Punk Rock - Not Ali Rotten?

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Everybody has no doubt heard of the popular cult of Punk-Rock. It first came to the notice of the masses when Punk heroes, 'The Sex Pistols' used four-letter words during a television interview, and the popular Press spent the following days discrediting the whole movement.

The main reason for this obvious over-reaction lies in the fact that Punk Rock has a relatively high level of political motivation.

Its main aim is to bring music back to the streets. It is rock music, as music of the working-class, being played by working-class kids and not the millionaire rock stars, that the past generation has created.

It also dares to attack the established authorities which govern its existence and in doing so has endured probably the worst backlash from the Tory establishment that musicians in recent years have had to endure.

Records have been banned and interfered with; concerts have been cancelled, and so much bad publicity has been built up that members of groups have been beaten up on the streets.

Throughout history of course, music has been politically motivated and influenced.

For most teenagers this began in the Fifties when kids sought an nutlot for their chare of the business was only too provide them with it.

Thus the modern record industry was hatched.

The way we dress, hairstyles, attitudes to race and class and most of all our attitudes to sex, have all been shaped to a certain extent by the exploitation of modern music fashions by the media.

Unfortunately though, the groups that started out as Sex Pistol singer Johnny Rotten revolutionaries' in the past, the ones who helped • erode the old standards and restrictive principles, have all finally accepted the attractive life which fame has to the problems which them off.

It is true that these same pitfalb will soon become a danger to the new wave of bands. Many have just jumped on the bandwagon in order to gain wealth and fame. It remains to be seen if all do the same.

No-one can deny, however, tha: people are taking a serious attitude about the political nature of a lo: of Punk-Bands.

One Tory M.P. has said that it this music threatens to destroy the institutions of our society, then we must destroy it first.

The Socialist Workers Party h25 started a group which utilises госё music to combat racism and this has the support of a lot of PuniBands-although it is in the usua 'gimmicky' style of the SHP We must hope of course, that the seriousness of the music's oppressors will be reflected in it= stance of the musicians and is followers.

The more established wra..=; rock musicians are now fighting is: their own interests. Some British musicians have said tras would perform as part of the Liberal Party's Election Campaigsimply because, no doubt. of ite Liberals pledge to reduce the maximum level of taxation from s37 to around 50%.

Perhaps the Punks are not ngt: in everything, but in turning people away from this selfish and corrug: rock aristocracy, they have a cause

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