October
1995
More
Than Noise: Punk Rock and Animal Issues
By Rochelle Goldman
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If anyone reading this magazine agrees with the notion
that punk rock is just another form of loud music sung (or screamed)
by a bunch of
violent freaks only to shock people, you’d be completely wrong.
Similarly, if you assume the topics treated by the largely unintelligible
lyrics cover the realm of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll,
you’d be mistaken. Punk rock encompasses many political and
social issues including anarchism, homophobia, feminism, racism,
environmentalism,
and animal rights. There is even a faction of hardcore punk which rejects
smoking, drinking, drugs, and meat-eating.
It was European anarchist punk bands who introduced lyrics concerning
vegetarianism and animal rights into their records. An example is
from
the English band The Subhumans’ ‘Evolution’: “Out
in the garden there’s a little white cat/And you’re catching
cancer as you smoke that fag/“When will they find a cure?”
you choke/When enough cats have died of smoke?/And they say that animals
go for the throat.”1 Punks include speciesism as one of the oppressions
put forth by the mainstream society. From Corrupted Ideals’ ‘Don’t
Wanna’: “Don’t wanna support no pointless slaughter/Don’t
wanna eat no rotten meat/Don’t wanna carve no holiday turkey/Like
the sitcom morons on my TV.”2 Citizen Fish, in their song ‘Flesh
and Blood’ covers the ethical, health, and world hunger issues:
“The meat you eat is wrapped up neat/You didn’t see it bleed/And
what you kill does not fulfill/ Your dietary needs... You could feed
a lot of needy/People with the grain they feed/To cows.”3
North American punks have introduced veganism, a philosophy which has
been embraced by the recent trend called “straightedge.” This
term was coined from the Washington DC band Minor Threat’s 1981
song of the same name. Straightedge hardcore (hardcore is a fast version
of punk) emphasizes health, self-discipline, and self-control. This
scene rejects alcohol, tobacco, drugs, meat-eating, and anything else
which is addictive. Their reasoning is that society is so laced with
these activities, that not engaging in them is truly rebellious and
conducive to true change.
One of the biggest and most influential straightedge bands was New
York’s
Youth of Today. From ‘No More’: “Meat-eating, flesh-eating,
think about it/So callous to this crime we commit/Always stuffing our
face with no sympathy/What a selfish, hardened society.”4 One
of the most popular and most militant current straightedge bands is
Earth Crisis. In fact, the ad from their latest album describes them
as New York vegans. From ‘Eden’s Demise’: “To
end the enslavement and the slaughter the antidote is veganism. Don’t
let your outrage for injustice end where your selfishness begins. I
have conquered through self control... A peaceful world can evolve after
animal liberation.”5 As in the animal rights movement in general,
there are disagreements within the punk and straightedge movements.
There is the view that many of the bands are becoming too hardline,
preachy, and self-righteous. I have been to recent punk shows where
the bands ridiculed the straightedge punks, pointing fingers to audience
members and yelling, “Are you straightedge?” in an accusatory
fashion. On the other hand, I also attended an all straightedge show
this past year featuring Earth Crisis, Snapcase, 108, and Shift, where
most people wore animal rights T-shirts, there was tabling, and possibly
most pleasant of all the air was free of tobacco smoke. I could breathe!
Another controversy concerns some bands’ involvement with the
Hare Krishnas — such as Shelter, with Ray Cappo, formerly of
Youth of Today. Punks traditionally have rejected any religious ties,
seeing
religion as oppressive and linked to the Establishment. A highly controversial
stance which Earth Crisis adheres to is the pro-life argument.
Aside from the content of the music’s lyrics, other modes of communication
in the punk/hardcore scene include fanzines (magazines put out by punks
for punks). Many fanzines convey information and opinions about animal
rights and vegetarianism/veganism. There are also specialized straightedge
fanzines. For example, XCatalystX ’-zine #3 (The straightedge
emblem is “X” — it is also abbreviated to “SXE”)
is put out by Catalyst records in Indiana. This issue has an ad for
Vegan Action and a two-page spread containing quotes and reactions concerning
the horrors of factory farming. It also has interviews with the bands
Split Lip and Mouthpiece, and ads for other SXE ’zines such as
Mobil, XSiegeX, and Frontline Fanzine. One easy way to get a hold of
fanzines with animal rights issues in them is to buy a major ’zine
such as Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll or Punk Planet, and look up
the ’zine reviews where they will describe the content of each
’zine. In New York, visit “See Hear” at 59 East 7th
Street.
Punk bands have released benefit compilations for animal causes. ‘A
Kinder Gentler Genocide’ — a benefit for the Coalition to
End Animal Suffering — features The Creeps, who deal with the
hunting issue. From ‘Have Gun Will Fire’: “You butcher
us to stuff us/You slaughter us for fun/Brag about our lifeless bodies/And
you’re happy with what you’ve done!” I recommend the
‘Voice of the Voiceless’ compilation benefiting Adopt-A-Cow,
The Animal Liberation Front, and Animal Rights Mobilization. The CD
contains a booklet. From the bands Juvenocracy: (“A spike falls
down on a baby seal/The blood from his wound is warm and real”
from ‘Through their Eyes’) and Transcend (“Take what
you want, but don’t question its origin/It’s better you
didn’t know, but would you even care?” from ‘Product
of Greed’).
If you’re interested in checking out some hardcore bands, the
best place in New York is the all-ages, all-volunteer collective ABC
No Rio at 156 Rivington Street. There, on a Friday evening or Saturday
afternoon, in addition to seeing several bands, you can purchase records
and CDs, fanzines, and T-shirts. If you want to zero in on the animal
issues merchandise, ask Neil (with the band Final Warning) for information.
He’s vegan and very friendly. Also, the club Wetlands has hardcore
matinees on most Sundays. Coney Island High, on St. Mark’s Place,
hosts hardcore shows too.
For more information and quotes, pick up the 1995 book The Philosophy
of Punk by Craig O’Hara published by AK Press. This book was helpful
in writing this article. Three words written along the front cover explain
why punk’s not dead: “More than noise.”
1. Evolution EP — 1983
2. Antifaction 7" — 1993
3. Free Souls in A Trapped Environment — 1990
4. We’re Not in this Alone LP — 1988
5. Firestorm EP — 1993
Rochelle Goldman has been into punk music since
1978. She is a college radio deejay on WUSB Stony Brook. AK Press can
be reached at P.O. Box 40682, San Francisco, CA 94140-0682.
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