Presentation

For my presentation I decided to take a route I had touched within my essay, I felt it opened up more questions and points I could expand on.

My essay is based around how images construct identities I used various images from the punk era and comparing it to those we consider pink in today’s era, I used mainly sex pistols and Avril Lavinge comparing both attitude, clothing and lyrics, this led me to my presentation looking at how punk has developed over the past 30 years and asking the much asked question is punk dead?

I will be using a selection of bands that consider themselves punk or punk rock. Sex Pistols are what we mainly associate with punk, tae god saves the queen for example the lyrics to this song were led to believe to be an assault towards queen Elizabeth II and the monarchy this was suggested by the lyrics “ A fascist regime” and “No future in England’s dreaming” at the time BBC refused to play this song due to the manner of the lyrics, this song is about rebelling in what society leads us to believe, after researching it is led to believe punk was used to explain the whole story of society and politics and was used as a leadership for the youth, hence the dress sense and attitude this was a result in not conforming with society’s image of perfection, in a 2012 interview with Johnny Rotten he quoted “It wasn’t a specific moment in time in history – I wrote a record subject matter that mattered to me in a personal way, and then all this situation enveloped and unfolded” this shows that Johnny Rotten sang about what mattered to him and not what their manager told them to sing about in order to sell records, although it did cause and uprising his boldness was still valued for saying how it is, this results in another question does uprising effect what we sing about in music to to date as singers often write about love and not what really effects them, and could this be a result of the chaos caused by certain songs?

This brings me to a band that has turned up on many occasions as 21^st century punk which is Rise Against they originated from Chicago in 1998 long after the sex pistols in the 1970’s they recognize their music as punk rock, I chose to use the song prayer for a refuge. After researching the song I found out the songs meaning is a refuge in America talking about the good life him and his people once had and how times have changed refuges are quietly trying to change the world in the background. In the final verse he tells his son to step out and change the world for the better. The song is against many practises used as a result of capitalism in the United States,

Although the song doesn’t reflect what we commonly known as punk but the lyrics both contain problems within our countries and that have been brought to attention through music.

I feel Rise against more structure down to when its made and the development of music.

Although the music doesn't sound punk or dress punk, could this be down to the development of the punk genre.

I researched into quotes about punk by other artists, but the main one that influenced me what by Billie Joel ( Green Day ) “A guy walks up to me and asks ‘What’s Punk?’ So I kick over a garbage can and say ‘That’s punk!’ So he kicks over a garbage can and says ‘That’s punk?’ and I say ‘No, that’s trendy!’”

— Billie Joe Armstrong

I feel this makes sense by irrupting it as punk was one of a kind and was the first of it all and explaining the whole story and standing up, but this quote also shows that anything that is made to sound punk nowadays is just a trend and will never be what it once was, which makes sense as back in the 70’s the music was used to express emotion towards what was happening, and now it’s already been done.

Giving the audience different opinions rather than those of society.

This also brings me onto Avril Lavinge which began with my essay, the media perceives her as punk yet none of her lyrics contain anything that matters, often about love or boys. The evolution of punk has led to teen agers dressing this way because they often feel its cool, without any knowledge of the heritage or history making it yet again a trend rather than standing for something and that’s originally what punk stood for.

Many arguments for punk being alive include “It is impossible for a music genre to simple die there will always be someone playing punk rock, punk rock is a symbol of rebellion and people will always rebel against something”

Another quote is

“First of all, anybody can go out, gather up a band, and make punk rock music, so it’s not dead”

Although these could be considered arguable points there is a way of expanding it, does people listening to punk keep it alive, yes it may do but doesn’t mean it’s still being produced, punk was meant to stand for something it was based on opinion, by gathering up a band and singing punk doesn’t make it punk, singing about random lyrics doesn’t make you anything.

Punk was originally freedom as defined by Kurt Kobain, now it’s a loosely based genre. It’s lost its soul.

Although there are many arguable factors whether punk is dead or not, it can be interrupted into an opinion.

After conducting this research it has led me to believe yes  punk is dead, I belive it was made for that time and wasn’t meant to be copied as it lost what it stood for. Even though some lyrics today contain anarchy and an uprising to society, is it really punk? In a short answer no, it’s just a trend and all in all a different genre to what it was originally.

Although I do admit on this topic it is up to how you decide and a matter of your own opinion, but I amongst others believe punk is dead and takes a new form of genre.

Quotes, on what is Punk?

“Punk became a circus didn’t it? Everybody got it wrong. The message was supposed to be: Don’t follow us, do what you want!”
- John Lydon

“Punk rock is just another word for freedom.”
- Patti Smith

“A guy walks up to me and asks ‘What’s Punk?’ So I kick over a garbage can and say ‘That’s punk!’ So he kicks over a garbage can and says ‘That’s punk?’ and I say ‘No, that’s trendy!’”
— Billie Joe Armstrong

“Punk is musical freedom. It’s saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster’s terms, ‘nirvana’ means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that’s pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.”
— Kurt Cobain

“The popularity of punk rock was, in effect, due to the fact that it made ugliness beautiful.”
— Malcolm McLaren

I feel after summing up these opinions, that Punk explained the other side of stories such as political points, democracy and opinions.
Giving the audience different opinions rather than those of society.

Punk presentation

After researching possible punk bands of the 21st century one band appeared on several occasions whic is Rise Against originated from Chicago in 1999.
They recognize themselves as American Punk Rock.
I chose the song Prayer Of The Refuge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-SQGOYOjxs
The songs meaning is a refugee talking about the good life him and he's people once had and how times have changed The next verse is about how these refugees are quietly trying to change the world in the background, in subtle ways. In the final verse, he tells the son to step out and change the world for the better.
The song is against many practices used as a result of capitalism in the United States.
Although the song doesn't reflect to what we know as punk but the lyrics both of Sex Pistols both contain problems within our countries and that have been brought to attention through music.
I feel Rise Against more structure down to when its made and the development of music.
Although the music doesn't sound punk or dress punk, could this be down to the development of the punk genre.

Punk

I researched into the most famously known punk band, the Sex Pistols, they are what we commonly associate with punk, for my presentation I will be creating a spin of of my essay looking at the timeline of punk music, how its changed and developed and looking at what we associate with punk in the 21st century and whether it relates to the original.
I will begin this timeline looking at Sex Pistols, I will begin with this song,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUH2YSFlVU
"God Save Our Queen"
the single was led to believe to be a assault towards Queen Elizibeth II and the monarchy many lyrics suggested this with "A fascist regime" and "No future in England's dreaming".
At the time of the song both BBC and IBA refused to play the song due to because of the controversial at the time.
The song is about rebelling against British politics, A lot of young people felt alienated by the stifling rule of monarchy and the Queen was their symbol.
This became an anthem for the Punk movement in England. It expressed the anger young people felt toward the establishment. Which is how this song became popular as people of that time could relate to the lyrics, which began this following.
In a 2012 interview with Johnny Rotten he quoted I wrote a record. It wasn't about a specific moment in time or history – I wrote a record about a subject matter that mattered to me, in a personal way, and then all this situation enveloped and unfolded. I never did it as an act of spite against the Jubilee. I don't think that's been quite completely understood."
This is one main difference between music is how Johnny Rotten created this song based on a subject that mattered to him, music to date is often about love or things the single doesn't possibly care about, could this be a result of the chaos caused over the song?
Does this effect us from singling about what matters in fear of it causing an uprising ?
In my opinion singing about what the band/singer feels passionate about gives the band and song more definition and not only to be viewed as band but a political statement.

Video Link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylVAhH_uJHI

This video has influenced aspects of my essay.
I looked mainly at the attitude in the video, how they portrayed themselves.
Which included the "I don't care attitude" and references to sex and alcohol, and by the look of the women they already seemed drunk. You wouldn't see an interview like this in the 21st century, is this how they wanted to be seen?
You can also see from where their being interview, in these graffiti ed rooms that boast grunge and fits the whole concept of punk and the manner of the band and interview.

The aim of a Presentation

A presentation can be used in different formats, such as trying to express an idea, the planning of an idea, to express a situation to an audience and there are some key aspects to consider to en-sure your presentation runs smoothly.

For my presentation I shall be creating a spin of of my essay, my essay is "How an image can construct and identity"
for this I compared punk in the 70's through images such as Sex Pistols to an image of Avril Lavinge who some people consider punk and how her images may come across punk.
Throughout writing the essay it brought me to think of the actual music of punk, how its developed over the years and whether its still alive?

I will be looking at what we considered punk during that era and create a timeline of music up until this point comparing between the two, I will be looking at lyrics meaning and general sound.