Post #563519 by telescopes on Thu, Nov 4, 2010 8:49 PM

Lucas, I couldn't agree with you more. You nailed it exactly. I do believe that I have an answer for you as to why The Smokin Menehunes are not supported on this forum as they should be. It's simple, really. You aren't PUNK.

Several years ago, it was made crystal clear to me on these forum pages that many, many, many of the fans of tiki on this site were previous fans of punk rock. I pre-date this movement and because of this fact, I often feel very uneasy and at a loss as what to say when I am with many of the people who frequent tikicentral.

It's like a non jock being around a bunch of jocks. You feel out-of-place. But the funny thing is, if everyone was truly in interested in the tiki culture for what it was and is, I shouldn't feel out of place.

So why do I. Because so many of the previous "punks" have co-opted tiki and remade it in their own image. Take a look at the low brow art movement as it pertains to tiki. Huh? Where's the connection. And don't try to say VELVET PAINTINGS. Seriously, while I respect much of the art work of the low brow artist, their art is not tiki. It is rather low brow art influenced by tiki.

And there's the rub. Your band is for all intense purposes, Hawaiian influenced tiki - traditional tiki - The Real McCoy. Thee Swank Bastards - ah, not so much. Could one force a connection between tiki and the Bastards. No. But one could make a connection between punk rock, punksters who like tiki, and the Bastards. That is possible.

I contend that way too much punk influenced low brow has come to be taken as authentic tiki.

All of these musical expressions have a place.

When AtomicTikiPunk asked the question, "Can we Talk?" (okay, I took liberties with his quote), this is what I would like to have said in response.

Okay, circle the wagons and shoot at me. I'm ready.