I'm not crazy. You're the one who's crazy.

September 29, 2015 3:30 AM

What the American people are angry about is they understand that they did not cause this recession. Teachers did not cause this recession. Firefighters and police officers who are being attacked daily by governors all over this country did not cause this recession. Construction workers did not cause this recession. This recession was caused by a few so-called punk and hardcore bands who charged obscene door cover and priced their merch like it was goddamned Prada—Bernie Sanders (I–VT).

Bernie is hardcore.

The Berned in DC Facebook page posts image macros mashing up pictures of Bernie Sanders in speech mode with purist captions about hardcore punk fandom that could have come straight from the pages of Maximum Rocknroll. As Dangerous Minds puts it, this actually works really well.

You got into hardcore in '81? Good, congratulations. But we must support young people discovering punk now ... let us not criticise or shame them because they haven't heard the first Minutemen LP [applause] ... They'll grow old, like you did. They'll learn, just like you did. Don't be the person that pushes them away, and next year they're listening to Avenged Sevenfold, or some other corporate garbage [applause]. Be the person who supports them at the beginning of this wonderful journey, and be grateful for the new generations keeping the scene alive.

posted by Sonny Jim (39 comments total)

I wonder if the deleted emails would explain the attack on Mission of Burma that led to its closure for almost 20 years. THE PEOPLE MUST KNOW.
posted by lmfsilva at 3:53 AM on September 29, 2015 [11 favorites]

See also Anarchists for Bernie Sanders
posted by Noisy Pink Bubbles at 4:14 AM on September 29, 2015 [4 favorites]

All I wanted was a Pepsi.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 4:41 AM on September 29, 2015 [27 favorites]

This is much better done than when Hillary Clinton tried to mash herself up with Tammy Wynette.
posted by three blind mice at 5:14 AM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

But how can he appeal to the general electorate if he insists on calling The Sex Pistols a "boy band"?
posted by dannyboybell at 5:17 AM on September 29, 2015 [8 favorites]

Bernie: the recession has been over for some time now.
posted by Postroad at 5:20 AM on September 29, 2015

That's just what the corrupt corporate music press wants us to think, Postroad!
posted by Sonny Jim at 5:23 AM on September 29, 2015 [4 favorites]

> ...calling The Sex Pistols a "boy band"?

I suspect Johnny Rotten would back that up. He's never been abashed about the Sex Pistols being a packaged act.
posted by ardgedee at 5:36 AM on September 29, 2015 [7 favorites]

But how can he appeal to the general electorate if he insists on calling The Sex Pistols a "boy band"?


Not only that, is he calling Richard Branson the venture capitalist, or Malcolm McLaren? Because Richard Branson wasn't involved with the Pistols until after both EMI and A&M, and Malcolm McLaren was a small-time grifter at best.


Bernie Sanders: Wrong on the Pistols. Wrong for America.


I'm TheWhiteSkull, and I approve this message.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:38 AM on September 29, 2015 [11 favorites]

There are a couple of them that are in the uncanny valley. For example, I want the "I stand with Bikini Kill" one to be real so bad.
posted by whuppy at 5:44 AM on September 29, 2015 [14 favorites]

Bernie Sanders: Guilty of Being Right
posted by Flashman at 5:49 AM on September 29, 2015 [15 favorites]

How can Bernie Sanders dismiss the impact of the Sex Pistols while ignoring the June 4, 1976 show at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester, and the number of bands that were created after that one gig? Also, The Exploited was always better than Crass.


Bernie Sanders: Wrong on the UK Scene. Wrong for America.


I'm TheWhiteSkull and I approve this message.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:57 AM on September 29, 2015 [9 favorites]

Bernie: the recession has been over postponed for some time now.
posted by any major dude at 5:59 AM on September 29, 2015

Concerning bros being the biggest problem in hardcore, wasn't the scene full of macho meatheads from the very beginning? (In fact, Riot Grrl was a reaction to this very issue in the late 80s.)

Rollins, for one, reads quite bro to me.
posted by acb at 6:03 AM on September 29, 2015 [9 favorites]

How can Bernie Sanders dismiss the impact of the Sex Pistols while ignoring the June 4, 1976 show at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester, and the number of bands that were created after that one gig?

But how can you separate the influence of that gig from the neoliberal ideology that was even then poised to take over the country? Yes, a "scene" was spawned, I'll give you that. But it was a packaged scene—a scene that converted jobless youth into a commodified "Northern-ness" for South Eastern consumption, an on-going tragedy whose repercussions are still being felt, even now, as Morrissey's truly horrific sex scenes in List of the Lost indicate. As President, I hope Sanders encourages a thorough, critical re-examination of late-70s Manchester music and post-punk generally. It's time.
posted by Sonny Jim at 6:07 AM on September 29, 2015 [15 favorites]

Sanders fans weren't insufferable enough so someone had to add pedantic rockism to the mix?
posted by octothorpe at 6:09 AM on September 29, 2015 [8 favorites]

The one of him saying "you are not what you own" came at me orthogonal to knowing the meme and I was so excited for about three seconds then had the sneaking suspicion and the crestfallen "...wait a minute..." feel :-)
posted by Annika Cicada at 6:43 AM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

I love this meme, but I wonder if its a sign that bernie supporters might not necessarily be the most reliable people to turn out on election days.
posted by lownote at 6:54 AM on September 29, 2015

I'm taking this in the same spirit as that one tumblr about Rep. Rosa DeLauro being a hipster.
posted by Cash4Lead at 7:01 AM on September 29, 2015

Bernie Sanders hasn't told us that he has Hare Krishna tattoos, but we don't know that he doesn't. Will he take his orders from the American people, or from ISKCON?


Bernie Sanders: Secret Krishnacore?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:04 AM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

But what does Bernie think about The Damned
posted by clockzero at 7:24 AM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

A few of these ring extraordinarily true, and are very well done. Adapting this approach to other subcultures is a helluva effective persuasion technique.

I love this meme, but I wonder if its a sign that bernie supporters might not necessarily be the most reliable people to turn out on election days.

I'm honestly not understanding this, could you expand?
posted by werkzeuger at 7:29 AM on September 29, 2015

Bind me tie me
Chain me to the wall I want to be a president
To you all

Oh bondage up yours, oh bondage no more [Repeat: x1]

Chain-store chain-smoke
I consume you all
Chain-gang chain-mail
I don't think at all
posted by Sophie1 at 7:31 AM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

But what does Bernie think about The Damned

He thinks they're Neat Neat Neat I walked into that one
posted by alex_skazat at 8:13 AM on September 29, 2015 [7 favorites]

Rollins, for one, reads quite bro to me.

It's just bro drag.

RuPaul also got his start in the punk scene, FWIW.
posted by psoas at 8:40 AM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

Bernie/ Albini 2016
posted by boo_radley at 8:59 AM on September 29, 2015 [4 favorites]

Hey.... as long as he stays firm in his pledge to get Operation Ivy back together, he's got my vote.

Also of note: Donald Trump hates Pavement.
posted by ph00dz at 10:28 AM on September 29, 2015 [5 favorites]

Rollins, for one, reads quite bro to me.

I mean, he's always been super ripped, but I never got the feeling he was "bro". Or a "jock", which is what we called the "bros" back in the day.

Although, I only really knew of him after Black Flag, so perhaps he was bro but grew out of it.
posted by sideshow at 12:13 PM on September 29, 2015

Concerning bros being the biggest problem in hardcore, wasn't the scene full of macho meatheads from the very beginning? (In fact, Riot Grrl was a reaction to this very issue in the late 80s.)

It's worse now. So, so much worse now. I just want to watch the bands, not get punched in the face, thanks.

Re: Rollins, he was always vehemently anti-jock from the writings I read. Weights were more of an introspective, self-affirming interest than a means of projecting power on others. Still, his writings did have an unpleasant undercurrent of misogyny that I came to recognize later as being pretty toxic. Hopefully he's moved beyond that.
posted by Existential Dread at 12:59 PM on September 29, 2015 [3 favorites]

I first saw Avenged Sevenfold for free at club 156 in Boulder around 2002 or 2003. They were decidedly not "corporate" for two full albums if by "corporate" you mean their sound changed, which was because the vocalist had precancerous lesions forming from his hardcore screaming. Was a far more organically grown band than many predecessors. Scenesters are an insufferable bunch. I found them far more inhospitable than your stereotypical high school jocks, because they have no confidence and suffer from chronic Kingturdonshitmountainism.

Bernie Sanders "newfans" annoy me because I was listening to him on Thom Hartmann's radio show for years and he was clearly a bad ass, and suddenly all of these political noobs as old as I am know he exists (and Elizabeth Warren, she seems like a nice lady! they say) and are all breathless about him, but only temporarily like a gym pump.

I can just feel the vapid emptiness of a bunch of Facebook activists who don't actually turn out to vote. I guess I'm a Bernie Scenester, I realize I am guilty
posted by aydeejones at 1:15 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

And yes hardcore is full of macho meatheads (with equal parts skinnyfat pantywaists) in part to "out jock the jocks" (IMO) and as part of the straight edge ethos -- the best representative of hardcore living needs to look like Tony Robbins underneath the clothes. Bonus points if you can be a vegan and never drink or do drugs and get all ripped and jacked without 'roids
posted by aydeejones at 1:21 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

Holy Shit, that Tom/Ian/Karebear (KAREBEAR? REALLY?)

If you can't fucking take it in the pit, then fuck you for trying to "settle scores" outside the pit. Trying to be a "man"? The fuck is wrong with you. You in the pit, you fucking LIVE the pit. Yeah, there SHOULD be a modicum of respect and helping each other up, but ultimately you chose to be in the pit.

And you can't fucking take a guy on one on one without having to sucker punch him and team up?

WEAK.

Wasn't part of the point of hardcore was some bullshit "unity" mantra, how they're all in this together against the uncaring outside world?

For the most part HXC kinda sucks, IMO, because it's a lot of tribal-identity-bro politics, and nothing of social substance beyond this gang mentality. Not that the music isn't good, it can be quite awesome, but stop pretending like you have any fucking meaning besides ultra-cliquism.

"Now watch this stagedive..." -- Bernie
posted by symbioid at 1:31 PM on September 29, 2015

I never thought a cult of personality would develop around Bernie Sanders. But here we are.

Still love him.
posted by persona au gratin at 2:50 PM on September 29, 2015 [4 favorites]

Bern, baby, bern!
posted by Chitownfats at 3:53 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

I love this all so much. My favorite punk joke, an old fake tagline: "Maximum Rocknroll: Pretending it's 1978 since 1987"
posted by GospelofWesleyWillis at 6:38 PM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

werkzeuger: Most of the people who have been sharing this stuff in my facebook circles have been anarchist wouldn't-vote-even-if-they-were-forced-to types. In general, I would think there's a low correlation between "people who like 70s and 80s punk jokes" and "reliable voters."
posted by lownote at 7:32 AM on September 30, 2015

Rollins was a judge on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race and has been friends with RuPaul for years, for whatever that says about him being a "bro".

I'm a bit perplexed that working out and taking care of one's body would be viewed negatively.
posted by riruro at 8:38 AM on September 30, 2015

Bernie: the recession has been over for some time now.

Tell that to my husband's paycheck.
posted by Gadgetenvy at 11:18 AM on September 30, 2015

Rollins is not a Bro. He likes a lot of alone time, and has problems having relationships with women. Or people. People in general.

He's gotten better.

I've absorbed most everything he's produced. From what I understand, he didn't have the best home life (physical and sexual abuse), he was present when his best friend was murdered, he has had a lady friend die in a car accident while they were dating. He was a part of one of the most loved/hated underground bands in the country.

But, if you email him, he'll respond. He's known to talk people - absolute strangers, out of suicide through letters. He was a big proponent of the West Memphis Three and helped with their legal defense fund. He's supports the troops via work in the USO. Repeatedly (7 if you're counting). "Never easy, always worth it"

And he's got great taste in music.

And Ian MacKaye counts him as a friend, and Ian Can Do No Wrong.

He's honest and he comes into the race without any stuff on him. And he says it like he means it. Whether you agree with him or not, he comes in through the front door. And he was the first politician I ever heard to go very hard on reforming campaign financing, which I think really needs to be curbed. [...] Bernie Sanders to me, is the sanest of all the men and women running."
- Henry Rollins

Listen to that youtube vid, he speaks with learned knowledge and eloquence.

"I think this Century will be determined by the peace makers, by those who embrace science, by those who want to make changes in the world." - Rollins.
posted by alex_skazat at 12:06 AM on October 1, 2015 [4 favorites]