Punk's Not Dead

What makes punk "punk"? Why have so many bands stayed together for more than 20 years? Where did punk "go" before its mid-'90s resurgence? How do legends like The Sex Pistols and The Damned feel about pop-punk powerhouses like My Chemical Romance and Good Charlotte? These questions of identity and community are what fuels this somewhat long, somewhat unfocused but ultimately compelling and informative film.

Director Susan Dynner grew up in DC and caught her first Minor Threat show when she was 15. She's watched Redskins games with Ian MacKaye, helped hand-pack records at the Dischord offices, and even today provides a crash pad for the U.K. Subs and Subhuman during their lengthy US tours.

From Dynner's vantage point within the punk scene, she was able to interview dozens of bands, promoters and critics, tour with acts from The Addicts to Sum 41, and compile a litany of anecdotes and sound bites, all over the course of 3 years. The result is a multifaceted document of where punk has been and, perhaps most importantly, WHY it will keep going.

If you've been involved in Punk circles as long as I have,this film is for you. It gathers scads of interviews with tons of musicians who were (and thankfully still are)part of the Punk scene since the mid 1970's (and in a few cases,the early pre-Punk 1970's),as well as snippets of performances by scads of bands,both from back in the day,as well as today. Okay, I know that at least a few folk who do see it will probably moan that their favorite bands were left out (I know I did), but come on folks, with a scene as wide and varied as the Punk scene was, some trimming is bound to happen (I know I walked out of 'Hardcore USA'feeling that there should have been tons of bands represented). Once this film is released on DVD, it'll make for a bitchin' party video. Gabba Gabba Hey!

Watched this again after many years as I remembered it coming out. Not a bad documentary although they stretched a bit with Good Charlotte being punk. However there was no mention or acknowledgement of Descendents! They pioneered melodic punk in the late 70s up to present day and influenced most of if not all the bands that followed. Very odd that they were not included. Not bad overall but some of the bands they tried to tell us were punk were a bit of a stretch. Trying to stay relevant at the time maybe to bring in new fans? Who knows. Just do another one and for gods sake include DESCENDENTS!

I'm sorry people but if you want to learn about punk this movie isn't it. Plain old. Watch American hardcore if you really want to see what the punk is. For Christs sakes. Good Charlotte? Green day? BILLY IDOL!?! MY CHEMICLE ROMANCE?! Pennywise? The Casualties? Rancid? Sum 41? These aren't punk. I'm sorry when a punk documentary includes these bands you know its complete bullshit. For example. Most punks won't even consider Sex Pistols or The Ramones to BE punk. Sid vicious was a nihilistic junkie, and Johnny was a conservative Raegan Supporter. Now not to say this movie doesn't have some good points.

But if you really want to see what punk is and not some people trying to follow a formula go out to local $5 shows, and stuff like that! Listen to bands like The Exploited, TSOL, Minor Threat, Circle Jerks, D.O.A., Black Flag, The Stooges, MC5, Dead Kennedys, FEAR, Subhumans, Social Distortion, 45 Grave, Bad Brains (early stuff), Gang Green, Johnny Hobo and The Freight Trains, Battalion Of Saints, Choking Victim, Citizen Fish, Crass, Gang Of Four (Sex Pistols with meaning), Iggy Pop, INDK, Jerrys Kids, Leftover Crack, Lou Reed, MDC, Negative Approach, Nig-Heist, Nina Hagen, Operation Ivy, Pere Ubu, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Sonic Youth, Sublime, The Addicts, The Clash, The Stranglers, Koffin Kats, Tiger Army, The Vandals, The Velvet Underground, Transplants, Scream. There's TONS! And remember. Punk doesn't need to be hardcore punk. Lou Reed, Pere Ubu, The Doors, and The Velvet Underground are perfect examples.

See American Hardcore for a good punk Documentary. You will NOT be disappointed