Don't want to blow a small portion of your piece out of proportion, but this is not the first time I've seen it written that punk is left or punk is progressive, and while I certainly agree that it can be, too many bands even from the very beginning had rightwing views for me to just let it pass.
Johnny Ramone was of course a Nixon Republicans. Billy Zoom from X was known as a Republican back in the day, and Exene these days has taken to parroting that asshole Alex Jones. I read a piece somewhere where John Lydon went off for a page as an admirer of Donald Trump.
Fear were obviously coming from a right wing perspective. Back in NYC, so were Agnostic Front and Sheer Terror. Bobby Steele from Texas, too. Where were Gang Green from, New Jersey? If so, speaking of which, both lead singers for the Misfits.
Ian Curtis voted for Margaret Thatcher, and, um, called his band Joy Division.
Not a conservative or a punk historian, but I promise you there are more. And one thing I should say is: Most of the bands I mention are *good bands* so no 'true Scotsman' argument to be made. You can't talk about LA hardcore without talking about Fear and X.
As an overview let me go back to Lydon. I mean, what about him made me think that he *wouldn't* go off as a Trump supporter? "Bodies" may or may not be an anti-abortion screed, but Johnny Rotten has always made it clear that he's just looking to shock and piss people off. So guess what? He's still doing it.
Don't want to blow a small portion of your piece out of proportion, but this is not the first time I've seen it written that punk is left or punk is progressive, and while I certainly agree that it can be, too many bands even from the very beginning had rightwing views for me to just let it pass.
Johnny Ramone was of course a Nixon Republicans. Billy Zoom from X was known as a Republican back in the day, and Exene these days has taken to parroting that asshole Alex Jones. I read a piece somewhere where John Lydon went off for a page as an admirer of Donald Trump.
Fear were obviously coming from a right wing perspective. Back in NYC, so were Agnostic Front and Sheer Terror. Bobby Steele from Texas, too. Where were Gang Green from, New Jersey? If so, speaking of which, both lead singers for the Misfits.
Ian Curtis voted for Margaret Thatcher, and, um, called his band Joy Division.
Not a conservative or a punk historian, but I promise you there are more. And one thing I should say is: Most of the bands I mention are *good bands* so no 'true Scotsman' argument to be made. You can't talk about LA hardcore without talking about Fear and X.
As an overview let me go back to Lydon. I mean, what about him made me think that he *wouldn't* go off as a Trump supporter? "Bodies" may or may not be an anti-abortion screed, but Johnny Rotten has always made it clear that he's just looking to shock and piss people off. So guess what? He's still doing it.