Punk is dead?

Crass at the Cleatormoor Civic Hall, UK, 3 May 1984. Photo by Trunt.

Punk as a subculture and music genre is thought to have originated out of the mid 1970s and by 1979 the anarcho-punk band Crass would claim it had already died. In this, supposed, nine-year lifespan the punk movement had grown tremendously, now including its own subgenres, notably the anarcho-punk movement. This movement saw a continuation of punk ideas and a crossover with anarchist theory and ideals. Partnering the Do-It-Yourself mentality of many punk bands and the ideas of 19th century Russian geographer Peter Kropotkin around mutual aid and classical anarchism, the UK band Crass would pioneer a movement of pacifism, anti-fascism and anti-capitalism, creating a new cultural-political position within the punk movement. But their statement that punk was dead was a short-lived one, with a (controversial) revival in the 90s and the arrival of pop-punk alongside the Riot Grrrl movement, punk is very much still alive and so is anarcho-punk. It is perhaps a less obvious movement than it once was, but it is still there, kicking and screaming.

Crass’ statement that punk is dead was a response to what they perceived to be the commodification of punk. Popular bands like the Clash and the Ramones saw punk being moved from a somewhat niche musical genre that was innately tied to leftist politics to a more pop-star image where the DIY ethos that was so integral to early punk bands had been abandoned in favour of working with large music labels. The DIY ethos of the anarcho-punk scene encouraged people to organise their own oppositions to traditional capitalist ventures by showing that working outside of the traditional capitalist hierarchy was possible; that ‘selling out’ was not necessary. This ethos encouraged bands to produce their own music and release through their own labels which would in-turn develop their own work, alongside the work of other artists. Zines became a cornerstone of the anarcho-punk scene, and another way for bands to disseminate their ideas, whilst also pushing and promoting other bands.

The politics behind the scenes of anarcho-punk bands like Crass was also displayed through their music. Sonically anarcho-punk shares its style with traditional punk music; tempos often ranging from 150 to 180bpm, featuring a harsh timbre and a style of singing that sits somewhere between talking, shouting and singing. There is a sense of urgency to a lot of punk music, it is less ‘produced’, favouring an authenticity that was perhaps lacking in the classical rock scene when the genre emerged. But the sound of anarcho-punk is less important to the other musical values they push. Their lyrics play an important role in their politics, often being direct and confrontational, and address issues common to the anarchist movement such as war, capitalism, animal rights and inequality.

You can’t really misinterpret anarcho-punk lyrics. Unlike some traditional punk bands which steered away from being overtly political, frequently denying the political connotations of the genre. ‘Punk is Dead’ immediately tells you what its stance is going to be - a critique on traditional punk bands’ conformity to the establishment (the music industry in this case) in order to profit:

“It’s just another cheap product for consumers to head,
Bubblegum rock on plastic transistors
Schoolboy sedition backed by big time promoters
CBS promote the Clash
It ain’t for revolution, it’s just for cash”

Crass were referring to the death of the small DIY bands that were so integral to the creation of the movement. The music industry became less DIY and a lot harder for smaller artists to break into, having the backing of a larger label was an easier way to ensure you could make music whilst still affording to eat. With the popularity of punk bands in the 70s it wasn’t long before labels looked to create their own ‘Punk’ bands. In this sense perhaps Punk was truly dead.

But the sound of Punk continued, and bands became more and more open about their politics. Some of these bands were bigger and saw more commercial success, but they weren’t denying the political nature of their songs. ‘Stiff Little Fingers’ and the ‘Dead Kennedys’ continued punk into the 80s and continue to see a fair amount of commercial success to this day. In terms of ‘modern’ Punk bands, Cheap Perfume, Dazey and the Scouts, Destroy Boys, Mommy Long Legs, Butch Baby and Slutever, continue to push the punk movement with their music. Their songs range from discussions around sexism, transphobia and, in the case of Cheap Perfume, overt calls to action to punch Nazis. Whilst the anarcho-punk space is significantly less concentrated, and a lot of the time less vocal, with bands less likely to name themselves as anarcho-punks, there are still bands who adhere to the DIY ethos of anarcho-punk and push anarchist messages of anti-authoritarianism, mutual aid and direct action. Alongside this, in my opinion, the DIY ethos of the anarcho-punk movement has moved beyond anarcho-punk. With modern technology more and more indie bands are releasing self-recorded and self-produced music. Whilst it is now harder to make money from making music, the process needs far less assistance from big companies and labels.

Anarcho-punk represents an intersection of music and politics, offering a platform for radical expression and the challenging of social hierarchical norms. Though it often sounds aggressive, its core ideals are based on building communities and cooperation to resist against the structures which they believe oppress us. Its core principles are founded in traditional anarchist beliefs and practices, like direct action and mutual aid, which resulted in the cultivation of a DIY ethos which managed to alter how the music industry operates, to a certain extent, encouraging small bands and musicians to make their own way and show them that they did not need the backing of the industry or commercial success to make music. Its legacy as a genre continues to inspire new generations of musicians and activists to engage in direct action through unconventional means and continue to make politically charged music.