Quote:
Originally Posted by Aswad Vogelenzang
The whole ethos of punk music is essentially right wing in a political sense, although perhaps 'conservative libertarian' would be a better phrase than right wing (the whole DIY thing, independent music labels as small businesses, ideas of individual thought and action being free of suppression etc.) which is odd since lots of people involved in punk would probably identify themselves with the left, especially in Britain.
It was therefore no fluke that punk preceded Thatcherism and later Reaganism. It was the vanguard of the new right.
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I have to disagree with that statement. I don't relate DIY ethics to conservative libertarianism, as much as I do with Anarchism which is a usually a left wing phenomeneon.
Anarchism in western society has often been practiced through a complete rejection of the capitalist state, by producing one's own commodities, (clothing, electricity, food production ect.)
Most of the punk at the time were seeking to disengage from the musical mainstream dictated by large corporations to produce music that reflected thier own values.
To my knowledge west coast punk bands like the Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, D.O.A. and Black Flag who were all leftists, chose to stay on independent labels throughout the bulk of thier career. (Although the Circle Jerks jumped) In other words personal values was more important than profit.
Anarchism unlike Marxism, has a libertarian free market aspect to it, but its social outlook is generally rooted in secular liberalism.
Right wing punk really had its head chopped off because of the whole racist skinhead movement that had started to seep into the scene in the late 70's. If oi! had not been tarnished by the Southall riots in Britain it is very probable that many of those bands which were getting signed by major labels would have forsaken the whole DIY ethic.
Anyhow like I stated before I am politically ambivelant, evolution will run its course and that is that.
I do however, don't like it when people on the left or the right start claiming punk as its own, like its some sort of weapon in an ideological war.
If you want to see punk truly dead, than start associating it with a specific political ideology, that will kill the genre for sure!!!