Like all revivals, I’m not a fan. I don’t think punk was meant to be legacy music. It was perfect for a time and a place, but by the 90’s it was cosplay. Once in a while a band transcended this (New Bomb Turks) but they weren’t pop punk, there wasn’t anything pop about them.
I grew up on Blink-182 up until their marvelous self titled record (post-reunion is no good, unfortunately) and will probably never get tired of these songs.
I didn’t Had the chance in 95 but I think it was too expensive for me and I didn’t really believe it would be the last tour. I messed up
I never found any of these bands appealing and it probably has a lot to do with growing up on hardcore.
For sure, a lot of the charm of this stuff was being 15-18 when I discovered most of it. Fortunately it all coincided with my body being flooded with more natural dopamine than it would ever receive again. It was still better than what was on the radio at the time. Also, whatever criticisms you throw at the genre, there are exceptions: Bad musicianship? Egerton/Alvarez/Stevenson Whiny vocalists? Frank Daly, Tom Delonge, Chad Price Lyrics that don't fall apart on the food court? Ben Weasel ("What We Hate", "Science of Myth"), Greg Barnett from the Menzingers... There was a joke twitter account a few years ago called "JADEDPUNKHULK". It basically read like you think it would. "NEVER TRUST ANYONE WHO NEVER LISTEN TO POP PUNK. ALSO NEVER TRUST ANYONE WHO ONLY LISTEN TO POP PUNK"
Like any genre, there is good and bad. If it's good it's called Melodic Punk, if it's bad it's called Pop Punk. The only reason some say the Ramones aren't in this category is because they formed long before the term came into existence. Ramones- "Pet Semetary"
There is literally no way for someone to see them as cartoons after seeing them live. Another world. My ears are still ringing.
Strictly speaking, the Lunachicks are not a pop punk band, but they did some pretty pop-punky stuff on their fourth album "Pretty Ugly" Wing Chun Mr. Lady https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5d6s9QUxpU A great record. Produced by Fat Mike which probably has something to do with the poppiness
Do y’all think I meant the cartoon characters comment as a negative thing? It’s not at all. I just mean that they had very exaggerated personalities and played into a very stylized image. Like comic book characters. I don’t see how their volume contradicts this. They also had someone come onstage dressed as a pinhead character to dance around. This fits in with the whole aesthetic.
Calling someone a cartoon character usually isn't a compliment so it could elicit strong responses. There's plenty of bands mentioned in this thread I'd describe as cartoon characters before the Ramones, and it wouldn't be a positive thing. That said, they were most definitely exaggerated personalities and very stylized. No way to deny that! Also, the volume of their shows doesn't describe what I think we mean. I have never seen another band that played a show like the Ramones.
Except maybe Fugazi? (Off topic...NOT pop punk. Heh.) Back on topic, and perhaps not the nicest of comments...but I find almost all pop punk to be horrifyingly bad. I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but don't think of first wave bands like the Ramones, Buzzcocks, Blondie, etc. as "pop punk" despite how perfectly pop many of their songs were. When I hear that term I think Green Day, Blink 182, and the like...and I head for ze hills.
If you've read any of Ben Weasel's columns in MRnR, you'd know he agrees and basically gave them credit every issue.
Fugazi and the Ramones are my biggest show regrets. I only really had that one chance to catch the Ramones, but I had countless chances to see Fugazi (even free shows!) I just kept assuming I’d go to the next show. There was always something else going on the same night, or I was tired, or some other dumb excuse. Then they stopped playing. Argh. I did see a good amount of pop punk bands at $5-10 shows in the mid-90s though. The Queers, Tilt, Less Than Jake, Down by Law, Millencolin, a few others. Those were in my high school years budget
Love it. First heard the term applied to the Descendents in 1986, but The Queers and Screeching Weasel mastered the craft. Other favorites are: Teen Idols Groovie Ghoulies Less Than Jake The Manges
When it's good, it's great: Undertones, Buzzcocks, Mega City Four, Descendents.. But unfortunately there are a lot of repetitive, boring and annoying bands in this genre
I like my punk right down the middle, not too hard core and not too (21st century) pop-punk. This may be oxymoronish but includes a wide range of bands. Original 70’s punk, Descendents, Bad Religion, Green Day, etc. (dozens can’t list off the top of my head). Blink-182 and that ilk I can do without. So: If The Ramones defines pop punk – then yes love it. If Blink-182 defines pop-punk – then no.
