Sober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, and Radical Politics

302 Pages·2010·7.37 MB·English

by  Gabriel Kuhn (Editor)

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Praise for Sober Living for the Revolution:
Sober Livingfor tbe Revolution
is a great If you don't know anything about Straight
compilation with passionate manifestos, Edge, you should read this book. And if you
insightful articles and inspiring stories that already know everything, you will definitely
dcmon�tratc the radical potencial of a �obcr discover somtthing new!
lifestyle. With perspectives from straight MichaeKli rchner -
edgers involved ill various struggles the world compassionlmecdoi-ad,i recotfo r
Edge- PerspectiovneD sr ugF ree
over, this book is not just for (sXe) hardcorc
Culture
nerds, but for anyone willing to put aside prej-
udices and find out about the impact straight At last a book that gives a voice to the
edge has and can have on radical politics. �othcr edge": the edge that searches for a po-
Spli-tPzr ojeXk,t V iennaA,u striaIit ical and social transformation, not only in
the US, but around the world. 111e value of
\'<'hen punk has become the soundtrack
its well chosen intervicws and essays resides
for luxury cruises, and most bands think
in decemralizing straight edge history by
they need commercial licensing deals to
exploring its radical politics and its global
survive, this collenion inspires resistance to
manifestations.
Consumerism in all its forms. Combining
DiegPoa rede-sC olectiRveos
conversational style with rigorou,� scholar­ gestae, LRiebde rtaProipau lar
ship, it offers an essential exploration of the MateoK ramerB,o gotaC,o lombia
explosive possibilities at the imersenion of
This is a great imernational(ist) sidekick
straight edge, punk rock and political action.
to the recent avalanche of books about Amer­
You don't have to pour all your booze in the
ican-only hardcorc. Instead of just crazy tales
sink. But you should read this book.
and funny characters, rhc story here is kids,
KriLse fco-ew riter/director
all over the globe, pre-internet, taking the
ofP ubliDco maina ndT inRyi ot
Projector iginal straightedge idea one step further,
adapting it to difefrem realities and trying
This book is as important for radicals who
to empower it by connecting it to a broader
drink as for those who don't. Its imernational
political and social context. If you want to
scope is what makes it .m appealing, talking know what happened between the early days
about the developmem of political punk!
of hardc ore and the nostalgic/fashioncore era
2
= hardeore throughout much of the world.
g of the 00'5, look no further.
p
&p Plus, there's no way you can put down this
0 PedroC arval-hNoe wspeakIS, h ot
on. 000 book and still belicve that all straightedge CyrusB,. U.S.HS.a,oP auloB,r azil
uti 37
evol =10 punks arc a bunch of hardl ine asshole jocks.
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Many ways of life have revolutionary po­ This clamour of voices, essays, and mani­
tentitahlel:u mpenproletthaear niaarte,h of­estos shows that there's more to nay-saying
syndicalist industrial workforce, the disaf­ the intoxication culture than male posturing
fcctcd pcrry-bourgcoisie, and, of course, anda ggresdsoigvmea\'<I .i thi nterventions by
punk. Getting pissed as a fart is a typical queertsh,se X es isterhaonodad n,t i.imperial­
part of these lifestyles (and lIik e that!), but ists, alongside many other activist goals and
Sober Livingfor the Revolltfion
it might not always (or ever) contribute to players, crc­
overthrowsioncgis anlu cturoefso ppresa­teas g loriomuessl_yt� ayl ocf s traiegdhgte
sioni,n siadned o utsiodfoe u rs cene'sT.h ishi story and idealism, told with unfailing pas­
collectpiroonv idcersu ciaanlds elf-cristioinc aanld an eye for challenging the scenes'
insigohnt,ws e lslo,b elri vifnogtr h er evoluo­wn mythasn ds hortcomiSntgrsa.i ugph,t
tio-nw ithojuutsp tr eachtiont gh ea lreadtyhi s hook dares to document, talk back, and
convcrted. Highly recommended! re-engage the sXe idea of creating communi­
PeteSre yfer-tPho gorauschty t hroupguht tionrgi gipnlaela sudries,s ent,
Beer& BoozeM,u nichG,e rmany and care hack centre stage.
RedC hidge-yD IYa ctivhiisstt ori­
No mythsn,o b ummern,o b ullshAitt !
an,ww .w grassrootsfeminism.net
least Ic an fucking re<ld this sober book.
JohanneUsl lmai-ecro -ediotfo r A refreshiandgd ittioot nh eo ngoidnogc u·
TestcardBeitri:i gez urP opgeschichtem entation of punk and politi<..-al subculture. this
booka ccomplitshhee sr emarkaobflb ee ­task
Ir emember so well my first Seein Red con­
ingh ighrleyl evbaonttah s af ocll.a'ciCadd emic
cert ... The anger about issues in society was
resouracbeo upto litsitcraali egdhgtae n das a
expressed in this raging, fust and furious music
source of potential inspiration for a broad range
in this reallye nergetic way- which made com­
ofa ctivwihsowt asn tot chantghewe o rlKdu.h n
plete sense to me and which Ic ould complete­
captures the visions and ideas of key straight edge
lyr ehtteoT .h iisss omethIir negm embebryed
figures from \'arious generations and from around
readitnhge sien tervaienwdas r tic-laensdi t
the world in order to present a multi·&'ccted and
sparkmeyde nthusioanscmae g ain.
fascinating read regardless of whether one was
Ita'lsw agyrse toat r eahdo wp eopalretc r y­
previousJy fiuniliar with straight edge subcul­
ingto makcar adicchaaln bgyec ombin�irn­g
ture or not. \'<Ie all fuce the dlallenge of seeking
sonal and social choices with a broader political
3 chanignea w orld wherie sm apdreob fiyct l oud­
=
g perspective in a positive sense, with the idea of
pp ingt hem indosft ir.e<;do uTlhsee. x ist-eannced
& building up something. These texts afe not just
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uti 37 progr�ievlce menn�c cdt�o b er emembered
Revol d=10 but also about an effort to create an alternative, andex amineIdfn. o thienlgst eh,ib so oks hould
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Sober Living for
the Revolution
Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge,
and Radical Politics
(cd.)
Gabriel Kuhn
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Sober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk. Straight Edge And Radical Politics
Edited by Gabriel Kuhn
ISBN, 978-1-60486-051-1
Lccn 2009901398
This edition copyright ©2010 PM Press
Copyright for work contained within this book remains with the original writers.
All Rights Reserved
PM Press
PO Box 23912
=5 Oakland, CA 94623
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evoluti =1037 Layout by Dan iel Meltzer
e R ?id Cover art by John Yates
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Table of Contents
Timeline 8
...................................................................
Introduction 12
...........................................................
Chapter1: Bands
• Minor Threat - Interview with Ian MacKaye .......2.2. .....
• ManLiftingBanner -Interview with Michiel Bakker,
Olav van den Berg. and Paul van den Berg .......4.4. ......
.
• Refused - Interview with Dennis Lyxzen ..........5.3. ........
The Shape of Punk to Come.............. . .. .......6.3. ......
• Point of No Return - Bending to Stay Straight. .........6 7
Interview with Frederico Freitas ..................8..7. ........
• New Winds -Interview with Bruno "Break" Teixeira. ... 97
Chapter2 : Scenes
• Israel- Interview with Jonathan Pollack.. .. .....1.1.0. ...
• Sweden - Interview with Tanja ..............1.1.8. ..............
Interview with Gabriel Cardenas .............1.2.8. ............
• Poland - Interview with Robert Matusiak ................ 130
• USA - Interview with Kurt Schroeder..... .. .....1.4.9. ...
Chapter3 : Manifestos
• XsaraqaelX - The Antifa Straight Edge .........1.5.4. .......
Interview with XsaraqaelX. .. ... .. ... ..... ....1..6..0.. .... .
• Crimethlnc. - Wasted Indeed: Anarchy and Alcohol. 164
Interview with Crimethlnc. agent Carrie No Nation. .. 172
• Nick Riotfag - Towards a Less Fucked Up World:
Sobriety and Anarchist Struggle. ........................... 176
7 Afterword: Towards a Less Fucked Up World: Five
=
pg Years and Counting... .. .. ............. .. .. ............. 193
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Chapter4 : Reflections
• Nick Riotfag - My Edge Is Anything But Straight: Towards
a Radical Queer Critique of Intoxication Culture ....2.m. .
• Lucas - "The Only Thing I'm Drunk on
is Cock" [Interview)............. .. ...............2..1..3.. . ...
• Jenni Ramme - ElllancYPullx (1Ilter�view) . . ..... 218
• Kelly (Brother) Leonard - xsisterhoodx [Interview) ..2.3 3
• Bull Gervasi - When the Edge Turns Crust
[Interview) .. .24.0. .
.........................................
• Andy Hurley - Straight Edge, Anarcho-
Primitivism, and the Collapse [Interview) 247
.................
Chapter5 : Perspectives
• Federico Gomez - Hardcore Networks [Interview] ..2.6.0
• Santiago Gomez - Between Culture and Politics:
Straight Edge as Intuitive Resistance .............2.6.6.
. . . . .
• Laura Synthesis - Queen of the PC Police ............2.7 8
• Ross Haenfler - Why I'm Still Straight Edge... .. .28.2. .
• Mark Andersen - Building Bridges, Not Barriers:
Positive Force DC, Straight Edge, and Revolution ..... 286
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Timeline
Key
hiS ,imdin, is m,,," <0 b, a "[mn,, guid, [0.' ,h,
North
n:ad�rs of this book. It docs not claim to offer an ex­
America
hamtivc overview of stl';}ighr edge history. \Vhilc one
T
intmtion was to include "objt:ctivdy" important peri-
od.�, bal1d.�, and cvcnt.�, another was to focus on aspects of stl';light
Europe &
edge hiStory that are of particular relevance to this volume.
Israel
While there have been straight edge scenes in Australia/New
Zealand and several Asian countries since the late 19805, the lack
ofimcmational recognition they have n;u;jvcd pll[.� them beyond Latin
the scope of this projecr.1l1eir hiStory is for others to write. America
1st wave of Washington, DC, hardcorc; Bad Brains, Teen
f'f 9 7 8
Idb. Un,ou,h,bb. S.O.A., Mino, Th,,,,. Th<
1979
980
81
9
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Sober Living for the Revolution
1983
First Positive Force punk collective founded in Reno,
2nd wave of Washington, DC, hardcore, often
"Youth crew" (later known as "old school�) sXe:
Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits, Bold, Judge, Wide Awake
Connecticut). Uniform Choice, Insted, Chain of Strength (California) __,
1986
1987
1988
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R d
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