Folk punk

Folk punk, in its most general sense, is a genre (or set of genres) of music that combine elements of folk and punk rock music. It can also describe the people, culture, etc that surround such a genre. In some usage (especially American) it describes fusion with American folk music; other blends of punk and folk/traditional genres may be described differently (e.g. Celtic punk), although the usage and delineation of such terms varies.

Content

Like its punk and folk roots, folk punk usually focuses on political issues from the radical left and anarchist side of the spectrum, but often incorporates a personal perspective to these views. Folk punk embraces a legacy of traditional folk music, typified by themes of working class solidarity and resistance in the face of the perceived problems of industrialization and modern capitalism.

Bands, Labels, Collectives in the USA

While the genre has grown greatly recently, much credit to the establishment of folk punk in the USA has gone to Plan It X Records of Bloomington, Indiana for helping popularize the sound. Many staple folk punk bands are either currently on the label or have previously had some connection to it (Against Me! for example). The most widely known folk punk band, however is from Milwaukee, WI. The Violent Femmes self-titled debut album was released in the early 1980s and was very influential to the folk-punk "movement". However, some of these bands don't actually have any real relation to (or even sound like) actual folk music. The only relation could be pointed at the use of instruments not normally used in punk rock like the violin, banjo, mandolin, or ukulele (see Brian Skidmore). Other notable folk-punk labels and bands include This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Fistolo Records (Philadelphia, PA), along with collectives like the Riot-Folk! Collective, the Disarm! Disarm! Collective, and the Wishing Well Collective.

Other locations significant to the North American folk punk scene are Athens, Georgia and Gainesville, Florida. There are also a few folk-punk acts from the northeast such as Bread and Roses, Human Wreckage, from Philadelphia, The Can Kickers, Captain, My Captain, project:CITIZEN Evan Greer, Jake and the Infernal Machine, Sharp Teeth, Thommy Rebellion, and Accidents Involving Arson. Also, Salt Lake City, UT has a large folk punk scene with bands such as Bombs and Beating Hearts, James Miska, xacrox and Joshua Faulkner in the Guerrilla Folk Punx Collective. The scene is also taking shape in Toronto, Canada with artists such as Timothy Cameron, and the collective based band PondScum, in DC with artists like Spoonboy and Rachel Jacobs, and Ohio, with the very popular band Defiance, Ohio (also involved with plan-it-x). Minot, North Dakota is home to Fist Full Of Knuckles, and The Magnet Blankets. Kanadian Posi Kidz (http://kpk.revolt.org) is another collective label of folk punk artists from across Canada, mainly in Chilliwack, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; and Calgary, Alberta. Greensburg, Pennsylvania is also emerging as a utopian hub for folk punk with artists Folkin' You Up!, Ryan Starinsky, Team Losing and Whiskey Smile!. There are also a number of infant collectives and groups that are being born across the country.

Other significant folk punk artists and bands include ArnoCorps [1], Erik Petersen/Mischief Brew [2], The Currency, Chris Fredda, Madeline Adams, The Heroic Livers, Ghost Mice, Saw Wheel, Rumbleseat, Spoonboy, American Lies, Hookers For Free, and the artists involved in the Riot-Folk! Collective notably Ryan Harvey. As well, many bands have emerged, combining elements of their punk roots, with folk styles such as Jug Bands and Eastern European gypsy music. A good portion of these bands tend to be buskers and travellers, including Sour Mash Hug Band, Inkwell Rhythm Makers, Dandelion Junk Queens, Thee Hobo Gobbelins, The Bad Things, Below The Salt, and Rare Bit Fiend.

Great Britain

Folk punk in Britain has existed almost as long as punk rock itself. Most famous amongst the public is the Pogues who formed during the new wave of punk rock in the early 1980s and found immense popularity within the punk community with their mix of traditional folk songs, modern social commentary and boozy hedonism.

In Great Britain, a revival of interest in folk punk and celtic punk was triggered by The Levellers who developed a huge live following amongst alternative music fans in the late 1980s and 1990s. Having played to the largest ever crowd at the Glastonbury Festival, the Levellers retain a devout following in the UK amongst students and left-wing idealists. The band were never as popular in the USA however, as a disastrous tour in their early days put the band off ever launching a large tour of America again. Small pockets of folk punk bands exist across the UK as interest for the scene grows. Currently active examples of British folk punk are Those Gay Hippies (Mid-Wales), Not Jim Smith (Swansea) and Milkteeth (Herefordshire), all of whom appear to be pushing in a folk/anti-folk direction whilst continuing to deliver frenzied live performances. As well, the WildCat Collective has formed, similar to the Riot-Folk! Collective.

Australia

Folk punk bands from Australia include Mutiny, Sforzando and SC Trash.

See also

• Anti-folk
• Urban Folk
• Billy Bragg
• The Levellers
• New Model Army
• Mutiny
• Against Me!
• Violent Femmes
• Sforzando

External links

• Punk Rock Banjo