Protest culture, or who are punks

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:46

In the 1960s, a musical revolution took place in the USA. For the first time, bands such as The Beatles, The Stooges, Rolling Stones and other such bands, whose sound is based on just a few chords, are entering the scene. Later, The Ramones and Sex Pistols finally defined punks with their style and appearance.

Initially, punk was born as a musical style. However, this subculture, as we know it now, was created in the 70s as a protest against the too "correct" and neat rock scene. More and more musicians begin to appear with extravagant hairstyles - mohawks, in leather jackets, leather jackets, decorated with chains and pins. This appearance expressed a protest against the existing way of society and mass culture. Often, to this day, the letter “A” can be seen on the backs of punks. It is also one of the attributes of culture, meaning anarchy. Punks do not accept mass society with its political life. The desire for freedom is expressed in their defiant behavior.

It is generally accepted that the integral parts of this subculture are alcohol, smoking and drugs. However, looking at people who use everythingthe above and engage in promiscuity, we cannot say with certainty who the punks are. There are also such currents as sXe (Straight edge), HC-punks, punks-vegetarians. Their main idea is self-control and the rejection of bad habits. Most of modern society smokes and drinks alcohol, while this offshoot of punk culture leads a he althy lifestyle, with this, again, protesting.

Over time, punk culture has gone far beyond music. The artist Andy Warhol, with his bright colors and unusual forms, is also referred to as a punk style. Ray Stevenson, Alex Levak and several other famous photographers have created a brilliant series of punk rock photos in their time. In the literary work of Jim Carroll, John Clark, and the poetess referred to as the godmother of punk rock, Patti Smith, we also find ideas of punk culture. In their work, they try to answer questions about who punks are, what drives them, and many others.

In the USSR, punk culture was inextricably linked with the activities of the underground. In the 70s, the so-called samizdat literature was actively developing, and with it underground concerts - apartment houses. At this time, Andrei "Pig" Panov created the first punk band in Leningrad, "Automatic Satisfiers", which remained the only one until the creation of the legendary "Rock Club". In the early 80s, other similar groups began to appear, such as the People's Militia, the Department of Self-Eradication. To exist like musicit was practically impossible under the conditions of the then regime, so the first punk concerts in Moscow, Leningrad and the cities of Siberia (these were the main centers of rock culture at that time) were held in cafes, hostels and similar places that were not at all intended for performances. And every concert meant risk and threat. Who are punks in Russia? These are revolutionaries who tried to break with the existing system in the country. The main idea driving any punk is the idea of freedom. He is disgusted with mass society with its mercantile values, so punk seeks to break with it. These ideas are reflected in his clothes, behavior and creativity.