... the other Black experience
Too old and too black for punk?
When most people think about punk rock, images of sweaty thin white boys instantly come to mind- holding stead fast to the idea that punk music is reserved for the privileged white youth that exude bottled rage in the form of guitars, drums, mosh pits, drugs, piercings, and cheap alcohol.
But what happens when you’re old and black and are thirsty for an alternative punk audience to appreciate your music? As difficult as it is for younger black alternative bands to break through the punk rock scene, will older black rock musicians, who have built their career on their empowering lyrical content, true instrumentation, and a D.I.Y. model ever appeal to the iPod generation of black youth?
Or will their legacy live on solely through their majority white dedicated underground fans?
Take for example, black punk/ska band, Fishbone, who have been playing together for 31 years, and have maintained very little commercial success in the American music circuit, yet have been attributed for influencing mainstream bands such as No Doubt and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. When lead singer and frontman, Angelo Moore, was asked why he thinks his band never made commercial success, he said, "How come we're playing all of this great music and intricate arrangements, singing about everything under the sun, and people want to throw you chicken change? If you singing about your pussy or dick to keep you in the nigga zone, they'll just throw you money to keep you there and make it glorified.” Because the band has run into a number of financial pitfalls, Angelo has even started other start-up ventures such as a comic book collection which he promotes abroad to stay afloat.
Old School Fishbone
New School Fishbone
Another black alternative band, Bad Brains, who have been playing together for more than 30 years and are known for being one of the pioneers of hardcore punk music, has also seen little commercial success. Their self-titled debut album was released on Neil Cooper's ROIR Records on "cassette only" in January 1982, followed in 1983 by Rock for Light, produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. These two albums, containing hardcore punk and mellow reggae, were staples in the punk circuit, influencing an entire generation of musicians, including Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, Living Colour, Sublime, Deftones and more.
Yet with all of their influences to major alternative bands, little is known on the black mainstream music circuit about this punk/reggae band. This summer, Bad Brains will be a featured band at the 2010 Afro-punk festival at Brooklyn's Commodore Park, the largest outlet for black people who enjoy alternative music, but outside of the Afro-punk arena, it is unlikely to find an all black music venue who will book, promote or headline their act.
Old school Bad Brains
New School Bad Brains
Old school black punk band, Living Colour, have been together for the last 27 years and won a Grammy back in 1989 for their highest charting single, "Type," but have still yet to gain any chart topping success or recognition in the black entertainment media. Founder of Living Colour, Vernon Reid, also started The Black Rock Coalition 25 years ago to unite black rock artists and highlight older black rock bands, yet, even that organization has struggled to build membership popularity and financial stability.
Old school Living Colour
New School Living Colour
Too old and too black for punk?
Words Whitney Summer Boyd
But what happens when you’re old and black and are thirsty for an alternative punk audience to appreciate your music? As difficult as it is for younger black alternative bands to break through the punk rock scene, will older black rock musicians, who have built their career on their empowering lyrical content, true instrumentation, and a D.I.Y. model ever appeal to the iPod generation of black youth?
Or will their legacy live on solely through their majority white dedicated underground fans?
Take for example, black punk/ska band, Fishbone, who have been playing together for 31 years, and have maintained very little commercial success in the American music circuit, yet have been attributed for influencing mainstream bands such as No Doubt and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. When lead singer and frontman, Angelo Moore, was asked why he thinks his band never made commercial success, he said, "How come we're playing all of this great music and intricate arrangements, singing about everything under the sun, and people want to throw you chicken change? If you singing about your pussy or dick to keep you in the nigga zone, they'll just throw you money to keep you there and make it glorified.” Because the band has run into a number of financial pitfalls, Angelo has even started other start-up ventures such as a comic book collection which he promotes abroad to stay afloat.
Another black alternative band, Bad Brains, who have been playing together for more than 30 years and are known for being one of the pioneers of hardcore punk music, has also seen little commercial success. Their self-titled debut album was released on Neil Cooper's ROIR Records on "cassette only" in January 1982, followed in 1983 by Rock for Light, produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. These two albums, containing hardcore punk and mellow reggae, were staples in the punk circuit, influencing an entire generation of musicians, including Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, Living Colour, Sublime, Deftones and more.
Yet with all of their influences to major alternative bands, little is known on the black mainstream music circuit about this punk/reggae band. This summer, Bad Brains will be a featured band at the 2010 Afro-punk festival at Brooklyn's Commodore Park, the largest outlet for black people who enjoy alternative music, but outside of the Afro-punk arena, it is unlikely to find an all black music venue who will book, promote or headline their act.
Old school black punk band, Living Colour, have been together for the last 27 years and won a Grammy back in 1989 for their highest charting single, "Type," but have still yet to gain any chart topping success or recognition in the black entertainment media. Founder of Living Colour, Vernon Reid, also started The Black Rock Coalition 25 years ago to unite black rock artists and highlight older black rock bands, yet, even that organization has struggled to build membership popularity and financial stability.
Will legendary black rock bands ever hit mainstream success or gain the attention of a younger black audience? Who knows, but for now, let's just enjoy their music.
Comment
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Comment by Rosenda on July 22, 2010 at 6:25pm -
Right ON, Whitney. Excellent article!!!!!
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Comment by Rob Fields on June 22, 2010 at 10:06am -
I think it's all relative. If you're an optimist, then you look at these bands and say that they're examples of staying power. After all, everyone isn't going to be a U2 or a Radiohead. But the fact that these bands are still together, still making music and around for a new generation to discover them, that's a good thing. The focus now needs to be on developing audiences so that all bands in the black rock/Afro-punk family can find communities of fans who will support them.
And, clearly, if everyone's excited about Bad Brains headlining Afro-punk 2010, then they're neither too old nor too black for punk.
Onward and upward!
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Comment by Sheree Monay on June 20, 2010 at 3:27pm -
Okanomode, i've decided my style of music is "soundtrack":
All my songs are different.
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Comment by okanomodé on June 20, 2010 at 11:38am -
i'm new to this community. had a profile for awhile but haven't interacted much in part because of this whole issue of what's punk, what's not etc. my music ranges from soul to electronic to avant-classical & as of right now there are no guitars to speak of. if i'm punk in anyway it would be in attitude, spirit & often lyrical content. (does being called a punk ass sissy bitch my entire childhood count me in?) i love all styles of music but i've been trying to find that place where i belong since nothing i do falls in line with what's popular. where do u go when u're too flamboyant for neo-soul, to gay for mainstream & too soft to be hardcore? in any case i'm here to build community with folks like myself who fall outside of the mainstream & transcend these labels & constructs.
love & light
okanomodé (uh-kahn-uh-mah-day)
aka SoulChilde
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Comment by Sheree Monay on June 19, 2010 at 1:07pm
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i posted a video on my page back in May. It's still there; just now on the front page. It's about this very issue.
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Comment by Compound Egret on June 18, 2010 at 7:40pm -
Millenial Ooze,
Are you unsure of what I was saying or the original poster is saying?
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Comment by Compound Egret on June 18, 2010 at 11:07am
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Hate to shake my finger, but punk, alternative, and hardcore are not interchangeable terms...
Examples of punk bands...correct me if you disagree.
Pure Hell, GBH, Varukers, UK Subs
Examples of hardcore bands:
Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Siege
Examples of Alternative bands:
Nirvana, Bush, the Breeders the Pixies
Living Colour was and is a straight up rock band although they can play almost any style convincingly.
One of the issues with the bands noted in the article is not only the color of their skin, but their ability to bend and meld genres almost at will. Are they hardcore or are they reggae? Are they ska or are they punk? Both at the same time, in the same song?
I think this ability to be culturally multilingual is something that Black people have been doing since we got off the slave ships. It's a great tool, but it can work against you when the people at your label have no experience with it and are trying to figure out how to categorize you.
As to the age thing, There are plenty of bands from way back that still tour and are still enjoyed by people.
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Comment by Mark Wright on June 18, 2010 at 8:00am -
what's really a shame is the times i've encountered other guitarists/musicians of all colors who haven't heard of any of these guys think that the only black guitarists to have made an impact in rock/metal etc. are hendrix + morello...amazing that none of these people even recognized rocky george of suicidal tendencies...
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Comment by Q.A.Bradford on June 18, 2010 at 6:07am -
The only thing in my mind that pops up right now is mentorship and apprenticeship programs.
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Comment by Fashionfreak on June 17, 2010 at 11:45am -
well as far as the 'too old' we can say this for any positive black artist that reach a certain age. once they are a few years old everyone's all AWWW LOOK AT THIS OLD MOFO. which is a shame, it's like we dispose of peeps the minute their music is a decade old and move onto what's new and hot (as far as mainstream culture goes). go to a rakim or krs one concert. a bunch of white kids. as i always say, no one is too old for anything, aslong as you are living and breathing you can still rock out. andddd hr is smiling haha how cute.
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