Punk rock gives birth to a whole new generation…literally.
By Phil Wise
Like any era, scene, phase, what-have-you, punk rock has grown into something much bigger than the dirty architects imagined in their puke drenched booths at CBGB. It’s matured (egads!) and even been accepted by the mainstream (don’t tell Johnny Rotten-Lydon-Rotten), despite the New York Dolls being snubbed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yes, it seems rock and roll’s snot-nosed, loudmouthed little brother has grown up a bit. And so have some of the followers of the scene, which has given birth, er, to the punk rock mom. And they are hot.
All around big cities and even some small towns you can see punk chicks pushing strollers and toting wet naps. Decked out in their leather jackets, spiked hair and Doc Martins, they’ve added to their uniform another list of accessories that includes binkies, Pampers, animal crackers and Tickle Me Elmo. These mavens of punk Momdom can just as soon be heard humming the theme to Barney as the Dead Boys‘ “Caught with the Meat in Your Mouth.”
And the punk moms may not just be raising fine kids, they may in fact be the saviors of a movement that’s been subjugated and tamed by mass media. Imagine the looks of blue hairs (those whose hair is blue due to age rather than by design) when punk mom strolls in with Baby Stiv on hip and a Walkman blasting “Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment.” Punk kids may have lost all their shock value but what about the punk moms? Not to mention they’re raising a generation brought up on gobbing as a sign of respect, something babies are naturally adept at.
Now, punk broke some 25 years ago and certainly there were scenesters who became parents in that quarter century, but never before have we seen such a proliferation of punk in maternity wards as we have today. Perhaps it’s because punk’s influence over those years has spread to include a wider range of people. Regardless, there is a new wave of mothers out there still clinging to punk ethics, fashion, music and politics and they’re raising children!
Yes, God May Not Save the Queen, but as long as there are moms out there listening to Television, shacking up with guys who “look exactly like Richard Hell” and know that “Gabba Gabba Hey” is NOT baby-talk, then I’ll sleep well knowing America is in good hands.
An interesting bit, Phil – but I have to ask the obvious – what brought this on? Was it something you saw/heard/ate? Just wondering…On another note – do you think that these punk moms will retain this level of style and with it their (what’s the word?) identity (?) forever or do you think it’s only a matter of time before their aging ceases to be “old school” and just becomes wierd?The times wait for no one and I think these moms, insulated as they are right now with pop-punk-crossover culture, will someday still have some explaining to do.
There’s a great new article about punk on the Last Plane to Jakarta: http://www.lastplanetojakarta.com/empires.html
I saw a Punk Mom here in my neighborhood and then a few more down around Belmont. Now I see them everywhere. I love them.
I wish there were punk moms around here. All we get are the kinds who see angels and have that damn fish on their mini-vans…=:)
Is there any such things as “punk dads,” or are they simply guys who have packed on too many pounds over the years from crunching down an abundance of snacks and consequently have a space of unattractive white flesh between the bottoms of their black T-shirts and the tops of their black jeans?
I have a friend who is a punk dad. His son’s name is Hanaman and he loves Disney and the Cartoon Network and Legos and all “normal” kid stuff even though his dad is all anti-corporate, anti-establishment, anti-whatever. Hanaman seems like a very happy kid.
Hoorah for PUNK ROCK MOMS!
oh yeah and…. My dad is a punk rock dad too
I know a punk rock family out in like a half suberban, half corn town, and its pretty cool, the dad and his son both have mohawks, and the mom and her daughter, got hte fishnet cons and bondage skirts on, its really awsome too see, and have a family support it. i suppose
im a punk mom! there are a few punk parenting sites and punk parent zines out there in any of you are intersted email me
i happen to fall into the subtext of a punk mom.i have a 7 year old and a 9 month old.married live in a nice house blah blah.my girl is a normal little kid.who i respect and enjoy.and she thinks my facial tats are pretty.