They Just Don't Get It - Sell Outs & Apathetic Punks
Recently we announced an Antifa comp, which was going to be our main focus before moving on to do our next two projects with Pankerijada Collective. We are now turning our attention to an anti sell out bands & anti apathetic punks comp.
Why so you may ask? Let us outline our frustration below that gives a little light on why we feel this new anti sell out and anti apathy comp must take priority.
Many fellow diyers from around the world have been voicing their growing anger regarding the level of crust and grind bands selling out & supporting the more corporate orientated aspects within the extreme metal underground, and associated festivals. It seems money and the rock star life style is too much of a pull for some.
The contentious point for many from the DIY community is the fact these sell outs still claim to be DIY, but their obvious actions clearly dictate other wise.
If money, and the rock star life style is your choice then fine, but don't claim to be about the message and people when its blatantly obvious that isn't the case. Its an insult to the whole movement and message. Despite the level of fashion punks around there is still a real community that exists where the message and opinions voiced in our music still remain an important part of diy culture.
Its saddening and frustrating to see our diy brothers and sisters struggle to be heard just because they do not have some bull shit manufactured cleanly produced sound or distortion pedals that insert (generic independent extreme metal fanzine, profit orientated label/fest/radio station laps up). Most of the time these idiots 'apparently discover' the sell out bands for everyone to here. Oh how we're blessed to have some rock star with a cup of coffee sat in an office telling us what is grind, punk, and what else.
All those DIY fanzines that featured ya new band 2 years ago before they sold out & got noticed in ya pop zines/stations must have been a figment of our imagination.
The term 'independent' is sadly increasingly becoming understood to be 'independent capitalist'. They might not be on a mainstream label, but these people are just as greedy and insincere.
The level of apathy from some punks to the real scene is as bad as the sheeple's apathy towards world affairs. Wake up and realise that ya beloved big name bands are only interested in increasing their own bank balances at the expense of the fans. Support independent music these rock star sell outs claim? How about they support diy and the scene from which they once came and give something back. There are a minority that remain genuine we are aware of that, but most just wear a band t shirt instead of a suit. Little difference.
This explanation taken from a web site sent to us can be applied to any level of fashion crusties, fashion punks, and so forth:
An individual who dons the punk rock "uniform" (black leather jacket, boots, spikes, mohawk, etc.) to create an identity for themself and who assumes they are superior to others because of their punkasfuck look.
1. Jamie is such a postcard punk.
2. Dresses like a postcard every day but all of the spikes and patches in the world can't make up for the clockwork orange make-up.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=postcard+punk
Now this isn't just restricted to the punk scene. The problem is rife in underground metal where the new emphasis is to be 'cleanly produced' and over play technical solos until the guitarist passes out from exhaustation. Ok that scene has always had a high level of capitalism and rock star egos, but there are some good people still around who still wish to create real dirty metal the way it should be and not concerned with sounding clean.
If we take punk's closest musical relation in our opinion 'hip hop' the same insincerity and eagerness to indulge in profits at the movement's expense is rife in the so called 'underground'. What an irritating term that has now become, which in reality means 'non mainstream pop music' as the focus on money and rock star attitudes equals the pop equivalent.
A term created by independent capitalists to make the audience feel comfortable with purchasing their music as its supposedly non mainstream. Musically that maybe the case, but the focus on money is certainly in relation to mainstream attitudes.
No scene is perfect and each have their positives and negatives, but its especially sad that these attitudes are seeping into the diy punk community. One of the last remaining bastions of freedom.
In closing, those of us in the scene now have to work even harder to resist the corruption and help each other to the best of our ability. A concept that many of us do on a daily basis so there is still a scene that exists beneath the 'underground'. Its a little harder to find, but isn't guided by any ridiculous bullshit code of rules that rely on fashion & herd like mentality to be a part of the club.
We hope this has given you an insight into the growing anger and frustration within the diy community regarding the issues raised.
Now this isn't just restricted to the punk scene. The problem is rife in underground metal where the new emphasis is to be 'cleanly produced' and over play technical solos until the guitarist passes out from exhaustation. Ok that scene has always had a high level of capitalism and rock star egos, but there are some good people still around who still wish to create real dirty metal the way it should be and not concerned with sounding clean.
If we take punk's closest musical relation in our opinion 'hip hop' the same insincerity and eagerness to indulge in profits at the movement's expense is rife in the so called 'underground'. What an irritating term that has now become, which in reality means 'non mainstream pop music' as the focus on money and rock star attitudes equals the pop equivalent.
A term created by independent capitalists to make the audience feel comfortable with purchasing their music as its supposedly non mainstream. Musically that maybe the case, but the focus on money is certainly in relation to mainstream attitudes.
No scene is perfect and each have their positives and negatives, but its especially sad that these attitudes are seeping into the diy punk community. One of the last remaining bastions of freedom.
In closing, those of us in the scene now have to work even harder to resist the corruption and help each other to the best of our ability. A concept that many of us do on a daily basis so there is still a scene that exists beneath the 'underground'. Its a little harder to find, but isn't guided by any ridiculous bullshit code of rules that rely on fashion & herd like mentality to be a part of the club.
We hope this has given you an insight into the growing anger and frustration within the diy community regarding the issues raised.
