Post #487040 by TikiG on Thu, Oct 8, 2009 8:39 AM

Kinda like my 'punk' attitude during High School (Class of '81)

I fought for anomalous style but truthfully to be a 'punk' within my peers had to be uniformed (always to keep from getting BEAT)

Possibly its the fine line between what I thought was individual VS what I had to conform to as part of a 'group' - be that in social context as 'punk' or literally conform as a member of a rock and roll group - that is the struggle. Its universal truth. Again, I stress as much as we thought we could stand alone as an unique identity we were all part of a larger dynamic that always demands expectation.

As a 'punk' drummer between '78 - '83 I witnessed, lived and struggled to keep ahead or at least afloat of the So. Cal 'punk' energy surge. In the end I and most of my peers did our best to grow up and away from that madness. (Had to) find a job and fall into the American way of 'life'. Some peers fell into hard addictions, homelessness and despair. Some, to this day, have never ever recovered. But that's okay that's life.

I'm all for individualism. I'm all for balance. Martin will create any business/venture and environment he wants, and I need not either embrace or shit on his creation and vision. Whatever he does will never influence or change my inner emotional take on 'tiki' whatever...but I realize that a four-year old child exposed to it will have a different emotional take, expressed forty years from today. Like Sven expressed, tiki will never have the same sense of urgency for social change that punk did or does for me.

Really when it comes down to it, I don't know what I'm saying. Punk at its best. Hey! let's go get stoned and listen to something good...

(As for Black Flag - I witnessed all the incarnations of that and personally I find the Keith era best now that I may look back thirty (!) years ago and reminisce. The energy and excitement I remember very well.)

Thanks AGAIN John-O for another interesting discussion.