The following is directly from PC-PDX with love and reposted with permission:
Punk Rock isn't a website or MUSIC or anything else but community and something close to a way of thinking. Punk is the ability to think for yourself and realizing that you don't have to accept the crap that's fed to you. Punk is the reasoning that you can make you own choices and that you can make it happen for yourself (DIY) and those around you (DIT!). Punk is about accepting and creating something new.
Whille PR is music, Punk is freedom, liberation of the mind from garbage that people give you. The music is one of many ways we express ourselves in this manor, but, there is much more then just the music.
When i talk about music it's THE music, not a style.
As far as the website goes..
It's not MY website, It's always referred to as THE Guide and it's operations are ALWAYS a 'WE', because it's about the musical community and building that community.
I don't give a shit about google hits either. It doesn't rate as a ego boost to me. I do state this stuff because i'm trying to communicate that people want this info but can't get it from anywhere else. People are interested, and this site is the somehow they use to get the info. In case you aren't aware, this scene that we are in now, amazing as it is, is very clicky and very exclusionary - which is the farthest thing from punk. Those are two adjectives which mean the opposite of punk. As awesome as the Portland PR scene is, it's difficult to get into because people are, knowingly or not, very exclusionary about letting outsiders in and that sucks.
The website is not a business, there never has been and NEVER will be one ad. I reap no benefit, the only benefit anyone receives is that we have a stronger scene.
If we really want to get into business and show promotion, and just how much "punk" kids hate business, let's all sit down and ask how we think it's acceptable to promote shows on myspace. Myspace; A cooperate entity withheld by Rupert Murdoch and Fox News. -How many ads a day do you see while posting flyers on your friends myspaces. -How "punk" is that? -How much money are they making off you -right now-?
How many NEW people do you reach by posting bulletins to people that have already added you to their friends?
We're never going to get anywhere if we can't communicate and build this scene for ourselves. There sure as hell isn't anybody else going to do it for us. The scene is what -we- make it, let work together and make it something good.
Being Punk doesn't mean you have to fight innovation and new ways of doing things. The whole purpose and birth of 'Punk' is about fighting the crap of the old, thinking for ourselves and starting something new that we control, something for us by us because we know we are smarter than the crap that they're feeding us.
Be open to innovation and ideas,
we are all in this for the music and the community that comes from this amazing scene we've all built together. This scene, right now, is on the brink of something huge and revolutionary. Think NY '77, DC '82 ... I've never seen anything anywhere, in all the places i've been throughout the states, like the amazing scene that Portland has right now. I know you're playing your part... we're doing ours. Let's Do It Together (DIT!) and make this something grand.
Much Love Portland, PC-PDX, all of us.
Click here to view PC-PDX Myspace
Click here to view PC-PDX website
I don't care. I like it when anyone anywhere talks about revolution. I like it when anyone anywhere talks real talk (thanks V. for my new favorite played out phrase for 2008 hugs). -- Ste. Goldie
10 comments:
GD! I just read a great comment from you and then when i visit the link it's gone...
i deleted a duplicate comment on your post earlier...
and how!
i was just discussing this website last night - (probably at the same time you published this blog..)!!!????!!!
it must be the zeitgeist...
or something in the collective unconscious... there is something in the air; people are gathering around and working toward more DIT solutions and new methods of approaching innovative ways to share music, art,thoughts...
collaborations are emerging almost everywhere in PDX...
as a matter of fact, I, myself included, was with a group of individuals yesterday eve meeting and discussing how resistant individuals are in punk (as well as many other genres) toward working as a community... to be open minded and supportive and share resources!
i'm glad i am able to contribute, participate, and support people i believe in...
I, astonishing as it may seem, had not heard of DIT (do it together) before. I really like this idea. I was thinking this yesterday but I was too exhausted to post anything.
Now that I think about it I don't think I've heard of 'DIT' before in those terms. I'm a collaborator at heart. Let's DO IT together. Now that I've heard.
PDX has a punk scene? Would've never guessed it. Punk shows are so few and far between & maybe since I live in the 'Couve, I just don't notice how much of a scene there is.
The author(s) of the republished article are right on when it comes to thier definition of punk...its about thinking for yourself, discounting what is hip, now, and hot, finding out what you like and not accepting everything everyone else likes. Punk can also be more about your attitude and outlook (ie., poitics, ethics) than the fact that you don't shower (crusty punks) don't drink/smoke/do drugs (straight edge), or the clothes you wear (the Blink 182/punk fashionista crowd).
When I think of punk music, I think drums, bass, gutiar. Three piece playing three chords. Simple lyrics, sung or screamed or both. That's all you need. But there are many punk bands out there that are 4+ peice bands, Buzzcocks, Subhumans Canada; 'older' punk bands. The ones that started the scene 30 some odd years ago.
Oh, and I'll also mention, NY wasn't the only place with a great punk scene in '77...Tornoto, Ontario did, too. No, I didn't experience it myself, but my man was played his part to break punk to the canucks.
There is "punk" and then there is PUNK....lifestyle, music, politics, to be sure...
We could blog about this separately... for days and days and days!!!
When I think of crustcore...I think of vehement and passionate music/lyrics that are politically minded toward a more socio-anarcho vision....
No punk shows in Portland??? That's nuts. There are punk shows pretty much nightly in Portland. I've lived in Florida, New York, San Francisco, Denver, and Virginia and none of those places have anywhere near as much punk music going on as PDX. The big difference is that there is no one in the audience. Maybe that's just because people don't know that there's a punk scene here, or maybe it's just that everyone in the scene is also in a band (or two).
If you want to see a punk show just check out the music listings for Satyricon, Hawthorne Theatre, Ash St. Saloon, Glo Loca, The Tonic Lounge, etc. These places don't show punk bands exclusively but I'd say punk makes up a good percentage of the shows at these places. Between all of them, there really is something going on pretty much nightly.
Max -- i'm not sure who you are responding to but i'm glad you stopped by to check out the blog. if you love punk stop by PC-PDX.com and check out their seemingly endless listings of shows. -- ste. goldie
Post a Comment