: Property is Theft!

The System was always trying to show Anarchy as disorder, chaos and violence, which is quite an opposite. Anarchy is a real political danger for the ruling system. Anarchy begins with the unconditional love for others, as equals, and high personal responsibility and conscious, the very essence of the true anarchy, are driven by it.

Love&Respect
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Old 12-13-2009, 11:18 AM   #5
Anchor
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oliver View Post
Anarchy is a real political danger for the ruling system. Anarchy begins with the unconditional love for others, as equals, and high personal responsibility and conscious, the very essence of the true anarchy, are driven by it.

Love&Respect
Thanks! Its posts like this that make this forum worthwhile for me.

Anarchy has been "programmed" into the masses as dangerous - because it is. Not because of hyper-aggressive behavior by people with no hair, boots and bad singing voices.

True anarchy, requires total responsibility. Total responsibility means its all up to you. You might even get to realize that you are part of creation and a co-creator. OMG! People might realize they are part of God and have freewill and can do as they please.

I can see it now, some elite hidden illuminati debate: You are hereby ordered to go forth and portray all anarchy in the media as violent and mindless thuggery. Here is a billion for the PR - make it happen or we will accuse you of kiddie fiddling (that's how we do it these days) and you'll loose everything. Go on mr pawn shoo, run along, that will be all.

A..

Last edited by Anchor; 12-13-2009 at 11:32 AM.
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Old 12-13-2009, 11:28 AM   #6
Oliver
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Exact.
Thank you Anchor.
True anarchy has nothing to do with violence.
It is a window through one can see and touch the real potential of human beings.

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Old 12-13-2009, 11:36 AM   #7
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Wink Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Wow! Your post was a pleasant surprise. I am familiar with the anarcho-crust-diy movement and have listened to many of the bands you have posted. CRASS, Aus-Rotten,and Nausea are some of my favs! Although the music is probably a little too much for most people here at Avalon. It's the message that is important. Furthermore, you dug through the heaping pile of corporate lies and cliches that the mainstream has used to discredit and profit from the movement. You laid the truth out perfectly!! Thanks so much!
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Old 12-13-2009, 11:56 AM   #8
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

brilliant! a very nice suprise but something that is well overdue and undervalued.

thanks very much for all the effort you put into this.

crass and conflict have and still do stand the test of time, because they are eternal human principles.


merry crassmas!!

and Hare Krishna
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Old 12-13-2009, 02:45 PM   #9
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Cool Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Great thread, you are a champion, learnt alot cheers.

Last edited by Luminari; 01-03-2010 at 03:05 AM. Reason: language rephrasing
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Old 12-13-2009, 07:07 PM   #10
Mark
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

'Big A little A' by Crass - one of my favorites. Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIdcDL64KCE
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Old 12-14-2009, 12:37 AM   #11
powerviolence
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oliver View Post
Indeed, Anchor, the personal responsibility is a key to an anarchy system.
Ontologicaly, Anarchy blocks the behavior pushed by the ego.
Two main manifestations of the ego are Power and Property.
The first self-proclaimed anarchyst Pierre-Joseph Proudhon in his groundbreaking work "What is Property?" (1840) answered: Property is Theft!

The System was always trying to show Anarchy as disorder, chaos and violence, which is quite an opposite. Anarchy is a real political danger for the ruling system. Anarchy begins with the unconditional love for others, as equals, and high personal responsibility and conscious, the very essence of the true anarchy, are driven by it.

Love&Respect
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anchor View Post
Thanks! Its posts like this that make this forum worthwhile for me.

Anarchy has been "programmed" into the masses as dangerous - because it is. Not because of hyper-aggressive behavior by people with no hair, boots and bad singing voices.

True anarchy, requires total responsibility. Total responsibility means its all up to you. You might even get to realize that you are part of creation and a co-creator. OMG! People might realize they are part of God and have freewill and can do as they please.

I can see it now, some elite hidden illuminati debate: You are hereby ordered to go forth and portray all anarchy in the media as violent and mindless thuggery. Here is a billion for the PR - make it happen or we will accuse you of kiddie fiddling (that's how we do it these days) and you'll loose everything. Go on mr pawn shoo, run along, that will be all.

A..
Cheers to you guys and everyone else whos posted!.. I was SHOCKED to say the least, that other people were aware of anarcho punk.. to me it had always been like the best kept secret of the world.. I would see new age people debate and advocate things that sounded like they could've been lifted straight out of any anarchist way of thinking, so I felt compelled to share with the audience of this website because I knew they would appreciate it.

Anarchism is a beautiful philosohopy, any anarchist knows that he/she will never ,ever see anarchism put into function within their lifetime.. but when people speak of a perfect utopian eden in which we're all spiritualy advanced enough to interact without opressive forms of power overseeing us, but rather solely on mutal aid and responsiblity, that is anarchism, whether people realize or not.

It's sad how distorted the image of 'anarchy' and even the beautiful symbol of the circled A have become, the system has done more than enough to corrupt and portray anarchy and anarchists.. Whenever you see anarchist protests(which they show on the media sometimes, albeit portrayed as 'terrorism' 'mindless rioting', etc) just realize those people are fighting for upmost and ultimate FREEDOM, there is no agenda beyond that, no organization, no purpose, just that, FREEDOM and ENLIGHTENMENT, when pushed to the limit, violent encounters between anarchists and riot police do occur.. those people are courageous enough to physically fight the system in riots and protest, often times dying in the process.

Now, how about some song lyrics from anarcho punk bands? hopefully this will help those unfamiliar understand the massive difference between radical music and the illuminati produced garbage you're fed on radio/tv.

Rudimentary Peni - Cosmetic Plague - 1981 - UK
Being honest is no means of survival, avoid your inner-feelings like the plague,
This is what it takes to comply with the images this structure will accomodate,
But things aren't what they seem when they're partially hidden behind walls of pretence built for peace of mind.
The barriers between us are forever maintained by our acceptance of the roles others choose to define.

In a world of competition life's portrayed as a contest where we're forced to live by making gains at others expense,
But no-one's really gaining when perpetual conflict's the result of our relationships based on pretence,
We don't need this cultural cosmetic division it upholds the self-interest on which the system feeds,
A deconditioned consciousness of mutual respect is the only way to cure this cosmetic disease.



Crass - You Pay - 1978
You're paying for prisons.
You're paying for war.
You're paying for lobotomies.
You're paying for law.
You're paying for their order.
You're paying for their murder.
Paying for your ticket
To watch the farce.

Knowing you've made you're contribution
To the systems ****ed solution,
To their political pollution.
No chance of revolution.
No chance of change.
You've got no range.

Don't just take it.
Don't take their ****.
Don't' play their game.
Don't take their blame.
USE YOUR OWN HEAD.
Your turn instead.

It's not apologise. It's not economise.
It's not make do. It's not pull through.
It's not take it. It's not make it.
It's not just you. It's not madmen.
It's not difficult. It's not behave.
It's not, oh well, just this once.
It's ****ing impossible.
It's ****ing unbearable.
It's ****ing stupid.


Crass - Banned From The Roxy - 1978
Banned from the Roxy... O.K.
I never much liked playing there anyway.
They said they only wanted well behaved boys,
Do they think guitars and microphones are just ****ing toys?
**** 'em, I chosen to make my stand,
Against what I feel is wrong with this land.
They just sit there on their overfed arses,
Feeding off the sweat of less fortunate classes.
They keep their ****ing power cause their finger's on the button,
They've got control and won't let it be forgotten.
The truth of their reality is at the wrong end of a gun,
The proof of that is Belfast and that's no ****ing fun.
Seeing the squaddy lying in the front yard,
Seeing the machine guns resting on the fence.
Finding the entrance to your own front door is barred
And they've got the ****ing nerve to call it defence.
Seems their defence is just the threat of strength,
Protection for the privileged at any length.
The government protecting their profits from the poor,
The rich and the fortunate chaining up the door.
Afraid that the people may ask for a little more
Than the **** they get. The **** they get.
The **** they get. The **** they get.
The **** they get. The **** they get.
The **** they get. The **** they get.
DEFENCE? ****, IT'S NOTHING LESS THEN WAR
AND NO ONE BUT THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS WHAT THE **** IT'S FOR.

Oh yes they say it's defence, they say it's decency,
Mai Lai, Hiroshima, know what I mean?
The same ****ing lies with depressing frequency,
They say "We had to do it to keep our lives clean"
Well whose like? Whose ****ing life?
Who the **** are they talking to?
Whose life? Whose ****ing life?
I tell you one thing, it ain't me and you.
And their system, christ, they're everywhere,
School, army, church, corporation deal.
A ****ed up reality based on fear,
A ****ing conspiracy to stop you feeling real.
Well ain't got me, I'd say their ****ing wrong,
I ain't quite ready with my gun, but I've got my song...
Banned from the Roxy, well O.K.
I never much liked playing there anyway.
GUNS.


Crass - Walls - 1979
...desire, desire, desire, desire,
Desire, desire, desire, desire,
Desire, desire, desire, desire,
Describe, desire, defile, deny.
Defile, desire, deny, desire.
Describe, describe, describe, describe.
No air to breath inside your walls,
Left to dream inside your walls.
Left us in a wilderness,
Well I can make my paradise.
Without your walls I am alive,
No body I, in rank and file.
Girl and boy and man and wife,
Flesh your measure with a smile.
Have and hold and hold and have,
Have and hold and hold and have.
Desire, deny, deny, desire,
Have a child to justify.
Images that you apply,
I won't bow my head in shame.
I won't play the game the same,
Without your walls I am alive.
Without your walls we all survive,
Without your walls no guilt to bear.
Without your love, our love to share,
Without your walls I am alive.
Without your walls I am alive.
Without your walls I am alive.
WITHOUT YOUR WALLS I AM ALIVE...


Crass - You Can Be Who? - 1982
Don't want a life of lies and pretence
Don't want to play at attack and defense
Just want my own life. I want to be free
So you can be you, and I can be me.

Respectable businessman smart and secure
Eat the fat of the land that they robbed from the poor
The butcher is smiling as he brings down the knife
As he cuts up the meat, he thinks of the wife
As eminent psychiatrists suffer paranoid fits
The ones they call mad have to pick up the bits
The preachers speaks calmly, says it's love that we lack
While his imaginary dagger is held at our back

Don't want a life of lies and pretence
Don't want to play at attack and defense
Just want my own life. I want to be free
So you can be you, and I can be me.

In bed you're the master or mistress, who cares?
Abusing each other as your work off your fears
Go climb a mountain, go **** a scout
Avoidance of self is what it's about
Pretence and illusion to avoid who you are
Don't work on yourself, just polish the car
Switch on the telly afraid you might find
That as well as a body you've also a mind
Cheap glossy surface to cover the lie
Cheap easy answers to the what, where and why
Media drivel, yet you still watch the screen
Life ain't for real, it's a magazine
Conned from the start but hang onto the lies
You're a slave to the cathode ray paradise
You don't want the world, you just want the pics
Media junkies, you'd die for a fix

Don't want a life of lies and pretence
Don't want to play at attack and defense
Just want my own life. I want to be free
So you can be you, and I can be me.

So you say you'll regret it, well that's maybe a start
But it's so ****ing easy to act out a part
Say you'll reject it, but still toe the line
Conning yourself that you're doing just fine
Anarchy, freedom, more games to play?
Fight war, not wars? Well it's something to say
Slogans and badges worn without thought
Instant identities so cheaply bought
Well freedom ain't product, it just isn't fun
You're looking for peace your work's just begun
Fighting oppression, aggression and hate
Fighting warmongers before it's too late
We've got to fight back to show that we care
For so many years we've been silenced by fear
Our lives have been ruined by liars and fools
The powerful and greedy who bind us with rules
Politicians and preachers who bind us with laws
Stolen our peace and given us wars
They've used us as means to their own violent ends
Turned us against each other, made foes out of friends
They've distorted, perverted, polluted our lives
They've brainwashed the world with their sordid beliefs
They seek to possess, control and corrupt
If it's freedom we're after, they've got to be stopped.


Crass - I Know There Is Love - 1982
Do you think I was born on this wretched earth for you to govern and kill?
In your stinking factories and offices with your stupid systems and skills.
Do you think I've got nothing better to do than to grovel in the **** and the ****,
Asking for the bread and home that's mine and waiting for a pat on the back?
You think I've got nothing better to do than to live in the lie that you give?
Learn the sweet morals, the lessons, the games and praise god for the fact that I live?

You took me and made me a MAN
By making me strong, the power of this land.
You took a woman and taught her she's less,
A slave to the strong no more than a guest.
You taught me to love, find a mate and to take
A woman to serve but your love is just rape.
You leave me my children to hold and distort,
To bind with your rules of normality till caught.
I give them the food that you sell in the shops,
I'm told is has goodness when it's only the slops.
You've taken my health with your ****ty benevolence,
You've take my dignity with your dole queue dependence.
You taught me to steal when I wanted to share,
To take for myself and not even care.
You've stifled my vision with oppressive authority,
The dreams and the hopes nearly fade to strangle me.
You gave me confusion until I had learnt
To obey all the orders and never get burnt.
I shout in the streets and you take my voice,
This sham of democracy leaves no choice.
You've taken my eyes till there's nothing to see
Except abuse and destruction, no chance to be free.
You've taken my thinking, my means of survival,
Thrust in my hand your gun and your bible.
You told me to kill for the lord up above,
You've given me hate when I KNOW THERE IS LOVE.
You told me to kill for the lord up above,
You've given me hate when I KNOW THERE IS LOVE.


Subhumans - Big Brother - 1982
Here we are in a new age
Wishing we were dead
There's a TV in my front room
And it's screwing up my head
There's a scanner in the toilet
To watch you take a bath
And there's a picture of Hiroshima
To make sure you never laugh

And somebody told me
"Big Brother's watching you"
And somebody else said
"You know it's not true"
Who do you believe?
Well the police have all gone crazy
You never had it so bad
They take away the dignity
That you never really had
They know all about you
They even know what you drink
And if they thought you were worth it
They could sus out what you think
And think your crazy

Well they asked me how to prove it
And there was nothing I could say
I said "Watch out for Big Brother"
And then they put me away
They said I was paranoid
Because I wrote this song
But they didn't need to read it
Because they knew it all along


Subhumans - From Cradle To The Grave - 1984
Well they took you from your mother's womb and put you in a school
Told you how to run your life by following the rules
Told you not to pick your nose or disrespect the queen
Scrub your teeth three times a day keep mind and body clean
Save up all your pocket money, nothing is for free
And you'd better trust your parents cos there's no one else you see
And then they send you off each day remember what you're told
"You may think you don't need teaching but you'll need it when you're old"

And if you're too intelligent they'll cut you down to size
They'll praise you til you're happy then they'll fill you full of lies
Cos intelligence is threatening and genius is sin
If you could ever see through them they know they'd never win

So they channel your ability into the right direction
If you're good enough and rich enough you can be a politician
On the other hand if your too thick they'll tell you that you're lazy
They'll put you down and wind you up until it drives you crazy

They'll say you ought to learn a trade to help you in your life
Success is written in three parts: A job, a house, a wife
They'll say that school prepares you for the awesome world outside
Well it certainly gives you bigotry and patriotic pride

Racism, sexism teacher to class
From school to work remains the sameare you white and middle class?

You'll learn that bad men dress in black and good men dress in white
And the pamphlets in the playground say that's right
And that girls were made for housework and boys were made to fight
And the naughty pictures on page 3 make everything alright

And so from school to the outside world these morals you will take
And unless you can reject them you'll have your mind at stake

They'll give you a decision when you get to 18, too
The right to vote for someone else who says he cares for you
But the only thing he cares about is getting to the top
By conning you with empty words that promise you a lot
But the end result is slavery to a false set of ideals
You'll be tempted to believe them cos they'll seem so very real
The slavery of attitudes that make you keep in line
Subconsciously devoted to the morals of our time

And when you end up on the dole which you very likely will
They'll offer you a brand new trade: Learning how to kill

Why don't you join the army? Be a man and not a fool
There's someone else to think for you just like there was at school

They'll promise you absolution from the murders you'll commit
In the name of god and country they can get away with it
They fill you full of orders and promise you rewards
Like busting up your family by sending you abroad
A holiday in Germany or Iceland or Hong Kong
Making money being useless well it seems it can't go wrong
But then it's off to Northern Ireland where you'll practice what they preached
You'll shoot to keep yourself alive and kill to keep the peace
And then it won't be so much fun as you hear the wounded crying
Cos before they couldn't speak english and you didn't know what they were saying
But when the children call you "*******" it will make you think again
When you cannot tell the difference between animals and men

Animals don't wear uniforms but they kill as much as you
But the army kills for money and animals kill for food
It's the basest degredation in the name of what is right
Become something you never were and regret it til you die

Cos your father will tell you "Sonny, you must do as you are told"
And you'll say the same thing to your kids when you're 32 years old
And unless you can react against the brainwash from the start
Your government will rule your mind and your mind will rule your heart
You'll conform to every social law and be the system's slave
From birth to school to work to death, from the cradle to the grave.....


Well, this was just a glimpse of what basically was the first generation of anarcho punk, the stuff that inspired people all around the world to express radical feelings and start up their own local scenes, it's easy to imagine the massive amount of stuff that has been written in the past 30 years in all different places, the genre has evolved and improved, but we can see right from the very beginning they were doing something that was way ahead of their time, nobody else in the 70s or 80s were doing the type of stuff that they did, not even close...
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Old 12-14-2009, 01:04 AM   #12
Fredkc
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Dear God;
Save me from all "important" movies, and music.

"Young enough to know better, too old to care!"



Fred
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Old 12-14-2009, 01:31 AM   #13
MadSheeple
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Thank you for posting this, I absolutly love punk music and it's message. It inspires me in the deepest ways. I mostly listen to the corrupted "commercial" form of punk tho... But I don't mind, because I think I am conscious enough to take the positive, integrate it and the rest just goes in and right out.

My favorite band is Rise Against, probably because it is the one I have been the most exposed and felt/feel connected too.

Thank you for reminding me of this beautiful philosophy.
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Old 12-14-2009, 06:58 PM   #14
Swanny
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

The only two types of music I can't listen to are Opera and Punk, both of them make me rush to the radio to stop the sound
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Old 12-14-2009, 07:16 PM   #15
Mark
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

I'm blessed then. I can listen to all types of music unless it's popular mass manufactured dribble akin with X factor...
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Old 12-15-2009, 02:49 AM   #16
powerviolence
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredkc View Post
Dear God;
Save me from all "important" movies, and music.

"Young enough to know better, too old to care!"



Fred

Quote:
Originally Posted by Swanny View Post
The only two types of music I can't listen to are Opera and Punk, both of them make me rush to the radio to stop the sound
Like I said, punk is not on the radio or any type of mainstream outlets, chances are you've never heard what punk sounds like.

But anyway, I realize how inaccesible the music is, just by being so avantgarde, fast and heavy, so I don't expect anyone here to get into it, but I wanted to speak a little about what the movement is ABOUT and how many similarities there is between the anarchist way of thinking, and the new age spiritiual 'enlightenment' that we're all seeking nowadays, many many parallels, and this movement started three decades ago, before a lot of us had even realized how fake everything was and that we had to 'stand up' and discard all the illuminati-created aspects of our lives.
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Old 12-15-2009, 02:58 AM   #17
Humble Janitor
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

I grew up not being able to fit in with any of the typical social cliches in high school. I got into crust/anarcho punk and learned about things that I ordinary wouldn't know about. I grew to appreciate the art of Crass, Conflict and countless other bands. They didn't just make music (Crass actually managed to rile up Thatcher in the 80s) but they used it as a means to educate as well.

I'm a dj for local college radio (WRUV) and I play a lot of anaracho/crust punk on my show. I also have a similar understanding of the punk "movement" as the original poster does and I'm glad to see that I'm not alone on here in my appreciation of such things.

Of course, there is still quite a difference between "Black Bloc" anarchists (the ones the media loves to talk about whenever they want to criticize anarchism) and peaceful anarchists.

As for punk not being on the radio? It all depends on what type of radio you mean. I can smell a band that's only making music to make money from 2 miles away.

Last edited by Humble Janitor; 12-15-2009 at 03:02 AM.
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Old 01-03-2010, 03:02 AM   #18
Inexistencia
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Default Punk it's important critical thinking

I feel the original post expresses anarchy through the eyes of the punk movement beautifully.

I believe true anarchism leads to libertarian ideals once the enforced order has fully been removed and the individual can look past his own fight for freedom and out onto those around him.

That said. Without critical pedagogy (the practice of constant questioning of assumed information) being practiced by teachers. State funded 'schooling' and its deviant direction towards consumer based employee minded slaves will continue to create generations of mediocre masses trained to follow the bouncing ball of media propaganda and clique segregation. Where only those few like punks rebellious enough to clearly see the foolishness of learning to consume ideas instead of creating them can escape through the cracks.
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Old 01-03-2010, 04:05 AM   #19
Magamud
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Default Re: Let me tell you what Punk really is and why it's important

I cannot think on any better way to express myself then with a video quote from Alan Moore on Anarchism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKfF-nxjDi0
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