What is Punk? an editorial by Danny

What is Punk?

Danny Winslow | October 31^st , 2017

             
On the left is a picture of what ‘Punk’ used to look like and on the right is how people try to dress like that now.

Punk is something that became popular in the 1970’s. The style came from England’s own Malcom McClaren who owned a shop called SEX. He had tried to sell the clothing to the New York Dolls but did not succeed, so he turned to the youth that worked in his store. They became the Sex Pistols, and would soon have a lot of people following.

Punk was used for people to show how they feel, dress how they want, do what they want, and to rebel and stand up for what they believe in. It was intended to be different. Clothing consisted of tight ripped jeans or leather pants, ripped t-shirts, anything you could find that had studs on it, leather jackets or leather vests, combat boots, and the occasional Mohawk with different colored hair.

There is a genre of music that went with this style. It started out in garage bands with people who had limited musical skills and didn’t really care what they were doing. The music was a fast beat and heavy, distorted guitar riffs and rough vocals. It was careless but beautiful at the same time, and there are people who think that the punk bands grew out of it because that was just how they played music then and they are done with it now. Isn’t that what punk is though, the act of doing what you want because it is your life and no one can tell you how to live?

Is it possible that Punk has died? I mean out here now, no one wears those clothes together in one outfit anymore. No one dresses like that anymore, but there are still people out there that still like that music. Maybe it’s because the definition of punk means that you are different, and that it’s okay and to express yourself. I guess nowadays there isn’t really such a things as Punk. Everybody from the late 90’s and 00’s missed the highest part of punk and rebellion.

I think what punk means now is nothing compared to what is used to be. Now it the term is used as something to degrade people, but more so pointed at teenagers. Teens who commit crimes, or skateboard, and sell drugs specifically, which I think is bull. I mean the people who call teens ‘Punks’ grew up with the real definition of Punk and understands what it means and what it did. But did it really die? I don’t think so. People are always going to rebel and do what they want and that was what the original definition of punk meant. So people may not dress ‘punk’ or be called a punk, but everyone has something they believe in and something to stand up for.

https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-punk-rock-2803345