"PUNKROCK".........do you even comprehend what that means? I don't even think I do, totally. But, as I am reaching the ripe age of 20 in a few short months, I believe I have EARNED the privilege of speaking on the topic.

PunkRock to me is a movement, a slow progression, and expansion of ideas and thoughts. In its short existence (relatively) it has gained great momentum and is slowly, as far as I can tell, becoming the "mainstream" in the essence that it is more than likely one of the most widespread movements of the past decade. Sure, there are a lot of "trendy" punks, but I do not want to even TOUCH that subject...yet. PunkRock started as a movement of rebellion, in which bands gathered, and played before a crowd, and if they didn't like it, they knew where the door was, they played whatever the fuck they wanted to play, which explains the total variety in old school punk, it all has its own sound and feel to it, which is more than I can say for a lot of the generic punk I have heard lately, and of course, there are always exceptions.

Some of the most recent I have been listening to are the Dropkick Murphy's, Ducky Boys, Choke, The real mackenzies and the new AFI. But I could go on for hours about some of the above mentioned bands. I believe the whole essence of what it was to be a "punk" was lost in today's youth. Not that I am old enough to downgrade others, but I feel after 5 long years of dedication to the "scene" I have earned a little respect. Today it is all about what shoes you wear, what pants you wear, how much money you have, and how, supposedly "punk" you look. Sure, I like dressing outlandishly, but I do it because it is comfortable, and I like hearing reactions, and meeting people. Not that I dress much different than a lot of people I see, mainly I am in phat baggy cargos, because I think they look deadly, they are even more comfy, and I love the fact that it is drawstring, and they were 19 bucks, I wear 19 dollar, imitation Nike's from the SAAN store, just because they were 19 bucks, and I am poor. In short, I am too old to be worrying about what some yuppie Lil trendy rich kid skate punk thinks about my appearance, there, I believe is the essence of "punk" the total defiance of everything except your OWN rules.

I am open to so many styles of music, I cannot even BEGIN to explain and classify myself as anything except ME. Punk defiantly has the most meaning to me. But I consider lots punk, it is broad, one minute I will be listening to the clash, then I will switch to blink-182, then up to pennywise, maybe to swingin utters or a dropkick murphy's, defiantly AFI, then some weezer, and guns and roses, then maybe some gob or bouncing souls, maybe over to some mu330 and the aquabats, maybe reel big fish, or some of the specials, on over to Public Enemy, House Of Pain, maybe some RUN DMC, some chixdiggit, over on into some Limp Bizkit, Tool and Godsmack, Billy Idol and Iron Maiden, see, I classify that all as punk, because it is all different, it all has its own different edge, blink is bordering, but I dig Cheshire cat, that is dope, anyways, I love everything, and when there were rules to follow in order to live up to this "elite" group of "punks" I got lost and fucked it, I could care less how punk I look, I know how punk I am, I have dedicated myself to this movement, sure I have only been into it for 5 years, going on 6, but that 5 or 6 years has totally changed me, my ideas, my outlook on life, it has brought me up so high, and also brought me down when I look at the punks today.

PRIME example was this years WARPED TOUR 99, I was disgusted with the amount of Hoochies, Jocks, trendy little wieners with all their fucking holier than thou attitudes, fuck, I went there wearing my normal clothes, and my fav suicide machines shirt, then I get all these pompous motherfuckers looking down on me and calling me a jock because I have "jocky looking" shoes, sure, they look like shit, but I spent 19 bucks on em, like 2 months ago, and they are still perfect, my shoes do not classify me as anything, fuck that. If I had 100 bucks to shell out for a new pair of skate shoes (by the way, I take size 11 and I love Es') I would. The whole attitude at warped this year was disgusting, it has changed so much in the past few years even. But, there is not a whole lot any of us can do except stay true, I highly recommend checking out the local scene in your city or town, and give it a chance, I have learned, there is more to music than major label bands, some of my favorite bands are indie bands on small indie labels, and I highly look up to them, for their strive and effort, and dedication. I am going to end this little spiel right now, and I will be wiritng a whole lot more on different subjects in the future, I hope you all enjoy this, and benefit in some way in the making of this, If you have ANY feedback you would care to share with me, I would enjoy hearing it, even if it is negative and you hate me, I am always learning.