I hate this whole who is punk and who isn't thing. This is debated constantly on
www.musicforums.com and is such a waste of time.
Punk is whatever you make it. I've been in Punk bands, emo bands, Ska punk bands, skacore bands and grunge bands. My latest adventure is a 3 piece acoustic band with a couple of mates just before we all depart for uni. To me, this is the most punk band I've ever been in and is the most fun. Its the most genuine and fun of them all.
To be honest, I read in an interview with Joe Strummer and he said that a lot of his 'punkness' was put on for show as an image. But the guy is still a punk because although he dressed and acted differently for an effect, he still thought differently to the system - how he wanted.
When I was but a lad of 13, I looked up to the older 18 year old and thought "wow, they are so punk, I wanna be like them". But now I'm the 18 year old on stage with the 13 year olds saying that about me, I don't care what I do or look like, as long as I treat others with respect. So I guess Punk is treating others with respect, and doing what you feel is best for you within that. Those guys I looked up to were the same - they didn't succumb to what they felt society was telling them to do, but did what they had to.
Someone once said (on
www.musicians forums.com )that all Punks are "Communist-Anarchists". If thats the case, I must be the most right-wing Punk in existence. I asked a guy who thinks of himself as punk about 2 months ago what he thought of goign to war in Iraq, and he said it was bad and he was going to the protest against it. I asked him why, and he didn't know why it would be bad. How punk is he really? He had all the right albums - Clash, pistols, op ivy as well as loads of new stuff (starting line, blink) and did enjoy the music, but how punk is he really?
The most punk bands are the most innovative - like the Police, the Beatles, Operation Ivy, The Clash, Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac. But saying this, what did The Sex Pistols really do for Music? I mean, really? They were making a statement about society, not good music.
But then again, this is all opinion, and shouldn't be listened to too much.
Neil