In 1981, Ronald Reagan became president, thus starting hardcore punk.
The hardcore punk movement was about anti-capitalism, anarchy and freedom of speech. Bands like Black Flag, Bad Brains and the Dead Kennedys were all rebelling against Ronald Reagan’s policies with their music, fighting against policies like trickle down economics (a.k.a. taxing the rich less), reducing government regulation (a.k.a letting big business do whatever they want), reducing government spending (a.k.a. less services for the poor), as well, U.S. immigration reform and control (a.k.a. deporting people who are different).
Sound familiar?
Some may think of punk rock as just a music genre, but in reality it is much more than that. According to musician and mastering engineer Dave Gardner, punk rock is a counter culture. Currently, Gardner is remastering the Dead Kennedys’ catalog.
“It is a rejection of mass culture,” he says. ”Punk is a larger ethos that encompasses poetry, art, and a way that people live their lives, and the music is a component within that.”
Gardner says that punk rock is “stunningly relevant” today.
“America is an inherently conservative place that seems confused about what is liberty and what is freedom,” he says. “There are a lot of very unsettled issues that are at the core of who we are as a culture and a country that haven’t been addressed.”
One of the main points of punk rock was that the government was fascistic. If you look at some of the lyrics of the Dead Kennedys (in songs like 1979’s “We’ve Got a Bigger Problem Now”), you can see this belief.
“I am Emperor Ronald Reagan
Born again with fascist cravings
Still, you made me president
Human rights will soon go ‘way
I am now our Shah today
Now I command all of you
Now you’re gonna pray in school”
Now let’s cut to 2025. The current administration has passed the Big Beautiful Bill that has reduced government regulations on big business and environmental issues, cut taxes for the 1 percent, SNAP and Medicaid benefits, and put more money into ICE and border patrol.
Sound familiar?
I think right now, more than ever, the world needs rebellion. It needs to fight a cause. It needs punk rock.
