benevans

Hey,

I’m currently in my final year of a Media and Communications course at the University of Central England, Birmingham, England. I’m in the process of writing my dissertation under the topic of Punk music, and my question for the study reads;

“What values and meanings does the Punk music genre have for the users of the Music Banter forums?”

I’ve been browsing the forums for a while, and feel that this is a good place to conduct my study. In order to try and find the information I need I am going to post a few questions on here and hope that some of you could answer them as thoroughly as possible. So here goes:

1) When you hear the term ‘punk’, what sort of things do you think about and associate with it?
2) How do you think that punk has changed since it first emerged?
3) What are your opinions on the type of bands that are considered as punk today compared to the punk bands that were around years ago?
4) Do you think that punk is a male orientated culture? Or that females are involved just as much?
5) How do you think that the punk lifestyle differs from a number of years ago? For example, fashion, film, social lives etc.
6) Are you involved with or know of any local punk communities that are active local to you?
7) Do you think that punk (music) is more ‘mainstream’ now than it has been before?
8) Or is there still a large amount of underground punk that many people are not aware of?

Although it would be a great help, by no means do you have to answer every question here if you wish to contribute, as any contribution will be greatly appreciated. This study is purely for academic use only and will not be used commercially. If you could express your views and opinions and debate amongst yourselves some of the topics here then again, I would be extremely grateful.

Thanks,
Ben

The Dave

1) When you hear the term ‘punk’, what sort of things do you think about and associate with it?
I get a picture of The Germs
2) How do you think that punk has changed since it first emerged?
It's no longer as... taboo? as it used to be.
3) What are your opinions on the type of bands that are considered as punk today compared to the punk bands that were around years ago?
There isn't much actual punk today, it's mainly just pop punk.
4) Do you think that punk is a male orientated culture? Or that females are involved just as much?
I see no problem with females enjoying punk music, or any music for that matter. However, I feel that there are more men who claim to like punk.
5) How do you think that the punk lifestyle differs from a number of years ago? For example, fashion, film, social lives etc.
Like I've said, there isn't much actual punk today, and the majority of people who listen to actual punk dress and act the same way the kids back in the early 80's did. So I don't think it's changed at all.
6) Are you involved with or know of any local punk communities that are active local to you?
Nope
7) Do you think that punk (music) is more ‘mainstream’ now than it has been before?
Yes
8) Or is there still a large amount of underground punk that many people are not aware of?
Yes


Hope this helps.

can_i_say

1) When you hear the term ‘punk’, what sort of things do you think about and associate with it?
Circle pits and raised fists.

2) How do you think that punk has changed since it first emerged?
Every element of it has been dissected and taken to an extreme from crust to pop.

3) What are your opinions on the type of bands that are considered as punk today compared to the punk bands that were around years ago?
Bands that the average person would consider to be punk are poppier than 70's punk, but are similar, bands like The Ramones and The Buzz****s played pop punk.

4) Do you think that punk is a male orientated culture? Or that females are involved just as much?
Mainstream pop punk is even, hardcore is more male orientated.

5) How do you think that the punk lifestyle differs from a number of years ago? For example, fashion, film, social lives etc.
"and the majority of people who listen to actual punk dress and act the same way the kids back in the early 80's did. So I don't think it's changed at all." - I agree with this.

6) Are you involved with or know of any local punk communities that are active local to you?
I go to some gigs of local punk/hardcore bands. I prefer the American scene.


7) Do you think that punk (music) is more ‘mainstream’ now than it has been before?
Pop Punk is bigger, but the first wave of bands were popular too. A lot of todays indie pop/rock is influenced by The Clash/Ramones.

8) Or is there still a large amount of underground punk that many people are not aware of?
Yes.

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punk-4-life

1) When you hear the term ‘punk’, what sort of things do you think about and associate with it?
raised fists and leather jakets
2) How do you think that punk has changed since it first emerged?
more acceptable
3) What are your opinions on the type of bands that are considered as punk today compared to the punk bands that were around years ago?
most of todays bands are more pollished where as older punk is raw
4) Do you think that punk is a male orientated culture? Or that females are involved just as much?
its for both!!!
5) How do you think that the punk lifestyle differs from a number of years ago? For example, fashion, film, social lives etc.
punks are getting younger and younger(not a bad thing)so most still live with parents and have restrictions... but clothing still the same (never will change)
6) Are you involved with or know of any local punk communities that are active local to you?
i am in a tribe... there arnt very many around but there are large tribes around my area
7) Do you think that punk (music) is more ‘mainstream’ now than it has been before?
yes but it is a good thing in my oppinion because truse punk has a mesage and the more people hear the message the more impact it will have
8) Or is there still a large amount of underground punk that many people are not aware of?
there are constantly underground shows and bands at parties.....

655321

1) When you hear the term ‘punk’, what sort of things do you think about and associate with it?
i of something i saw at show were a 16yr old threw 28 yr old redneck at the cealing and a bunch of kids hanging out under a bridge(two first not the the same)
2) How do you think that punk has changed since it first emerged?
i think its become alot accepted in the mainstream cuase its been warped inot the main stream alot but there are still accual punk out there
3) What are your opinions on the type of bands that are considered as punk today compared to the punk bands that were around years ago?i think that the ones everyone knows about like not punk are "pop-punk or emo" but there are still punk bands out there just as hardcore and into it as in the 70's
4) Do you think that punk is a male orientated culture? Or that females are involved just as much?chicks were never really excluded from punk punk but not always as prominant but i think its pretty equal
5) How do you think that the punk lifestyle differs from a number of years ago? For example, fashion, film, social lives etc. i think you'll see he same sort of stuff in the street/crust punk "scene"
6) Are you involved with or know of any local punk communities that are active local to you? i wouldnt say invloved like its some time/perticipation checked/leveled sort of thing but yes there are lots of punk bands and people in the area
7) Do you think that punk (music) is more ‘mainstream’ now than it has been before?yes but there arent really "REAL" punk bands in the mainstream cuase it isnt a sweeping rage but there are a few real punk bands in the mainstream
8) Or is there still a large amount of underground punk that many people are not aware of? yeah there are lots of bands at shows and parties and lots of poeple hear about underground borderline mainstream bands like choking victim from places like intrenet forums, older sibling and bands sell compilations

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Well there's one thing to know about this town
Not a person doesn't want me underground

Jadix

1) When you hear the term ‘punk’, what sort of things do you think about and associate with it?

Rebellion. Freedom. Not holding back. Forgetting about social boundaries. Letting go.

2) How do you think that punk has changed since it first emerged?

When it first emerged, it was about shocking people. They'd dress up as weird as possible, with the craziest hair style to make people wonder what the **** was going on. Nowadays fashion really means nothing. Nowadays true punk revolves around staying out of the mainstream. Dont get me wrong, this part of it is shared with early punk, but today its what is most important i think. Today, if you have a major record deal, you better be a damn good lyricist to stay punk. NOFX and Green Day come to mind.

3) What are your opinions on the type of bands that are considered as punk today compared to the punk bands that were around years ago?

When I think current day punk, I think college bands that dont give a ****. I wasn't around the punk scene in the 80s so I cant really compare them.

4) Do you think that punk is a male orientated culture? Or that females are involved just as much?

Punk is a human culture. It is not gender specific. Though more males listen to punk, punk itself has nothing to do with gender. Punk is about humans, and the emotions we feel towards our surroundings.

5) How do you think that the punk lifestyle differs from a number of years ago? For example, fashion, film, social lives etc.
Punks today are much less dependent on shocking people. If you come out with a two foot mohawk today people will laugh, where 20-30 years ago they would be afraid. Fashion has little to do with punk, in fact lack of fashion sense today would probably make you more punk. Lifestyle-wise, its just about getting away from "the system". We all work or go to school, so punk is a temporary escape from that. The lifestyle of a punk-rocker today is probably not far off from years ago. They're still playing small gigs, still doing things on their own (recording with computers), and still refusing to sell out.

6) Are you involved with or know of any local punk communities that are active local to you?
I live in a college town, and play in a band with some punk qualities.

7) Do you think that punk (music) is more ‘mainstream’ now than it has been before?
No. Sure there are mainstream bands that sound similar to punk bands, but their emotion isn't there, and it takes more than simple riffs to make a punk song. Punk is about attitude, and the mainstream crowd just doesn't have it.

8) Or is there still a large amount of underground punk that many people are not aware of?

There is plenty of underground punk, though you're going to have to sit through a lot of ****ty emo bands to find it.