Welcome to NYPunkScene. It's all about alternative music scenes in and around NYC. What is the Scene? It's nothing more than a collective of people with some critical commonality. It's quality is gauged by how much an individual supports the bands and ideas that are professed. The kind of rock and roll that requires a deeper commitment. This site is for the Punk/Hardcore Scene, and it's many variations. It will be constantly updated and improving. I encourage you to go to shows, buy band's merch and post in the forum, get involved in the Scene in any way. Document it. Do not be intimidated by the conformists and their desire to have you become clones of them. Think for yourself, express yourself freely - that's the most Punk you could ever be. "We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people." - Arthur Schopenhauer. I concur totally.
This site could have had other names but Punk is most accurate. Thought other genres may have preceded Punk - all these roads lead back to it's revolution in the 70's. There is no right sub-genre of music to listen to or bands for that matter. You can be a fan of just Pop-Punk, it's my hope however that you learn more of harder Punk and move in that direction. And if you consider yourself a greaser this is the still the place for you. These sub-genres and much more comes from Punk.
The true measure of how Punk you are is not by the height of your mohawk or the amount of studs on your jacket, though that's all cool. It's how much you resist the forces that would assimilate you. Yet freethinking and resistance is not all it takes to be a Punk or to have a place in the Scene, whatever else it is - it's for you to decide and identify with. As stated, this site is for all sorts of music that comes from Punk or is related. There are a number of sub-genres but to list them here might be redundant. For example Grindcore; some people may consider themselves a Crust and not a Punk. They can think whatever they want but this site is for them as well. Labels are extremely useful up until the point where they become detrimental - and divisive. This is what has happened in Punk. We should change it. You might be surprised by my inclusion of Emo. What is called Emo (and Pop Punk) today is a dilution of the original Punk. Today's Emo is about 1/10 Punk. Much of today's music has traces of Punk. That's enough for me to welcome them. One of my all time favorite bands; Dag Nasty - is considered one of the first Emo bands. To me they were and will always be - Punk. Incredible positive Punk. Straight Edge? -This place is for you too. I'd love to see a resurgence of the Straight Edge Scene - these drugs are killing us. I myself am Reformed and do not touch drugs including society's favorite - alcohol. And I used to be the biggest drunk on St Mark's Place. As for Pop Punk; Joey Ramone, the singer of the grandfather of all Punk bands said "the Ramones are a pop band - but we're all Punks". Yet you don't have to be in any of these scenes, if you just like one of these kinds of music - you're in the right place.
There is no right political persuasion for a Punk. That is a common misconception; perpetuated by Punks themselves, which has only resulted in the fracture of the Punk Movement - and the departure of many people from the Scene where intolerance and snobbery rather than self-expression absurdly became more pervasive. I have fantastic tolerance for all people - it's their public bullshit that is my target. There is no censorship here. There are no rules other than no spam or porno, however the guys who run this site will do what is best for it.
If someone tries to exclude you for not living the life or not knowing the hardcore bands - tell them to take their shit and stick it up their ass. If it comes out of his or her mouth again - fuck it - everyone's welcome. Though you might want to ask them how it tastes. As for the Punk lifestyle I'm not sure what it is, but it seems to me it doesn't overly resemble a mainstream one. At any rate there is no qualification, if you're married, got kids and a career and a 401K - that's your business. And if you were around back in the heyday of the 70s and 80s your input here would be especially valuable - teach these kids something.
The vitality of the Punk Scene, indeed the Movement itself is based on one thing - your commitment. It's all your creation.
Tony Petrozza, AKA Tony SQNS (sick-ness)
Founder NYPunkScene.com