To inspire those around us

[ListedBlack]

Hey anyone who incorporates this into their thoughts let me know: what is up with the UK punk scene? Is life over for us since the Clash? Is L.A. the only place that punk can be iconic? People are living in false realities of where punk came from and what it stands for. Musical expression of my struggles in life, that was forever my reason but doubts set in when everything you see in the herecy betrays that reason. Bands of the UK have to fight so hard to even get noticed, and why do we get so many cruddy bands out there? What is this music industry...drain the blood of the talented or those who make the quick buck. Im listening now to Orange, one of the coolest bands ive heard in years, but even they keep me distant from our real struggles. Come to a place where Punk aint popular, where we are the few and think outside the box. I guess all this jibing is about one thing; the lacklustre reality of L.A. versus the strain of the UK. At the end of the day, we can say we had fun but we dont answer any questions and it seems lyrics dont count for much these days. If you want to hear a punk band that believes, and is willing to fight for every inch then listen to Blacklisted101 at their myspace address. If these guys dont get picked up then it is a travesty and my faith in where punk came from and its lyrical content will fade with our current distribution. Bands like Operation Ivy, Rancid, The Clash, Jesse Michaels, Billy Joe Armstrong, Roger Miret - they are the influences which we should admire! So can you guys look outside the US box and see the rest of us out here? The essence of fighting for your rights, being politically aware, having an escape from the capitalist world, making you feel good, making you see you CAN be whatever you want to be...lets not let them go, we need them right now in the world we're living in. Lets inspire those around us...

[joeybombstyle]

I'll have to check out Blacklisted101.

I feel there is a two fold situation here though first and foremost is the fact that I feel a lot of bands out there and that includes anti establishment type punk bands want exposure instantly. Not that they want money and fame but they want to be able to hit the road with in 8 months of their first show. This of course is one of the things that makes it very difficult to have small intimate scenes anymore (as well as many many other situations which I don't have the energy to go into right this moment. The time period at least right now of a local band influencing another local band is very few and far between. The fact that at Gilman there where waves of bands that came through (this also has also happened at places like CB's (NYC), The Pipeline (NJ)). Bands would play people would see them they would start bands so forth and so on and very little of this left their small intimate community except for those few exceptions.

The second issue and what I believe to be the worst issue of all is the fact that as far as the Punk "community" goes we are one of the most self destructive groups going we are the perfect case of a negative self fulfilling prophecy and to make matters worse we eat our young. We have no interest in expanding in any way and that includes artistically and population wise. For many this has become an escape from an unsympathetic society in which we choose to take on the same close minded social moors and short sightedness of our "enemies" just in a more shocking dress. We would rather see our culture fizzle and die then embrace new comrades or new ideas. To go to a song for summation check out Dead Kennedy's-Chicken Shit Conformist. For a song released 20 years ago it is still hitting proverbial nail on the head maybe more recently more then ever.

This is just a spure of the moment thing. I'll revist when I have more time.

[ukpsychopunx]

there is a uk scene, it's small and dieing due to the massive invation of fucking scremo. find the right squats in london, the right underground gigs and you'll find a buzzin scene, it's about and it does kick ass, it's just a shame about all the old boys from the 70's cos most of em are cunts. where about in the uk are you looking?
in terms of big name music coming out, then no there haven't been any great punk bands from the uk for a while but i don't see that as a problem cos it just means the passion is still there.
that said i saw a band called the grit the other week in london and they were fucking shit hot. more psycho than punk but really really good, check them on my spaz.