Republican punk rockers voice support for George W Bush

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3710263.stm
George W Bush: Punk icon?

By Damian Fowler
BBC reporter in New York

Several new websites have sprung up for punk conservatives
It sounds unlikely, but there is a surprising new subculture emerging in the United States: Republican punk rockers.
In his knee-high Dr Martens and with his head shaved, Michale Graves is the Bush-friendly face of punk rock.

He is the front man for the band Gotham Road, which has just kicked off its US tour.

On stage he belts out angry, obscure lyrics, but offstage he is also known for his conservative rants and raves.

"The leftist radical agenda seems to be resonating loudly from within pop culture and we are at war on many different levels," he wrote in one of his columns at conservativepunk.com - one of several new web sites for Republican punk rockers.

Gotham Road is one a roster of bands who are anti-anti-establishment - though they represent a small percentage of the punk scene.

They are not raging against the machine - they are raging for it.

Although Graves does not fit the image of a young Republican, he makes no apologies for his politics.

Core values

"I support this government because of our president's core values," Graves says. "I think he's bringing the country in a right direction.

"Is there a better man for the job? There definitely might be, but from the candidates that we have to choose from in America right now, there's no better man than George Bush."

I don't find anything punk about promoting higher taxes and more handouts to people

Nick Rizzuto,
conservativepunk.com founder
Nick Rizzuto is another self-styled conservative punk, and the founder of conservativepunk.com.

The 22-year-old is a fan of the New York City punk band Bouncing Souls, and has the tattoos to prove it.

But he identifies himself as capitalist punk, railing against the left.

"I don't find anything punk about promoting higher taxes and more handouts to people," Rizzuto says.

"I would see the conservative viewpoint as being more punk than a liberal one, because a conservative viewpoint places a lot of emphasis on personal responsibility."

Anti-establishment

When Punk Rock emerged in the 1970s, it identified with youthful rage and rebellion.

It was an anti-establishment subculture whose politics often tended to the left.

The Sex Pistols embraced nihilism and anarchy, whilst bands like The Clash espoused leftist views.

Many punks stick to more traditional anti-establishment views
It is not surprising that most punk bands in America today continue that legacy.

Around 200 liberal and left-leaning bands, including crossover groups like Green Day and Foo Fighters, have teamed up under the banner of punkvoter.com with the goal of ousting President Bush in the November election.

Punkvoter has just released a compilation album of punk bands who are out to attack George W Bush as a liar with their music.

At the heart of this activism is voter registration.

"One of the messages we're trying to get to people is please go out and vote against George Bush," says Justin Sane, the lead singer of a group called Anti-Flag.

"But also we're trying to say to people, it's important to be involved in politics so you know what's going on, or one day you might wake up and realise that it affects you."

Polarised

Not to be left out, conservative punks also want to inspire their share of the youth vote.

Some critics see the emergence of conservative punk as a symptom of just how polarised the US has become in this election year.

In a lot of ways in the United States, the Republicans have gotten much more punk rock than the Democrats

Anthony DeCurtis,
Rolling Stone rock critic
"This country is as politically attuned as it has ever been," says Anthony DeCurtis, a rock critic for Rolling Stone Magazine.

"Often there's a kind of wilful lack of awareness about political issues in the United States - a sense of 'What difference does it make?'

"But that attitude does not really seem to be applying right now and punk rock is reflecting that."

There is little precedent in the US for Republican punk rock, though there are some exceptions.

Ramones

Johnny Ramone, the guitarist for The Ramones, has fiercely supported the Republican Party for years.

When the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, Johnny took to the microphone to offer his thanks, saying "God Bless President Bush, and God Bless America."

For many the idea of George W Bush being supported by punk rockers is a contradiction in terms.

But for others, there is something about this phenomenon that makes a perverse kind of sense because of the Bush administration's hawkish posture.

"In a lot of ways in the United States, the Republicans have gotten much more punk rock than the Democrats," DeCurtis says.

"The right has become more punk than the left : they're much more pugnacious, much more aggressive and much more forceful about putting out their ideas and drawing a line in the sand."

Still, punk rockers like Michale Graves sometimes feel alienated from the rest of punk rock scene, admitting that he receives a tremendous amount of hate mail.

"Sometimes I do feel pretty uncool," he says.

― Ex Punk, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd like to put this guy in a room with Berg's father for five minutes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't even want to visit http://www.conservativepunk.com

― Ex Punk, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

*yawn* this is nothing new. Skinheads/80s hardcore to thread.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

angry, obscure lyrics

― The Huckle-Buck (Horace Mann), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

"The right has become more punk than the left : they're much more pugnacious, much more aggressive and much more forceful about putting out their ideas and drawing a line in the sand."
That's an interesting, uh, distortion of the basic tenets of punk.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

From http://www.conservativepunk.com/

Conservatives Blacklisted!
It has recently come to our attention that there are several music venues that are blacklisting conservative artists. I was recently informed by Michale Graves that two venues, which his band Gotham Road was scheduled to play on their upcoming national tour, have backed out due to his political beliefs.

We at Conservative Punk are sickened by this blatant display of discrimination and intolerance, and urge you to speak out and voice your displeasure with this recent rash of left wing McCarthyism. The contact information for the two venues is as follows:

I can't wait to see Alex In NYC's reaction to the crap on that site. (and ned's)

― Ex Punk, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

haha "left wing McCarthyism"!

that's fuckin classic.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

If it were 1975 and Gerald Ford were in office, I could see (but not agree with) their point(s).

The Republican leadership does not in the least promote the legacy/perception of the conservative Republican party that people like to think it does. (Except maybe trickle down economics, which may or may not have merit, but makes less sense than bubble-up economics.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

er.. point being .. conservative punks don't know what they're talking about .. morans.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

But without the social conservatism (read: racism), are skinheads still Republicans? I never heard a skinhead speaking out against "higher taxes and more handouts to people".

xposts

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Why is it suprising? There bunches of trustfundies in punk rock scenes and generally the more money the more loud mouthed about whatever political affiliation or issue they follow.

― earlnash, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't find this surprising at all - this is just one of a series of media spotlight pieces I've seen recently about "hip young Republicans" (hip young Democrats are so last millenium, I guess). To wit: http://www.sfweekly.com.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

haha - vice magazine to thread also

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

It may be trite or obvious, but I FUCKING HATE CONSERVATIVE PUNK. I can't help it, it's a knee jerk reaction. When I see a line like this:

I don't find anything punk about promoting higher taxes and more handouts to people

I want to kick him in his fucking nuts.

― David Allen (David Allen), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd like to see what would happen if Gotham Road's booking agent unwittingly booked them to open for Lightning Bolt.

― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Geraldo Rivera should do a special show about it. What could go wrong?

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I think these reactionary strains have been in the punk community for a long, looooong time. Certainly when I was growing up in So Cal if I met someone who was into punk it was entirely likely they were right-wing and from a family of military contractors or something and they just liked loud, aggressive music. But I do find this recent media onslaught of "cool" young Republicans nauseating. By and large their subjects (especially those Vice morons) are such self-righteous idiots with no real grasp of politics at all. Take this conservaticpunk.com yahoo - he clearly doesn't understand that George Bush is for BIG government and massive handouts (to his friends that is).

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Johnny Ramone to thread!

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Gotham Road needs to be booked with Shelter or Vegan Reich, that way the entire political spectrum is covered.

Of course once you go so far left, you end up sounding pretty right wing. You know what I am talking about if you know some sXe people.

― earlnash, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean, what is this whole Iraq adventure besides a massive gov't handout to the aerospace/defense industries. That's where all the gov't money is going right now, and there's a fuckin lot of it. I can see it at my own job.

x-post

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

well, and the petrochemical industry too. Gas rates at HIGHEST EVER in history! Gee, where is that money going...

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

how is the name "Gotham Road" punk by any stretch of the imagination?!?

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Shakey Mo - not all elements of the petrochem industry are benefitting from $40 crude.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'd like to put this guy in a room with Berg's father for five minutes"

i feel like both are equally bewildering figures. apparently Mr. Berg said:
"The al Qaeda that killed my son didn't know what they were doing. They killed their best friend."
i certainly feel for the man but say wha?

― duke distort, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

i know lots of them benefited from Gov. Mike Foster and friends running the show in louisiana.
x-post

― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I know, I'm simplifyin here stence... I'm likewise aware we're in Iraq for more than just handouts to Bechtel, tho that is a big part of it.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Ted Nugent to thread. He's also a lot funnier than conservative punks.

Panzerfaust Records to thread. Which is also funnier, but for much more accidental reasons.

― George Smith, Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't wait to see Alex In NYC's reaction to the crap on that site. (and ned's)

It's too early in the afternoon for me to get that agitated.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

awww, alex is gettin soft in his fatherhood.

― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyone ever read the lead singer of Mr. T Experience's blog? Very pro-war and pro-Bush.

― Sym (shmuel), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex in NYC preferring to bitch about Beyonce than actually badmouth lame ass punks SHOCKAH.

American punk has always had a superconservative strain (even before it got to the suburbs.) I don't see why anyone is even remotely surprised by this.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Are you serious? I've never noticed any of that in Dr. Frank's blog. *goes to check again

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

not surprised .. just annoyed. like a scab you keep bumping on things...

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, nobody should be too shocked by rich white people voting Republican.

― Sym (shmuel), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't make it load. I wonder if Ben Weasel is a Republican.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

American punk has always had a superconservative strain

You're an idiot.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Normally I would agree with you, but in this case I think you are deluding yourself.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Wasn't Dee Dee Ramone a really staunch conservative? Possibly a a couple other Ramones as well? Not that it matters.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not arguing that there isn't an element of conservatism in American Punk, but to assert that it was rampant across the board shows you weren't paying very close attention.

Johnny was the conservative Ramone, Roxymuzak.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

You are unclear of the concept of STRAIN aren't you, Alex?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

ah c'mon, he didn't say that - he said there was a "strain". Seems perfectly reasonable to me, certainly in my own experience.

x-post

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Please remember, this clown Graves was the scab replacement for Danzig in 90s Misfits. His band sounds like Bang Tango-minus. The six people who listen to what he has to say won't be released from the lard recovery ward in time to vote.

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh they also listened to Lard?!?! Ouch no wonder they are in the hospital.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, I misread that. You're still an asshole, Alex, but apologies for that.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Apology accepted.

― Asshole in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Was Joey Ramone really that smart to begin with. Really, who was smarter Strummer or Ramone. I'd go with Strummer.

― Mike Guy (Miss Lonelyhearts), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Would you really. Why is that.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Joey = stupid? Where is this coming from? (why is Joey even part of this conversation - he was on the lefty end of the Ramones, writing "Bonzo Goes to Bitburg", etc.)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the brightest Ramone was Tommy, actually.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 May 2004 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

you're not giving CJ a fair shake then.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 May 2004 22:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahaha.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 May 2004 22:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Bon Jovi was the smartest Ramone.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

FUCKA FUCKA FUCKA FUCKA FUCKA OH YEAH!

― Johnny 'Nads, Thursday, 13 May 2004 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

On stage he belts out angry, obscure lyrics, but offstage he is also known for his conservative rants and raves.

Um, and that's a surprise because...?

― Autumn Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 13 May 2004 23:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Alex vs. Alex would have been avoided had the phrase "There has always been a strain of superconservative American punk" been used instead of "American punk has always had a superconservative strain"... but knowing Alex in SF better, I assumed he wouldn't make such a broad generalization about American punk in general.. so sorry Alex in NYC.

― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 13 May 2004 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh NO! Alex Shall Never Kill Alex! Oh NO!

― Weep, Dr. Zaius, weep. (Alex in SF), Thursday, 13 May 2004 23:43 (twenty-two years ago)

(At this point the two Alex's grab each other and spin around really fast and we don't know which one to blast with a laser because which one is the real one?!)

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 14 May 2004 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)

(Or they both run into each other really fast and make a giant Alex creature, ala Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey)

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 14 May 2004 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, it's no biggee. I was typically overreacting to AlexinSF's wind-ups. I typed before I read it thoroughly. `Twas my mistake.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 14 May 2004 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sometimes I do feel pretty uncool," he says.

No shit.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 14 May 2004 03:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh NO! Alex Shall Never Kill Alex! Oh NO!

Actually I was thinking a very specific version of Spy Vs. Spy.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 14 May 2004 03:18 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sometimes I do feel pretty uncool," he says.

Yeah, go with that.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 14 May 2004 06:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't we already have a thread or two about this? I remember posting an article that featured the dude from the Effigies, who is in the Federalist Society.

I've known a few of these Republican 'punks', ex-punks who went a little overboard with the self-righteousness in the eighties and now think that everyone on the left had as shallow an understanding of politics as they did.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Friday, 14 May 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

OTM. I really think the dumbest socialists I know are going to be idiot conservatives in twenty years.

― Sym (shmuel), Friday, 14 May 2004 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

This just strikes me as really juvenile. Since a good majority of youngish people tend to bash Bush (often, admittedly, as myopically as these kids seem to praise him) and associate with leftist ideals, my guess would be that supporting the GOP is just an obvious (and incredibly stupid) way for these "punks" to be different. I bet they hate the shit out of the wanna-be hippie kids who read Michael Moore and Naomi Klein and take the token platform positions on issues they're actually pretty ill-informed on. And I can't really blame them--I hate those types myself. But if there's anything worse than fashionably liberal kids bitching about the WTO, it's intentionally unfashionable reactionary kids bitching about the evils of abortion and affirmative action. I can't stand Anti-Flag, but I imagine Anti-Anti-Flag (or, perhaps, just Anti-FAG) would be even harder to stomach.

― Josh Timmermann (Josh Timmermann), Friday, 14 May 2004 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"I really think the dumbest socialists I know are going to be idiot conservatives in twenty years"

OTM sadly.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 14 May 2004 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"I really think the dumbest socialists I know are going to be idiot conservatives in twenty years"

A 20-year old who isn't liberal doesn't have a heart, and a 40-year who isn't conservative doesn't have a brain, right?

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Friday, 14 May 2004 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I never liked that quote. Experienced has told me that conservatives can easily be compassionate and/or braindead.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Friday, 14 May 2004 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

An any-year old who uses that phrase doesn't have a clue

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Saturday, 15 May 2004 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL, WHOA-OH OH, SPEE-EE-EE-AK OF THE DE-E-VOUL
DEVAL!!!

Heh heh, Graves. PFBTBTBT

― Helltime, Saturday, 15 May 2004 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it just means it's a lot easier to be conservative. Hello 40-year old, you made it, relax and take a load off. Vote Nixon.

I heard there was a Washington Post story about this very dubious conservative punx group, and colorful quote source Ian MacKaye said something like: Why not? At this point punk is basically like furniture.

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Saturday, 15 May 2004 03:44 (twenty-two years ago)

i dunno, i can EASILY imagine a LOT of the greasy che t-shirt wearing naderites i encountered 4 years ago morphing into brooks bro-wearing dittoheads by the time they reach 40. they have david horowitz and jerry rubin for inspiration.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 15 May 2004 03:46 (twenty-two years ago)

An any-year old who uses that phrase doesn't have a clue

OTM

― latebloomer the cheerleader (latebloomer), Saturday, 15 May 2004 04:51 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

I've met people like this. the phenomenon is uncanny and frightening.

― zoom, Monday, 22 February 2010 14:16 (sixteen years ago)

"legendary" Chicago-indie Republican:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Kurson

― Fusty Moralizer (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 February 2010 14:30 (sixteen years ago)

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