Drowning out the noise of society and replacing it with the loud underbelly of a new generation of music and cultural movements.
Punk isn’t obscenity and moshing; it’s a lifestyle, a community, a place for anyone to be who they are; it’s a spectrum.
It’s all about rebelling for a good cause.
In its earliest form, punk began in London in the 1970s with bands like the Sex Pistols, The Stooges, and The Clash. From then on, the punk rock movement grew more and more with each song, each glass-shattering lyric.
The Sex Pistols were the poster band for punks. Sid Vicious, the lead singer of the band, formed the punk act and style. He was loud and obscene and would do insane things for more attention. Baggy pants, spiked-up hair, leather, and, of course, plenty of Vivienne Westwood.
Many tried to discredit the Sex Pistols for their use of Vivienne Westwood as a catalyst for making it into the mainstream media so early on. Yet the truth of the matter is that they simply found the resources. Historically, public figures and celebrities were just average people who knew how to get attention, and the beginning of the punk movement was no exception to that.
Punk is a way of life, something to live by. Punk is so powerful that it crossed from London to Detroit to Los Angeles and found its way into the cracks of LMHS.
The punk scene has rapidly grown in and around La Mirada. The students roaming these halls are the face of the next generation of punk.
Kendra and Megan Dewey grew up around punk. For them both, punk is their community, like a second family. To put it beautifully, Kendra shared, “Understand that the whole point is to not judge; you decide what punk means to you; there isn’t something you have to fit into.” Megan added on, emphasizing how the punk community is a family, free of judgment and accepting of all. Punk isn’t violent; it’s a welcoming space for those who find it.
Punk is a spectrum; just like a multitude of subgenres and bands, punk changes what you resonate with.
Tyler Rivera, a senior growing into his punk life, explained that his friends were the main influence in his journey into the community. He found another family within his chosen family, growing in love and unity.
Alyssa Montoya realized that punk was always around her, and everyone likes punk, even if they didn’t realize it. Pop punk, grunge, street punk, post-punk—it’s everywhere. For Alyssa, punk tells a story through the composition of music: “Punk is an art form that is a feeling, an outlet, coming out of their shell.”
Punk is different for everyone.
Shane Murphy explains punk as “not scary, but a spectrum. You don’t have to dress punk to be punk.” Punk is what you make of it; it’s music, it’s attitude, and it’s the culture all around it that makes up the community. Yes, there is spikey hair, lots of leather, and dark colors, but it’s about your mind and how the music makes you feel.
It’s not a punk revival. It was always there.
From The Stooges to the Sex Pistols, to Social Distortion, to Bikini Kill, to Blink-182, to Rage Against the Machine, Punk is everywhere, whether you like it or not.
