Market Failure: Punk Economics Early and Late

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Thompson, Stacy. Punk Productions: Unfinished Business. (Albany State: University of New York Press, 2004) 139-159. 

Thompson's analysis of punk economics provides a detailed and informative account of industry in both England and the U.S and how commercial motivations (or lack thereof), acted as yet another channel for rebellion and 'power' within punk mentality. This chapter makes the assumption that all punks set themselves against capitalism and subsequently, the music industry, and attempts to explore their success in this emancipation, while positioning the punk commodity into the broader context of US music industry economics.

Referring frequently to the popular music studies of Frith, Thompson divides her examination into both early (1974-77) and late punk economics (1978-present), as the latter marked a shift from solely aesthetic concerns to the inevitable capitalization of an increasingly popular movement. Frith attributes this shift in popularity to the rise of rock music in the 1970s, as major record labels saw new opportunities for commercial profitability. Discussion regarding the operational practices of ‘The Big Six’ record labels puts punk economics in a global context, highlighting distinctions between US and British branches while also providing an absorbing insight into previous industry tactics, as 90% of label production proved unprofitable (Thompson, 142). When aligned with the industry’s current state and climate, this overproduction seems excessive and somewhat naïve- yet alluring to those facing the exclusivity of modern label capitalism.

Opposing Frith’s suggestion that punk is dead “the moment it slips beneath the radar of corporately controlled media outlets”, this chapter cites Dischord Records and Fugazi as the most celebrated examples of commercial freedom, concluding with a case study of the label and band, while reaffirming Goshert’s argument that their continued independence allowed them to remain at the centre of the punk ethos (45). Don Letts's 2005 documentary, Punk Attitudes, recounts the band's reluctance to cooperate or conform to capitalist expectations, particularly those that opposed their core values;

Punk: Attitudes. Dir. Don Letts. Capitol Entertainment, 2005. Film.

This chapter has been particularly useful in equating somewhat dry economical factors with a reckless movement so vastly opposite, reiterating their unavoidable connection and continual negotiation of amicable coexistence. 

Punk After the Pistols: American Music, Economics, and the Politics in the 1980s and 1990s

Goshert, John Charles. “Punk After the Pistols: American Music, Economics, and the Politics in the 1980s and 1990s.” Popular Music and Society 24.1 (2000): 85-106.

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Another argument against the unfaithful and often problematic depiction of punk in academic discussion, comes from Goshert’s article ‘Punk After the Pistols: American Music, Economics and Politics in the 1980s and 1990s’, as frequent references to commercially successful punk products in academia, defy the very nature essence of punk- “as the moment punk enters pop culture- it ceases to be punk” (85). Offending authors and publications are identified and reprimanded upon evidence of punk’s DIY ethic being supported with examples of bands signed or affiliated with major labels and managers.

Goshert supports and builds from O’Connor’s theory of localized ‘scenes’, acknowledging the various forms of punk subculture according to geographical location, and more specifically, individual bands- arguing that the success and ethos of Greenday or Nirvana cannot be appropriately aligned with the motivations of more obscure, independent bands.  

The article goes on to explore economy and industry, specifically within the backdrop of American punk in the 1980s and 1990s, as independent record labels (most notably, Dischord) assisted its progression yet simultaneously maintained its authenticity. These labels were both philanthropic towards social and political causes (encouraging long-term change beyond band aid solutions) as well as being creatively accommodating, allowing artists to autonomously control their sound, image, merchandise and touring schedules- unlike major labels commodifying the punk ethos.

Dischord Records Logo. Web. 16 May 2011. 

Widely successful independent band, Fugazi, are used by Goshert as a prominent example of mainstream popularity destroying the very essence of punk. The lyrics of Fugazi's 1995 song, 'Birthday Pony', reflect this departure and their subsequent frustration, as the band could no longer exist as they had originally intended.                                                     

"This is a birthday pony

This is a strange kind of rest

Because I feel like a guest when I'm right here at home

I'm not right here at home

I opened up these accounts

All these separate accounts

Because I can't comprehend the single ride to the end

I needed something to do and so I split into two

But now the pattern takes hold

I find I'm losing control

Laugh boy

I don't want to be free

This is a birthday pony"

MacKaye. Birthday Pony, Red Medicine. Fugazi. Fugazi, 1995. Cassette.

Finally, a historical point of note is the lyrical digression from oppositional to avant-garde, as the end of the Reagan years marked the end of a clearly identifiable national ‘enemy’ (91).

Mosher, Mike. Rock Against Reagan. 1982. California.

Goshert’s perspective has proven beneficial to my own academic research, allowing me to consider not only specific sites and participants of subcultural activity but also their position in the configuration of punk as a whole. Since reading this article, I will question the relevance and authenticity of commercially successful artists when selecting examples of punk, as the author effectively maintains that entry into mainstream means a departure from punk. 

Local Scenes and Dangerous Crossroads: Punk and Theories of Cultural Hybridity

O’Connor, Alan. “Local Scenes and Dangerous Crossroads: Punk and Theories of Cultural Hybridity.” Popular Music 21.2 (2002): 225-236.

Progressing from Hannon's precise historical representation of punk subculture in both Great Britain and the United States, O'Connor's article promises a more specific exploration of the genre, through the analysis of four contrasting punk 'scenes'. Defining ‘scene’ as “the active creation of infrastructure to support punk bands and other forms of creative activity”, the author centres his discussion on Washington, D.C; Austin, Texas; Toronto, Canada; and Mexico City, as they are individually defined and assessed as ethnographic participants in the punk phenomenon of the Americas (225). These examples effectively underpin the article’s primary argument for the continued relevance of regional musical scenes as opposed to the assumption of cultural hybridity when conducting academic analysis of popular music. Via these four case studies, O’Connor illustrates the channels through which punk is transmitted to diverse geographical locations and the subsequent verifications associated with a subculture, somewhat lost or at least, altered in translation.

As well as exploring the social and political ramifications of punk’s arrival to each city, the article also distinguishes each scene via individual musical characteristics, comparing the complexity and sophistication of ‘emo’ in Washington D.C, to the problematic nature of bilingual punk lyrics in Mexico City, to the irony of dissatisfied Canadian artists, claiming ‘no future’ amongst the backdrop of economic and constitutional prosperity. These social circumstances are also reflected in the performance venues of each city. For example, affluence in Canada encouraged the emergence of a straight edge scene, while established local venues including the Centre for Experimental Art and Communication provided a hub for live performance, spawning the historical punk club, ‘Crash 'n' Burn’ (See below).

McGinnis, Rick. 'Crash N Burn' Today. 2010. Photograph. Toronto, Canada. Blogto. Creative Commons Attribution, 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 04 May 2011.

Given the nature of O’Connor’s investigation, the specificity of such case studies is both beneficial and limiting when attempting to define uniform characteristics of punk subculture, internationally. However, this is in fact where the author’s key argument lies. Despite the universality of music as an art form and language, O’Connor provides localized observations of punk practices in a way previous academic works have not, dispelling misconceptions of a blanket definition for an indefinable movement. 

What is Punk?

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Hannon, Sharon. M. Punks: A Guide to an American Subculture. (Santa Monica: Greenwood Press, 2010) 1-12. 

Hannon’s opening chapter provides a detailed account of the formation of the punk rock movement and its associated social and political connotations- from its origination in Great Britain in the mid 1970s to its progression to the United States later that decade. With a predominant use of secondary academic sources throughout the chapter, the author initiates their investigation with three candid yet succinct quotes from prominent punk musicians from such bands as the Clash, the Voidoids and the Avengers, incorporating a raw authenticity to the text beyond that of distant scholarly observation.

Geography and demography are discussed in detail, as the motivations and behaviour of key participants are identified and distinguished according to their various socio-political scenes, while bricolage and homology are examined as both material and ritualistic signifiers of punk’s anti-authoritarian attitude. The chronological progression from first wave punk and hardcore to the eventual adoption of straight edge is covered throughout the text, concluding with the fragmentation of the parent subculture, as groups formerly excluded from the scene (women, gays etc) enforced their presence via sub-subcultures.

While offering a concise narration on the historical significance of the featured subculture, this chapter, unlike other associated scholarly works, does little to develop an original argument regarding its emergence and success, its impact on practicing musicians and fans, or its eventual role in the emergence of future music subcultures. This approach, while informative, provides a calculated, somewhat two-dimensional depiction of what is arguably one of music’s most dynamic and spontaneous movements, thus lacking the fundamental essence of the subject of investigation.

Arguably, Hannon’s most effective analogy is established in her conclusion, as she attributes the increasing prevalence of the amateur production of cultural products within America and wider society to punk’s DIY ethos, having established a forum for freedom of expression and artistic experimentation that has and will continue to facilitate new mediums of creativity.

Welcome, Punks!

This blog will explore the formation of one of music's most influential subcultures; Punk.

By examining two peer-reviewed articles and two book chapters over the coming weeks, 'What Are You Looking At, Punk?' will assess existing research relating to the fundamental principles of punk ideology, as rebellion towards authority and conformity inadvertently established one of the most prominent classifications in music culture. This blog will align these texts with other cultural studies, media studies and popular music research, while evaluating their effectiveness in clarifying and investigating punk subculture in a wider historical context.