Hello Fuckers and Fuckettes, in my world, please know these are terms of endearment!
My name is Christopher Scum, a founding member of the "White Trash Psycho Punk" band The Dirty Works, do yourself a favor and check us out! Also Check out my solo stuff!
A few months ago I sat down with a fellow I have come to know and admire named Bobby Newcastle. I don't admire him because he gave us a ripping, great review; We earned that by putting out ass kicking music! I admire him for his honesty, his ability to get even the largest stars to drop their egos and talk to him and his uncanny ability to "unlock" doors few people can. So I approached him, explaining I had some background in writing. Professionally,albeit very minimal, I have put out successful fanzine after fanzine. My first, still in school was ASSHOLE Magazine my last was around 2004 titled GRUMPUS. The reason I've never lasted at news papers and magazines is because I write as I know to write. I got my education on the street and playing in Punk Rock Dives for little or no money. Regardless, I have a very disturbed mind full of information, experiences, and questions that I can keep bottled up anymore.
After approaching my friend Bobby, He wrote me back and said how about you do a Punk Page for us?
I ask, excitedly of course, if I could expand away from just Punk Rock music, as there's so little I respect out there these days and his answer was "It's your page, do what you will with it!"
I of course was ecstatic!
First off, I will be the 1st to tell you I have no Idea what Punk Rock means.This is what we're going to try and figure out. I've been playing in punk bands since I was 17 but I still refuse to say what is Punk and what isn't. To me it's attitude, more than attitude it's a lifestyle. However that's me, to others it's a genre' of music, but music is my life and Punk my favorite genre', so it's a lifestyle. Does this mean I believe to be "Hardcore" you have to shave or dye your hair, get a bunch of tattoos and go around breaking things? Fuck no! That's a good way to get lumped in with posers and probably arrested for vandalism. I've known people a lot me that dress totally in a fashion that society deems normal, so I don't think it's about dress codes.
Drugs and Punk rock, neither requisite or prohibited as some seem to think. I personally don't like to see kids, especially musicians getting on heavy drugs. Acid once or twice can be a learning experience and I see harm with weed or alcohol if you can handle it. I for one can't handle the alcohol, I'm part Indian and part Irish what do ya expect. After a drunken mishap in my late 20's in which I crushed my ankle, by crush I mean I twisted it, twisted it and twisted it more. At first every time it twisted I heard bone cracking, however after several screamingly painful twist I started hearing a mushing sound. a sickening grinding feeling that hurt so bad I passed out. I was drunk or I'm sure it would have been much more painful. This is a whole story for a different time, bottom line is I had surgery, was introduced to Oxycontin and had one hell of a run ended up having to go on methadone to get clean. However I am not anti-drug, not even alcohol which is arguably the hardest drug out there for people that have a problem with it. When The Dirty Works play I love a Drinking crowd as they get rowdy as fuck, they always get a pit going which unfortunately I play bass now I can no longer dive in. I love going to other shows where the crowd is drunk as it adds to the atmosphere. Is it necessary? No way, but it does turn the heat up a notch. I don't drink any longer because I can't! I ruin everything when I try.
I have no problem being at shows with drunk people, have no problem getting it spilled or thrown on me. I think why so many people can't stop drinking is cause they take every thing too damn serious. If I took life as serious as some of the folks I've met I'd have jumped off a damn bridge a long time ago.
Straight Edge people at Punk shows, I see no problem with this group until they start trying to enforce their views on others. I've seen tape of a man talking about breaking a girls arm because he put her cigarette out then she lit another. Really? Really? That's not only cruel, abusive and bullying it's also called illegal. These straight Edge kids were saying our turf is the Punk Rock shows and if someone drinks, uses drugs, or smokes in our "turf"(didn't this turf word go out with the movie The Warriors?) they will be dealt with. They will be dealt with? Who the hell do these kids think they are? Policing other peoples habits, what the fuck, no ones coming up to them and pouring liquor down their throats, right? Are they afraid they'll get a contact buzz or worse yet, a contact addiction?
I have to admit that's one group I wouldn't mind seeing removed from the shows. They've never been at a show I went to but I wonder what the bartenders selling beer for tips think of these clans?
Another I don't understand are the Karate Kickers. Now, I admittedly have a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do but never have I been in the pit and felt the sudden urge to start jump Crescent Kicking, or Spinning Wheel Kick myself in a circle! How about just break into a Kata (form) and get some practice in. However, again, if that's how people choose to enjoy themselves and everyone is alright with it so be it.
So what the fuck is Punk Rock? Well that argument has been going on since there was thing. I'll tell you what, it's whatever you want it to be!
I came up listening to Black Flag, The Germs, Fear, Minute Men, GG Allin, Suicidal Tendencies,
Circle Jerks, Social Distortion, The Replacements, Teenage Love, Koro, Big Boys, The Ramones, The Heartbreakers and everything Johnny Thunder ever did,The Misfits,GBH, Agnostic Front,The Subhumans, the Angry Somoans, The Queers,Minor Threat, ANTiSEEN, Sex Pistols, The Meatmen,The Dwarves, MDC,Bad Brains, and ABBA.
Until next time,
Christopher Scum
