Research on PUNK and LIVE MUSIC

For my Sociology class, I wrote a research paper on The Culture of a Concert. In this report, I went to multiple shows, interviewed people, and wrote this paper. I'm pretty happy with it. I could have elaborated more on it, but it was very tiresome. BUT, I found it interesting nonetheless. I hope you guys enjoy! Let me know how you like it. I know it's not perfect or anything, but my professor gave me an A and was very impressed with it (especially the historical section).

ENJOYYYYY

Introduction

Music is a part of everyone’s life, and many take it to heart. Musicians and music lovers alike share the live music scene as a culture, and follow a variety of standards. Society perceives each genre of music as a different type of culture. Within this study, the main genre of punk is researched, observed, and analyzed. Society generally thinks of the punk genre scene to be very deviant and rebellious. For this reason, the themes of deviance and rebellion will be emphasized throughout the inquiry.
The live music scene is most definitely a culture within today’s society, and one subculture within the music culture is punk. According to Giddens, Duneier, and Appelbaum, a culture “consists of the values the members of a given group hold, the languages they speak, the symbols they revere, the norms they follow, and the material goods they create.” With this definition, there is a culture within the group of people known as punks, as well as within the live music scene. People within this social group have similar values, language, symbols, norms, and material goods while participating in a live music scene. Within this culture and subculture, many sociological ideas can be discussed and considered. This research focuses on the following sociological concepts in the context of the punk music scene: aspects of culture, the process of socialization, notions of deviance and crime, and gender. What these cultural attributes are, why they exist, and how society perceives them and is affected by them are up for an interesting observation and analysis.
With active, personal research through attending live shows, and observing the people and their actions, these questions can be observed and explained.

Historical Background of “Punk” Culture

At the end of the 1960s, after the British Invasion, the punk scene in America was beginning to evolve. With early bands and artists such as The Velvet Underground, New York Dolls, The Patti Smith Group, and The Ramones, a definitive culture was being developed. This punk culture, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, was vastly different from the rest of society; they held different values, symbols, and social norms that were often frowned upon and found as deviant behavior by society. The term “punk was first used in a 1970 in a music-journalist context by a critic for Fusion, Nick Tosches. His article, titled “The Punk Muse: The True Story of Protopathic Spiff Including the Lowdown on the Trouble-making Five-Percent of America’s Youth” described this music as a “visionary expiation, a cry into the abyss of one’s own mordant bullshit,” and that it’s simply “poetry puked, not plotted.” Another well respected music critic, Lester Bangs, used the term “Punk” for his book titled Drug Punk, and Dave Marsh first used the term “Punk Rock” within his Loony Tunes column in Creem magazine. He stated that punk rock was “culturally perverse from birth, I decided that this insult would be better constructed as a compliment, especially given the alternative to such punkist behavior, which I figured was acting like a dignified asshole.” According to Legs McNeil, co-founder of Punk Magazine, he stated that “the word ‘punk’ seemed to sum up the threat that connected everything we liked—drunk, obnoxious, smart but not pretentious, absurd, funny, ironic, and things that appealed to the darker side.” With the term “punk” and its many definitions, much of society found this subculture and their activities deviant, and are often threatened by them.

“Deviant” Ideologies

Deviance, according to Giddens, Duneier, and Appelbaum, is “defined as nonconformity to a given set of norms that are accepted by a significant number of people in a community or society (179)”. With this definition, this radical new culture was constantly being questioned for its actions and cultural differences, which were, and still are, drastically different from the commercial norms. Cultural values within this subculture include ideologies such as anarchy and the do-it-yourself (DIY) ethic. According to The Oxford Dictionary, “anarchy” is defined as “The principal of having no official government or rulers, and valuing individual freedom and responsibility.” In Craig O’Hara’s The Philosophy of Punk, he states that “anarchist punks appear to hold many beliefs that agree with what can be termed as radical liberal or far left wings of Democracy. Beliefs in defending women’s rights, racial equality, and gay rights are involved in the platforms of both the liberal and the anarchist.” Anarchy and rebellion has been ridiculed for its outrageous behavior, which most of these views were obtained from musicians, but most do not understand the underlying statement it holds. O’Hara stated that “anarchy does not simply mean no laws, it means no need for laws. Anarchy requires individuals to behave responsibly. When individuals can live in peace without authorities to compel punish them, when people have enough courage and sense to speak honestly and equally with each other, then and only then will anarchy be possible.” Due to rebellious and unlawful behavior by musicians, an example being Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols, who had a consistent drug problem and was imprisoned for murdering his wife, much of America’s society has only this tunnel vision view of this punk culture because that is what the media primarily focuses on: the negative and outrageous.

Another value this punk culture holds is the “DIY ethic,” which is simply to “Do-It-Yourself.” In the 1970s and 1980s, this ethic was essential because it rebels against society’s norms and dependency on commercial purchasing of items such as clothing and music. Many created their own clothing, record labels, set up their own concerts, and even their own print media; they did anything to avoid having to contribute to the controlling society. Musically, this ethic also became an important factor as well. According to the journalist who wrote The History of Punk, A.S. Van Dorston, he notes that youth was able to be their self; that “punk gives the message that no one has to be a genius to do it him/herself.” He also made a point that individualism was owned by the individual, that “instead of waiting for the next big thing in music to be excited about, anyone with this new sense of autonomy can make it happen themselves… Instead of depending on commercial media [i.e., Rolling Stone, etc.] to tell them what to think, anyone can create a fanzine, paper, journal or comic book. Such empowerment leads to other possibilities in self-employment and activism.” This was the core idea of the DIY movement in the 70s and 80s. Both anarchy and the DIY ethic are viewed as a positive, youth retaliation to society and their actions, but because these actions and values are different from modern day norms, they are considered to be “ridiculous” and deviant.

Fashion: A Language, a Symbol

Another aspect of this culture is language. Within this culture, language can be viewed through the language of music, symbols, and material goods. Naturally, the music genre of Punk Rock is the voice for the culture. The music reflects views of most individuals concerning society, politics, and even religion. A.S. Van Dorston also stated that “It [punk rock] was a breakthrough in free speech for underclass youth who rarely have a voice.” In short, the music and their lyrics gave this culture a voice to speak its own.

The language of style through clothing is also an important aspect in understanding this culture. Although fashion is most often considered simply material goods, if the definition of material goods is elaborated, it “refers to the physical objects that a society creates, which influence the ways in which people live.” Hence, there is an unspoken language being presented, where punk style can be seen to break social norms through clothing that symbolizes and enacts free speech. According to Richard Hell, former bassist and vocalist of the 70s punk group Television, the punk style is a way to “invent yourself.” Hell has been considered one of the first musicians to express this style, the style of “leather jackets, torn T-shirts, and short spiky air… Anti-Glam.” Hell stated that this was the “ultimate message of the New Wave: to invent yourself.” This also refers back to the ideology of the DIY ethic, many people made their own clothing, again in rebelling against commercial society, by ripping t-shirts, ironing on patches, and shopping at army surplus stores. The image of a “punk” was thus created, and gave identity to those youth who lived without one.

This fashion also falls under another category of what defines culture: symbolism. The ripped clothing, leather jackets and pants, piercings, tattoos, jewelry, and Liberty Spikes and Mohawks, all represented this culture within society, and it symbolized what they were (and were not). Van Dorston pointed out, however, that although “the fashion served as effective symbolism and identity for early punks, it was soon taken up by many middle and upper-class youths who alienated many punks away from the style.” The exact motivation in why punks were the way they were, back fired; instead of being different and deviant-like, their fashion was being taken up and appropriated by corporate America.

Iconic Starting Ground and Historical Conclusion

An iconic symbol, and starting ground for many of today’s legendary punk groups, most well known for jump starting the career for The Ramones, is the recently closed venue, CBGBs. In the 70s and 80s, any and all were welcome to see the up-and-coming bands at this venue, and this became a legendary place with much history associated with it. The venue held countless concerts a week, providing a home and safe haven for many teens and musicians. As time went on, CBGBs seeped into the corporate America world, it started to become a trend for middle-classed teens who wanted to be apart of this “scene.”

In all, this group of people, this culture, can be defined by the Giddens textbook definition through their values, symbols, languages, norms, and material goods. This culture is only a subculture of society as a whole, and within this subculture, other sub-subcultures can be recognized depending on music styles and beliefs. Across different subgenres of punk, the values and ideologies vary. Subgenres of punk include: Anarcho-Punk, supporting the anarchist ideology, Folk-Punk, supporting left-winged politics, hardcore punk, all areas of politics and society, Oi!, lyrics about the working class struggles, and even patriotism, pop-punk, which discusses mostly relationships (this is where the “pop” is incorporated, the “punk” part is mostly the musical sound), and even Ska-Punk, which promotes anti-racism and unity. Although all of these subgenres have one thing in common, punk, they are still unique in their own ways.

Observation and Analysis

Having knowledge of punk culture is needed in viewing and understanding the thoughts and actions of those who attend live shows. Concerts can be considered a subculture within the punk culture, with similar values, languages, symbols, norms, and material goods, but the specifics of these dimensions vary within the subculture of a live show.

Ideologies and Values Within a Live Concert Scene

The overarching values of punk culture (discussed above) are what bring these people together. The ideologies and views on politics, and society help unite people through music, and attending live shows. Depending on the genre of punk, and the band, the values can vary. At the downtown venue, The Knitting Factory in early March of 2008, 2000s-era punk groups Strike Anywhere and hardcore-punk group Paint it Black performed. These two groups are actively expressing themselves through their music on topics of politics, religion, animal rights, vegetarianism/veganism, and society as a whole. Strike Anywhere, in particular, focuses mainly on the politics of society, and the power struggle between the citizens and government officials. According to Giddens (following Weber), “Power is the ability of individuals or groups to make their own interests or concerns count, even when others resist” (393). Giddens goes to further explain the power of authority: “Authority is a government’s legitimate use of power… It sometimes involves the direct use of force” (393). With these definitions, it is clear that there is an ultimate power struggle within today’s society, and because of this struggle, punk bands are able to express their opinions to those who feel the same way in response to the officials.

In one song by Strike Anywhere, “Sunset on 32^nd”, the lyrics discuss some of the power struggles within society today. “When they broke down the door/and put their guns in the face of your wife and child/and as they pinned you to the floor/did you say ‘officer, I am not resisting you.’?/American Justice American dream/is this what ' the other half ' means/half of our lives dissolved in fear/half of our rights they disappear.” There is an obvious power struggle between authority and the individual in today’s society, and authority has been known to abuse its use of power. The majority of punk groups, varying depending on the subgenre, are primarily focused on political and societal issues. It is the lyrics which help the listener realize the group’s values and feelings of today’s society, helping people unite under one roof in the community of live music.

Language Variations within a Concert

Language within a concert can vary, depending on the time and place. Obviously stated, the music speaks for both the culture of punk, and the subculture of a live music scene. During a band’s set, it is expected that the fans sing and scream along with the music. According to one fan, Dave, a freshmen at NYU, from the Strike Anywhere show in March, “Singing along lets it be known that you love the music, plus it’s totally fun! It gives off a great energy.” Depending on the genre of music, in this case the majority of punk bands, many “hardcore” fans push their way to the front to sing directly along with the band. One 20 year old Carlos, a musician as well, doesn’t really know why people sing along. “It’s just something you do. You like the song, so you sing along!” He also stated that it could be related to singing along to a song while driving or by yourself, it’s something “natural” you do. Another musician and fan, Chris, stated that: “it's kind of like, being a part of the song. Getting to sing along with the band just makes you feel, involved. Even though you're in the crowd, it's like being up on stage with the musicians.” During Paint It Black’s set at The Knitting Factory, one die-hard fan found his way to the stage and grabbed the microphone to scream out the lyrics. After the song, the vocalist stated, “I appreciate the thought, kid, but this isn’t punk rock karaoke.”

In between sets, conversations often take place, which also fall under the category of “language.” After years of observation in attending concerts, it can be noticed that people at a show seem to be more outspoken and almost “friendly.” Much of this, though, seems to depend on your current social situation. It is more often than not that if you are with a group of three or more people, you will be more friendly and talkative towards others. In early April, at the Knitting Factory, fans of the band Modern Life is War, who was performing their “last NYC show ever”, seemed to click well with other people. A group of four, three male and one female, appeared to merge, almost, with another group of mostly males. A conversation started between them, which seemed as if it was about a show the previous weekend, and at the end of the night, they were seen walking out together in a fit of laughter. Although this could very well depend on the type of individual one is, whether they are extroverted or introverted, it seems that within a concert setting, it is obvious all of the people have one thing in common, which can be enough to spark conversation.

Debatable Topics Amongst Individuals

Also, at every concert the same topics seem to arise: politics, today’s society, and music. Especially in a city such as New York, many people are loud and often passionate about what they say; therefore, even if you are not in their conversation, it can easily be heard. Politics seem to be a hot topic, considering much of today’s youth is upset with how the America Government is being run. Talks of Bush and the media, which are mostly insults and criticisms, can be heard. Although it has not been a common citing, debates do come up, and at one show in late April for I Am The Avalanche, a fight nearly broke out. Considering that politics is the fuel to the Punk Rock fire, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this is a discussed topic.

Another topic is music, ranging from today’s music compared to “old school,” previous and upcoming shows, famous bands, underground bands, or one’s own band. At every live show attended, conversations of ones own band can be easily overheard, with lines such as “my band is going to bring back the old school methods of punk” or “my band would kick your ass any day!” At times, it may seem as if it becomes a competition of whose band is better. Another competitive topic that comes up is “whose music taste is better.” It can often be seen and heard of people talking about who know more underground bands. It can be noted that most of these competitive conversations are more often than not male, which may suggest that this culture could be a patriarchy, which is when “male dominance in a society (300).”

The Norms of a Concert

There are multiple norms within this culture that people follow. Giddens states that: “Norms are definite principles or rules people are expected to observe; they represent the do’s and don’ts of social life. (56)” Within this culture of a concert, there are multiple norms in which people are expected to follow.

The “Pit”

One of the most popular would be moshing, also known as “the pit.” From a book called Musical Visions, which are selected conference proceedings from Australian and New Zealand sociologists, anthropologists, and even journalist who observed Musical Visions ’98, they stated that “a highly corporeal, dangerous activity, moshing is a generic term to describe the practice that involves rough, physical contact between concert goers. Slamming, pogo-ing, skanking in time to the music sees bodies deliberately collide with one another.” At nearly every punk show, a mosh pit is likely to break out; although it depends on the size of the venue, it is most often times in the center of the venue, closer to the stage. Within the mosh pit, patriarchy can also be seen again. The majority of “moshers” tend to be males. “Most girls can’t carry themselves in a mosh pit, they’re too afraid they’ll fall and break a nail or fuck up their hair,” a 19 year old concert goer, Dan, stated at the Modern Life is War show. With this, it should be expect that girls stay in the back or on the sides of the pit to prevent injury. From observation, it can be said that it is mostly male, but at every show at least two girls can be seen moshing. “It’s totally hot when a girl moshes, though, it means she likes it rough!” Dan also stated.

It is obvious that there is a power struggle, a gender inequality, within this scene. Gidden states that gender inequality is “the difference in status, power, and prestige women and men have in groups collectives, and societies.” Through observation, it can be seen that women do not hold the same power, or status as men do. In fact, it can be clearly noticeable that there are more men than women at most shows. An exception would be the I Am the Avalanche show. IATA opened for a more mainstreamed, mellower band Cartel, where the women fancied more because of the supposedly good looking frontman.

Moshing can be a very dangerous activity; injuries usually take place, and at times death. In the mid-90s, two fans at a Smashing Pumpkins concert were trampled to death from being within “the pit.” There is some form of “moshing etiquette” though. For one, if you do not want to be in the pit, you must get out and stay out. For example, “when someone falls down, you help them up and get going again,” Dan said. It can be noticed, too, that at every show, it is obvious as to who is a veteran concert goer, mosher, and who is a novice. The more experienced seem to be able to carry themselves well, and the latter are usually younger, and more awkward within the pit.

Within a subgenre of punk, Hardcore Punk, a different type of moshing is exhibited, known as Hardcore Dancing. This is the more violent type of moshing, where kicking and arm throwing is done. At shows like this, people who surround the pit often extend their arm with a fist, so that when a mosher bumps into the arm, he or she knows their boundaries. Other norms that are semi-related to moshing include stage diving and crowd surfing. When asked “Why?” to the entire concept of moshing, stage diving, and crowd surfing, Dan stated: “Why not? You have all this energy when you go to a show, and you need to get it out some how. No one goes to shows and just stands around. Where is the fun in that?”

Another norm within the live music scene is drinking. Alcohol is often served within the venue, and almost 70 percent of the people can be seen with a drink in their hands. And older gentleman, Henry, stated that “drinking helps you relax and it gets you into the vibe and the mood.”

Fashion Sense of a Concert

Other aspects within this culture include material goods. Again, just like with the punk culture as a whole, these two can be associated with each other. The punk fashion falls under both categories again for the same historical reasons stated before. Within a show, most people tend to dress for the occasion. Girls tend to not bring purses, and if they do they sling over their chest, and the men typically wear tighter pants, for it is more comfortable to move around in during the set. For both genders, sneakers are worn most of the time so that they stay on your feet, because “you don’t want to lose your shoes at a show. Sometimes you’ll never see them again,” Dan again said.

Under material goods, merchandise is sold at each show; ranging from t-shirts, to vinyl albums, to stickers. Again, material goods are defined as “physical objects that a society creates,” and merchandise is a prime example of this.

Concert Socialization

Socialization can be defined as “the process of learning these roles and the norms and values appropriate to them for those around us.” Within socialization, statuses, roles, values, and norms are associated. A status is “a social position that a person holds.” Within the concert scene, statuses range depending mostly on gender. The way this culture assumes roles and statuses is similar to modern day society on a macro-sociological level, in which norms and roles are placed for us to follow. Within a concert setting, there are obvious statuses and roles. For example, most of the male moshers tend to be larger, built men. Their role, which is an expected behavior from a certain status, tends to be expected that they are going to be within the pit. “I hate it, just because I’m 6’4 300lbs, DOES NOT mean I want to be in the pit,” 28 year old Steve explained. Also for men, especially larger men, it is expected for them to look out for the younger, more niave individuals within the group. For women, as stated before, their role is to stand on the sidelines and simply enjoy the music, for them to break their role, and enter the mosh pit, is mostly considered breaking a notable norm.

Conclusion

The punk culture is a unique culture; its cultural attributes are vastly different from others within today’s society. The subculture viewed and analyzed, the live music scene, appears to be an important, unique part of certain peoples lives. “I don’t know what I would do without live music, they’re the center of my life,” Dan stated. There are multiple people who find live music a way to “let it all out,” a stress reliever in a way. Others find it a good form of exercise, or they simply enjoy the social environment of it.

Within this live music scene, a culture is presented; there are values, languages, norms, material goods and symbols that exist. The history of Punk is needed to know the reasons why people, and who these people are, attend concerts. This culture has been viewed at through an interpretive view point, with real life testimonials, and active, engaging research. Sociological aspects such as the definition and explanation of culture, deviance, gender and its related power struggles, and socialization have been exhibited through analysis with this group of people within today’s society.