Last night I went to a Turnstile show. It rejuvenated long forgotten memories from the 1980s Washington, D.C. and Baltimore punk scene.
So many great musicians and artists that innovate and create look back to the Punk Rock era as a time that catapulted them into the scene. Everything the punk rock bands did they did themselves, little 5x7 flyers, were passed out to all the kids at school, their shows were typically in a basement of a rundown business, their recordings were from Radio Shack 4 channel consoles, and the shows were attend at your own risk.
I have never really been that into the music itself. Playing guitar since I was 5-6 I always gravitated to some strong musicality structure in songs. Some had those elements (Turnstile definitely does), but the furiousness of most of the songs then didn't allow for much musically.
So, how do life lessons emanate from Punk Rock? It seems today, from filmmaking, music, comedy -> all types of artistic expression can be done completely on your own. Make a film and put it on Vimeo. Record an album with friends in your garage and record it. Design your own cover on Photoshop, or just grab a sharpie and white paper. You don't need a representative, a rehearsal at a major studio. Let your creative, god-given expression out! It will find a home, a place to land.
I spend a lot of time in a corporate environment. Going to a show and seeing people throw themselves off stage like they did in the 80s, is so wonderful to see. The power and energy of this show is inspiring, exhilarating and you can see them open for Blink 182 in 2023. Create great things! Make it tonight!