It is only in retrospect that I have come to respect the punk movement which began in the 1970s. Of course at times their rebelliousness went to extremes, but not quite to the extremes of conservative right wing bible bashers, anti vaxxers, freedom protestors and climate change deniers.
Even now, like with punks in the 70s and 80s, I find current day alternative men very interesting. They seem to hold a promise of something very different to my very orderly life. Dream on old man.
So it was with interest that I checked out these photo panels of punks when we brunched in Acland Street a couple of weeks ago.
Paul Kelly is quite old now but very respected as being a great musician.
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A couple perhaps, or just good friends. Real punks generally accepted those who might have had different sexuality.
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Band, The Boys Next Door, playing at Bananas. Note the centre guitarist, Nick Cave who went on to international fame.
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I am not sure where Bananas was, but it seems above St Moritz ice skating rink. This screenshot is helpful.
I remember Rowland's name but nothing about him.
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Nick Cave seems to have rather liked Rowland.
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I have always been drawn to alternative people/lifestyles. An escape from my boring self?
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about them not going to the extremes that the right wing is stretching towards. And that is an alternative I am NOT drawn to.
DeleteEC, yes avoid the alt.right
DeleteI am always told the punks are usually very genuine and earnest lot.
ReplyDeleteI found that generally true Roentare.
DeleteI love Paul Kelly and would never have thought of him as a punk. I guess memory blurs as we get older.
ReplyDeleteCaro, he was an odd inclusion to me too. Maybe the wanted someone really well known to attract more viewers.
DeleteHow cool! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA bit of local history Darla.
DeleteI remember being terrified of punks in the 1970s, but now, as an adult, I just think, 'Oh my, the EFFORT you have to make to look like that!'
ReplyDeleteTT, so you didn't dabble at all.
DeleteI liked it more when it evolved into "new wave", but either way, it was a shot in the arm that popular music, as well as popular culture, sorely needed.
ReplyDeleteKirk, ne wave was good with some very hot performers but I lacked the thrill of the dangerous riskiness of punks. Yes, punks metaphorically broke things, and that's not a bad thing at times.
DeleteLooking back or thinking back to the punk days, they were alright compared to some idiots of today..
ReplyDeleteMargaret, simpler times and while just a rowdy racket at times, preferable to dreadful sexist, homophobic rap music.
DeleteEvery generation tries to look and behave in extraordinary ways but once everyone adopts the look or the sound, it's no longer 'different'. More extremes are needed and the boundaries are pushed ever further, to dangerous territory. Most stop short of atrocities.
ReplyDeleteI really agree JB. Things have to broken to be repaired, and such actions can result in such positive results the world over. We've seen them in our lifetimes.
DeleteThe punk thing rather passed me by - just a blip on the periphery of my vision. However, in any generation I think that youth rebellion is a healthy phenomenon - pushing the boundaries and asking questions, not just bowing down and accepting the status quo.
ReplyDeleteYP, bowing down and accepting the status quo as most of us did. I didn't know much about the late Sinead O'Connor but I am impressed what I have learnt today, especially the latest I leant of, with she tearing up a photo of the pope at a US music award.
DeletePunks? I'd forgotten them as well as the name. Looking at these pictures I can say I'm not a fan of the look.
ReplyDeleteRiver, perhaps the best you can say is it wasn't a boring look.
DeleteI found Punks always funny, they looked like roosters shaved on both sides with a cockscomb in the middle. Of course they liked to provoke people especially the posh once. When I was in Germany a group of punks arrived and thought ah, a girl we will scare her. One had a rat on his shoulder. Their cockscomb were green ! one had a rat on his shoulder, came close to me waiting for a horror scream instead I petted the little rat, and told him that it was beautiful ! Geez, the poor punk was so disappointed ! then they all disappeared. That was in the 80th.
ReplyDeleteGreat story Gattina. At heart they were only young boys.
DeleteEvery time has it's rebelion
ReplyDeleteQuite true TP. From flappers in the 1920s to... now? Where are today's rebellious?
DeleteWell said, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra.
DeleteI am of the era when listening to rock on pirate stations was a crime to be confessed to the priest. I was 15. Awful punishments from my father for listening to the sound of Satan and his devils. But I risked. Every generation has its rebellions, thank heaven. And are condemned by the ignorant conforming elders.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Sinead, she was completely villified by all until the floodlights were turned a few years later on the RC church.
XO
WWW
R used to do the same WWW, under his bedclothes. It is good to have heroes vindicated, even if the suffer for the truth.
DeleteThe punks you refer to seem long gone. They wouldn't like the punk today scene that has normalized politics punkery, from left and right, gangs of each and we well know, as the right wing gangs and left wing gangs clashed in Portland with violent "demonstrations" that really seemed more like gang street brawls.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, public clashes between those with opposite views aren't new, but they seem to have entered a new stage.
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