Episode 4 was bad?! What? Did you miss the point? You're not half as punk as you think you are if you think this.....I signed up just to post this review.
This series is absolutely brilliant!
Right: at time of writing I'm a 33 year old guy from the UK. I got in to the punk scene in the 2000s, mainly because of the game Tony Hawk Pro Skater. I went to the local punk/alternative club from the age of 14 and met the love of my life and other half on the dance floor at 16 dancing to The Offspring, NOFX, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols... you get the idea! To meet me on the street you probably wouldn't think I'm punk. I don't look punk. I sometimes think I don't act punk, but that feeling when you hear a JCM800 or Dual Rect turned up full volume, some power chords smashed out and vocals that you can hardly understand blasting full volume, drums faster than you can think, energy, madness, fun, well.... that's punk and that IS me!
I'm not overly in to my history... I'm just not that kind of guy, and so the roots of the music that I love, and still listen to daily with the same ears as that teenage me, was relatively unknown to me. Episode 1 starts off with the roots, a few names you might know, others you might not. It describes how the scene formed and how the music that we know now as punk, wasn't called punk. At the time that word didn't mean what it does now. Punk existed before it was called punk. It's a feeling, a way to live, a person to be!
In episodes 2 and 3 you come across some more commonly know names, the British punk scene and also a few names you might not associate with punk. It talks through some of the golden era of early punk, songs that are still the de facto punk anthems and touches on a few hard hitting stories, difficult times, genuine emotion and shows a side of punk, family, that isn't always obvious.
Episode 4 is the era where I found punk; as it moved in to the modern age. Fat Mike and Noodles up there talking about the success that if they never had, I probably wouldn't ever have found the genre. A few people who were instrumental to punk becoming known to the masses that I had no idea I owe so much to. Selling out in the 90's?? Call it that if you want, but it got this music out to a wider audience, it let people discover the wonder of grabbing a guitar, making a noise and pouring out your heart. As they say in this episode, if punk doesn't change it will die. Punks today might sound different, but it's the same feeling that those bands had all of those years ago. It's more than just music.
What struck me was how these legends of music, throughout all episodes, had thoughts just like I have. Sure they must have influenced me over the years, well the scene must have, but it couldn't be more on point if I wrote the series myself. I guess that's the point and one that hearing them say it made it seem obvious. They come across as loving and accepting people who have been fortunate to have made legendary songs, although clearly not an easy ride. Making people happy, helping when sad, giving light in times of dark and being the backgrounds to so many good memories. This. Is. Punk.
To whoever put this series together; you couldn't have done it better. The light, the dark, the fun, the chaos. You covered the whole story, right up to now. You showed how punk isn't just music and it's not got a formula, it's an attitude, it's a way of life, it's about feeling, expression, love, unity and most importantly a fast drum beat, 6+ strings getting smashed (good or bad) and a whole lot of passion, feelings and fun. Well done, you have done punk rockers proud!
This series is absolutely brilliant!
Right: at time of writing I'm a 33 year old guy from the UK. I got in to the punk scene in the 2000s, mainly because of the game Tony Hawk Pro Skater. I went to the local punk/alternative club from the age of 14 and met the love of my life and other half on the dance floor at 16 dancing to The Offspring, NOFX, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols... you get the idea! To meet me on the street you probably wouldn't think I'm punk. I don't look punk. I sometimes think I don't act punk, but that feeling when you hear a JCM800 or Dual Rect turned up full volume, some power chords smashed out and vocals that you can hardly understand blasting full volume, drums faster than you can think, energy, madness, fun, well.... that's punk and that IS me!
I'm not overly in to my history... I'm just not that kind of guy, and so the roots of the music that I love, and still listen to daily with the same ears as that teenage me, was relatively unknown to me. Episode 1 starts off with the roots, a few names you might know, others you might not. It describes how the scene formed and how the music that we know now as punk, wasn't called punk. At the time that word didn't mean what it does now. Punk existed before it was called punk. It's a feeling, a way to live, a person to be!
In episodes 2 and 3 you come across some more commonly know names, the British punk scene and also a few names you might not associate with punk. It talks through some of the golden era of early punk, songs that are still the de facto punk anthems and touches on a few hard hitting stories, difficult times, genuine emotion and shows a side of punk, family, that isn't always obvious.
Episode 4 is the era where I found punk; as it moved in to the modern age. Fat Mike and Noodles up there talking about the success that if they never had, I probably wouldn't ever have found the genre. A few people who were instrumental to punk becoming known to the masses that I had no idea I owe so much to. Selling out in the 90's?? Call it that if you want, but it got this music out to a wider audience, it let people discover the wonder of grabbing a guitar, making a noise and pouring out your heart. As they say in this episode, if punk doesn't change it will die. Punks today might sound different, but it's the same feeling that those bands had all of those years ago. It's more than just music.
What struck me was how these legends of music, throughout all episodes, had thoughts just like I have. Sure they must have influenced me over the years, well the scene must have, but it couldn't be more on point if I wrote the series myself. I guess that's the point and one that hearing them say it made it seem obvious. They come across as loving and accepting people who have been fortunate to have made legendary songs, although clearly not an easy ride. Making people happy, helping when sad, giving light in times of dark and being the backgrounds to so many good memories. This. Is. Punk.
To whoever put this series together; you couldn't have done it better. The light, the dark, the fun, the chaos. You covered the whole story, right up to now. You showed how punk isn't just music and it's not got a formula, it's an attitude, it's a way of life, it's about feeling, expression, love, unity and most importantly a fast drum beat, 6+ strings getting smashed (good or bad) and a whole lot of passion, feelings and fun. Well done, you have done punk rockers proud!