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So, does anyone here listen to some real traditional anti-establishment punk bands? I'm talking Anti-Flag, Propagandhi, Operation Ivy..etc.etc.

im sick of the political fad, some bands teder on the brink of ruining their music by having heavy anti government and anti establishment lyrics. they need to go back to the 70's, damn hippies. you hate the country you live in so much, just move to canada with all the other mindless haters.

i like rage against the machine, there not a punk band really but they are political, but i don't really like there political views, i like just the music really, but i must agree with backfire, why not move, maybe not nesecerily to canada, but somewhere you'd be happy

most bands just do it for attention. i actually like a few political bands, but id like them more if they threw away the gimmick.

Pah, it's not mindless hate. Some might show that, but most quality political punk bands' lyrics are more subtle and bringing up and commenting on important matters, like from Anti-Flag and Propagandhi. And that's really what punk is about, so you can't call it a gimmick; would you rather they sing about bubblegum and girlfriends like the crapporamas of Good Charlotte and the likes?

And move? Why would they do that? They don't sing about hating the country, but certain aspects and/of government. They want the country improved and want to spread their views on things to others, not move from it.

yes i can call it a gimmick, because they are generally relying on there anti government nonsense to get attention. instead of relying on their musical talent like good bands do. plus i just dont care about political mumbo-jumbo, i dont care about some riot that happened 4 years ago in Oregon or something, i dont care about what they think about government, i hate when bands preach about that crap, like they think they're so much smarter then the people running the country, and they think just because they grab a guittarr it gives them some kinda credibility. and actually, id rather have the bubblegum pop punk, because at least tehy arent pretending to have intelegent lyrics.

Mah loves his communist bands, and Justin Timberlake

Backfire, you big 'tard. Their lyrics are enjoyble and entertaining no matter how much you care for their political stance. But the important part, as you say, is that their music is brilliant. IF you don't care for their politics, why don't you just listen to the music?

well real traditional political and anti establishment punk band would be older bands than Anti-Flag, Propagandhi, Operation Ivy they are revival bands.
bands like Sex Pistols, The Exploited, the Clash, U.K. Subs now those where really anti establishment pioneers, and Exploited is known as the most outspoken political trash band. So the revival bands you mention are just picking up the relay pin. Even the hippie movement and the singer songwriters of the 60`s wehre anti establishment and anti government so it has gone on for a while.

oh by the way I listen to The Clash....a lot. London Calling is the record of all time..(JMHO)

I know, finti, I'm just mentioning some of todays political bands, but you're right they're punk-revival bands.
I love The Clash..and Dead Kennedy's.

because their music isnt good in my eyes. i dont like punk in general, however, like i said, i do like some political metal bands, system of a down, rage against the machine, because they do have good music, i just ignore their political mumbo jumbo.

You and everyone else; download Anti-Flag - A New Kind of Army. Your mind WILL change.

will do.

Political Punk sucks my nuts. I'm surrounded by it here in nyc. Some of my friends listen/and listened(past tense) to it and i hated it. SO bad. And i hate all the "original punk bands" too. Suck ass as well. I'm with backfire on this one. I do listen to bands like system of a down, and rage, and i even enjoy some operation ivy, but not for lyrics but just for music. (well Rage is really an exception because they have extroadanary lyrics)

iv'e changed my mind since yesterday actually, i think the gimmick makes a band more unique and intresting, asometimes i may not agre with them, but some points are worth listening too, rage agianst the machine are a great mucicaly tight band, i mean were, and i still prefer them to audioslave because, rage had somthing more.... soul!

I'm with Backfire on this.

a particular song by Anti-Flag is "911 For Peace" just check that song out and you'll see what mah is talking about. BIG CHANGE.

downloaded anti-flag - a new kinda army. and first let me begin by saying that i am a man who has no problem addmitting when im wrong, and this is one of the occasions when i was right. anti flag sound liek every other pop-punk band out there. i cant even understand their lyrics because they give themselves that stupid generic punk accent thats all whiney. generic at best. keep in mind that im not judging their lyrics since i cant understand them, i heard 'nation' a few times and the word 'fight' a few times. but musically they are nothing special.

Pah, that's because you don't like punk. They're one of the leading punk-revival bands, and for a good reason.

And again let me state this; they're not singing "we hate *insert country*, **** *insert leader*" They sing about problems, about cases, about their views on matters. I CANNOT see how this is any more of a gimmick than any given lyrics. They choose to sing about their views on society, that's all; you may not agree, but it's no more gimmicky than anything else.

yeah there generely is a basis of truth behind political music i mean punk isn't the only political music genre, i know i'm going on but rage against the machine and clawfinger are rap metal bands, and they are very political Hendrix although people won't admit it was political, a protest against the vietnameese war, so generely the ones that make it into popularity like rage against the machine, are there coz there worth listening too. It may not be right but it's worth listening too.

i dont see anything that makes them standout from other punk bands, i mean if i had downloaded the same song but it was mistakenly titled 'american hi fi' or 'sum 41' i wouldnt notice.

That's besides the point; you obviously don't know your punk
But the deal is, political lyrics aren't any more gimmicky than any else.

they certainly can be, and alot of the time are used as a gimmick, and by gimmick i mean, the band is relying on them for attention rather then the music. the name 'anti-flag' for example is just screaming for attention, because everyone is into polotics at the moment, again, i couldnt make out their lyrics because of their whiney voices, but as far as the title goes, its dying for attention.

Whether that's why they get attention or not is irrelevant, when they are a political band the name will more likely than not reflect that. HOWEVER; it's not a gimmick. Why, you say? Well how can they avoid using a gimmick and still be political in your opinion? If we follow your standards they can't; "if they're political it's all a gimmick" you automatically say. This is just silly; they're concerned with politics, or more accurately different sides of society and want to sing about that; and that should be accepted. It's a choice of what kind of lyrics they want, and they choose that; others choose otherwhise and they're no different. In the end it's all about music. You don't like it; many do, and punk is a great and varied genre.

Since you can't hear the lyrics I'll post em for you.

-A New Kind of Army-

LOOK BACK... on history, nothing much has changed
THOUSANDS... of soldiers of all countries, all marching the same
Every nation's leader says that "our side is right
Every nations leader says the time has come to fight
But they use the common people to settle their scores
It's time that we refuse to fight in any of their wars!
We're lookin to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to die
We're lookin to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to
kill... for you!
Join now... the ranks of all nations who refuse to go to war
Refuse... to pull the trigger of a gun for leaders 'round the world
I'd rather fight to spread some tolerance & unity
Than buy into their nationalistic brainwashing
Killing mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, common human beings
Not savages but people, like you, like me!
We're looking for a few good men
We're looking for a few good womyn
Who are not afraid to fight against tyranny
But who refuse to fight....with tyranny
Refuse!!!!!
We're looking to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to die
We're looking to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to
kill... FOR YOU!

"Everyone are allowed to say that any kind of music sucks, without you going bananas and attacking them "Dewd, U be fvckin stoopid".

Sound familiar? Same thing you said to be in another post

You also say this: "It's a choice of what kind of lyrics they want, and they choose that; others choose otherwhise and they're no different. In the end it's all about music. You don't like it; many do..."

you basically said they same exact thing as i was saying in the other post but in simplier terms.

Talk about hypocrits

some punk are good but there are, in my opinion, ages ago since the last real good punk album. The new revival band sucks, all of them but Rancid

I like The Corporate Avenger..........

It's not about "like it or leave it"..............

We were born here. This is our land. Some of us are actually native to this land (myself included, well atleast half of me).........we shouldn't have to go anywhere. All countries have governments............most don't lie. China says, "we aren't a democracy......you people don't have a choice"..........they admit it freely. I'm fine with that. The U.S. says the exact opposite, "we are a democracy, the people make the decisions".......okay, then why is George Bush president? Don't get me wrong.........I like the guy and think he's done a good job but he did not win the popular election (the one THE PEOPLE vote in).......he won the votes of the electoral college........it is a matter of record that more U.S. citizens voted for Al Gore than voted for George Bush. The people made their choice........the government ignored it. That is hypocracy. I don't like hypocracy................and I'm not going to leave MY land because of somebody else's idiocy........I will however point their own idiocy and hypocracy out to them.

If I go to your house backfire and piss in your kitchen floor and said, "if you don't like it you can leave it"........would you just walk out of your house? Hell no you wouldn't..........it's your house........you would probably be up for a fight..................

so you're comparing someone pissong on the floor of my house, to the way the country is being run? ok, i guess i can buy that, but its a pretty crappy metaphor. someone walking into my house and leaving their bodily waste on the kitchen floor has absolutely nothing to do with the peeople whining about how they disagree with the way this country is run, and will continue to be run, despite their whiny music. id really like to hear what some of these bands would do if they got a chance to actually change america. they'd really screw things up i bet. they'd probably try to be peacefull in a world of anger and hate. they'd try to talk to the other countries, and accept the lies the countries told them (we have no bombs) they'd probably be very liniant, then all of a sudden, BAM! a country attacks america and they wouldnt kno what to do, they'd try to talk it over, talk to the leader of whatever country lauched the bomb, and believe his lies (oh it was a mistake, sorry, wont happen again) and then BAM!! another bomb from another country will be launched, and this will repeat over and over untill the country is dead. anyways, my point is, this country is run just fine, its run the way it HAS to be run. when you ar ea country as powerful, and as hated as america, you have to make sure the other nations know you're power, and know that if you attack us, or in the case of iraq, disobey a treaty you made with us during the last war, then you have to assume the consequences. and if long haired hippies with guitarrs dont like it, you'll have to excuse me if i take their opinion with a grain of salt.

I can understand what you are saying...............if ofcourse some band is whining about wanting peace and love and all that other unrealistic bullshit in our modern world............I was speaking of the bands like Corporate Avenger and the Sex Pistols who like to point out the hypocracy in governments..........

and it was a good analogy.......

MY land - YOUR house we own it......it is ours....

Pissing on floor - Taking freedom away from a democratic country ....................somebody else is coming into MY land/YOUR house and attempting to ruin it.............they do not have the right.......MY democratic country/YOUR house........what we the people say in a democratic country goes just as what you say in your own house goes.........ofcourse therein lies the hypocracy...........you can choose to let whoever you want into your house but we the people voted to put Al Gore into the office of president of the U.S.A........they counted our votes and decided to do whatever the hell they wanted to which happened to be the exact opposite of what "we the people" said.

well the government isnt running individual houses.

hell yeah, good shit

dude america is totally democratic its all bout the people, the problems with america is not the goverment, its the people. All these damn extreme activists who get an idea in there head go and try and change laws. Its true america has lost some freedoms but its the peoples choice. The system may not be perfect but its been perfect enough to keep america the power country of the world, so dont say its the system that sucks its the people.

word

Nonsense. And your "gotta scare 'em to keep it under control" thesis, backfire, is no good; but this isn't a political discussion forum so I won't rant in lengths about why I disagree with you.

i didnt say you gotta scare em, just said you have to let them know that certain things wont be tolerated. not unless you want another holocaust.

yeah nothin says obey us like a mushroom cloud of radiation and fire

That's a horrible and scary statement.

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA DAMN STRAIGHT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

word

HAHAHAHAHAHAH IT*S SO FUNNY WITH MASS-MURDERING WEAPONS HAHAHAH I'M SUCH A MORON

im thinking there was sarcasm in that statement.

Not the one by 113.

what?

nobody has brought up bad religion, the greatest punk rock band of all time and believe me Ive listened to alot of different music

Yes mass murdering weapons are funny...woohoo! And yes, you are a moron...woohoo!

i like bad religion

what a lame thing to say dont you understand it is that power grip that makes all the trouble for the US

And 113, grow up and at least try to act your age

now this thread is near to be closed, if the discussion about bands, political punk bands in this case, can be a bit more civilized this thread had it

Read up on sarcasm, 113.

Anyways, yeah, back on topic; what do you guys think about Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys..the classics.

never really got into bad religoun but from what i heard i probably could if i wanted to

dude i knew you were being sarcastic and mocking me. And i just happen to agree with ur sarcastic statement though. So i said "hahahaa i agree mass murdering weapons are funny, and yes i think that YOU ARE a moron" -pretty simple, can't believe you didn't catch that.

Anyway i was just curious as to what everyone's favortie Rage album is. I know Evil Empire gets a lot of votes, but i'm mostly a fan of the self titled. And yes i know they're not punk, but they were political.

I agree with 113, the first Rage album was the best. They created a style they themselves got trapped in. I think the following albums kind of were regurgitated stuff of their debut album

I agree, what's your second favorite album of theirs?

i like battle for LA the best.

That's my second favorite. what about ur favorite track by them?

i guess bulls on parade. im not the biggest fan of theirs, i just like them better then most political bands.

113 I dont think they have a good second album, the first one was good, but as I mentioned i fell they just copied themselfs on the next albums, no reason to gve out the same albums 4 times.
Fav song is Killing in the name off, strong lyrics there to a kick ass beat and guitar . excellent song

That's my favorite song too. I also like bombtrack and bullet in the head

yeah killing in the name of is one of those songs will never get old

bob marley is probably the best political band though, marley is the man

that song never gets old!

Check out Corporate Avenger..............not only is their music great but when it comes to political issues.......no band comes with a larger sac.

Download

Voting Doesn't Work
Christians Murdered Indians (for you religious drones)
F.B.I. File
Fault the Police
Drug Dealing God
$20 Bill (original version from The New Testament)

corprate avenger sucks

says one called eminem

eminem rocks so **** you very much

dont like eminem

i agree with him about eminem but on the voting issue.... if the majority din't vote then minority fractions like far right wing politicions come to power and then were alllll F**T!

i don't like eminem... fake!

for me talking about lyric i should say bad religion, crass, conflict, defiance and bad flag

as for me my fav punk band should be emm bad religion, the clash, stiff little finger, face to face, generation x etc... hehhee too much to mention

eminem needs to go rap himself off of a bridge.

Ok, let me post some real fudging good lyrics here.

The tangled webs they weave span from Pine to Ruby Ridge, way back from Shay's defeat on up to Gustafsen (now cue the ass parade of ditto-heads and commissars and pricks to drown out this faintest threat of commie ****** heretics). Conclusion: the nail that sticks up gets hammered down and the master's finest tools are found slack-jawed and placid amidst the cacophony of screaming billboards and Disney-fied history. Sometimes the ties that bind are strange: no justice shines upon the cemetery plots marked Hampton, Weaver or Anna-Mae where Federal Bureaus and Fraternal Orders have cast their shadows; permanent features built into these borders. But undercover of the customary gap we find between History and Truth, the Founding Fathers bask in the rocket's blinding red glare. The bombs bursting in air. One nation. Indivisible? The truth is when the back-country learned of ratification the People had a coffin painted black and solemnly borne in funeral procession, they buried it deep in the earth as an emblem of the dissolution and internment of their Publick Liberty. Someday, somewhere, today's empires are tomorrow's ashes.

Three words. The Sex Pistols

oh yeah....and the clash

NONO GOOD CHARLOTTE EVERYONE!!

ahhahahahah

I like political punk because its not like others that sing song after song with no purpose.....these people are singing to ponit out a msg to a group that prob arent even away of some thier topics.... and ive seen ppl using system of a down as a example of a non political band....but if you've listened to thier lastest cd they clearly express thier views on it....

and how dare u tell him to go to the Russia and stuff....for ppl trying to burn him ur not very good.....if he likes his freedom of expression and freedoms to listen to music like this...about political views then i think thats one of the last places he whould go....assuming that Russia is still a communist country which its not.....and forget you for dissing Canada at least in Canada were allowed to speak our minds agianst our own gov and so are our musicians without being called UNcanadian....unlike thier where if you dont agree with wha the president says ur Unamerican....(ref. to the dixie chicks and wha happened when they said they oppsoed the war) seems more like if you want to be in a communist state all you gotta do is drive a bit south of a canada to a little place called usa.

wow... not readin that

*goes back to bed*

All true punk bands were political. "Political punk is a pleonasm.
Yeap..Black Flag and DK were great. But I don't need to listen it anymore to make my own anarchist revolution

More good lyrics for you........

The Corporate Avenger ($20 Bill)

This song is in reference to the Indian Removal act passed by president Andrew Jackson for those of you who never payed attention in school. Ofcourse Jackson is featured on our $20 Bill.......

A Mind full of lies is a liars mind
We moved ahead but left the truth behind
They say the truth will set you free
But they don't know their history
There's blood from see to shining sea
You see the fruit that's on the tree, with roots in white supremacy
A stolen land for you from me

Hitler's Nazi Germany
A divine dream of suffering
Andrew Jackson made his plea
Removal of the Cherokee

If Hitler was on the $20 Bill....how would the jews feel?
If Hitler was on the $20 Bill.....how would the jews feel?
(repeated)

Hawaii for Hawaiians, Black Hills for the Sioux
A stolen land from me for you
You think it ain't going on today
You pass a twenty look the other way
Desecration of a burial site
Did you go shopping at the mall tonight?
The blood is on the Christians' hands
With crosses they possess this land

Crimes against humanity
A stolen land for you from me
The lie Manifest Destiny
The evidence is history

(chorus)
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears

Can you discover what's already there?
By definition you become aware
The greatest country in the history of man
Was here long before the colonies began

Ownership of land, a lie
Soldiers march and children die
Small pox blankets for their heads
Jackson killed the children dead

for those of you who are not too up to date on your history........read a bit about the Indian Removal Act......you'll find out what the "trail of tears" was. This was no different then what Adolf Hitler and the Nazis were doing to the Jews. The only difference arises when Hitler decided to start killing all the jews who refused to leave.

I LOVE ANTI-FLAG!!!!!!

i dont like to much polictical music most ofthe time i cant stand the stands they take
take system of a down for instance they are one of the few political i like but i still dont aggree with their politics

They are not saying they hate America! They are saying they hate the way the country is being run! Bush is a liar! There is no denying this! And for centuies, people have written about travesties that their countries have been part of. Nobody wants to leave America because it is the greatest country on this planet. So much freedom. And it's that freedom that gives us political "punks" the right to express our opinions. we don't have to leave the country because we refuse to conform and be treated like dogs. F*CK THAT! I have my own lyrics about how this country is being run and how we are being treated and lied to. Why is it that only a select few can see this? What is so hard to see? My God! THE BANDS AND ARTISTS THAT TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE INJUSTICES THAT ARE BEING FORCED UPON US ARE THE ONES WHO TRULY LOVE THIS COUNTRY!

Rage against the machine?

Yeah, Rage is political, but I'm not sure their punk. Who cares...Rage is awesome. It's a shame that Audioslave can't be that great. Damn Zack having to go and make crappy industrial music.

hello?

so apparantly no one on this thread has heard of the Dead Kennedys, the crucif&ks, Jodie Foster's Army, or Millions of Dead Cops? the feederz? the no wto combo?

oh, and since punk is confined to no one genre, rage is a punk band

punk is punk. Rage is nu-metal. I hate to use that term, cause Nu-metal blows...but that's technically what they are.

where did everybody go?

im stil here ... and i like Anti-Flag ..

Yeah, they're very good. And Tom Morello(from RATM and Audioslave) produced their newest album.

This is a very good point, and one that I feel strongly about as well.

Okay, I admit I only read the first and last page on this thread. Did anyone mention Jello Biafra? lol, I don't know if it's possible to talk about political punk without mentioning him. Some hate him some love him. I am always intrigued by what he has to say and his experiences that he so wonderfully likes to share.

And I feel the only reason why political music is coming back and being revived is because of the state of the world right now. And it's not only limited to punk there are so many political rappers out there.

No matter what genre of music you prefer, the message is the same. Somethings got to change and I thank all of the musicians who take it seriously.......

I really like Dead Kennedys.

I love it

Anti-Flag, NoFX, Jello Biafra, Bad Religion, as well as non-punk political bands like SOAD and RATM... Love the lyrics and the music. Course it probably helps that many people would consider me a relatively extreme liberal... I don't consider myself to be "extreme", because I know people that are much more liberal... But I'm told that a lot.