LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles is many things, but perhaps most notably, is its place as “the entertainment capital of the world.” Music thrives here, both in the mainstream and the underground. The latter takes place within many genres, including punk rock.
Los Angeles has been home to one of the largest and most influential underground punk scenes. The roots of hardcore punk, a subgenre of punk with aggressive vocals and lyrics, can be traced back to Los Angeles and other regions in Southern California in the mid 1970s. Today, it still thrives as a youth subculture that provides community to young people searching for a sense of belonging.
“The people in this place are outcasts a lot of the time. Some aren’t but a lot are, and they relate to the lyrics and the bands and stuff, so they just feel like they fit in here,” said Cade Carpenter, a 19-year old music student from Long Beach, CA.
Carpenter first started going to punk shows hosted by friends in their backyards when he was in high school. Spending the last few years in the punk scene has allowed him to see a side of the scene that others don’t.
“A lot of people think that the punk scene is just about doing drugs and drinking and fighting people,” he said. “And yeah that can be true, there are some bands here that ruined L.A.”
Carpenter didn’t want to get into what he meant by the latter half of that statement. But he explained that for the most part, the scene is about the music, not about the dangerous lifestyles it’s often made out to be.
“It’s all about the music. It’s always been about the music, and it should always be about the music. The culture is the music. That’s literally all it is,” he said.
Punk is classified as a subculture, not just a genre. In this way, it goes beyond the music. It is a set of values, a fashion style, and a way of life. According to those in the scene, to truly be a “punk”, you have to act like one. And to act like a punk, you need to know your music history.
But the music itself is the foundation for every other aspect of the subculture. In its formative years, punk bands adopted the “DIY ethic”, which involves bands producing their own music, planning and hosting their own shows, and even designing their own merch. One of the first bands to make the DIY ethic synonymous with punk culture was Black Flag. Born in Hermosa Beach, CA, Black Flag is among the most influential hardcore punk bands, and from their beginning, they made it clear that they didn’t need a record label to be successful with their music.
A timeline of the punk scene in Southern California helps us understand its origins and how it’s become what it is today.
The DIY ethic reflects the punk scene’s desire to reject the status quo in everything they do. While many musicians may desire fame, or to ‘make it big’ in the industry, punk bands seem to have little interest in that.
“These are a bunch of creative people who are forming bands not to ‘go somewhere’ but to have fun and share their music and their message with people,” said Christian Barela, an 18-year old college student who recently made his way into the underground punk scene.
According to these young music fans, the best venues for punk shows are First Street Pool & Billiards, Towne Square, and Non Plus Ultra, all scattered throughout the city of Los Angeles.
Many shops and even restaurants in the area also provide a space for community gathering and stand as iconic symbols of what the punk scene is for youth in Los Angeles.
Descontrol Punk Shop, located on 7th street in Los Angeles, is a clothing store featuring the styles associated with the punk aesthetic. The store is full of leather, studded jackets, and band t-shirts. They often set up pop-up booths at shows and events in the area with select items for sale.
“We got the goods, you know. My boy makes all the leather, and all the stuff, I just volunteer my time,” said Beanie, an employee of the shop. He explained that most items are handmade, and that employees take on different roles to keep the shop going.
The punk scene in Los Angeles seems to thrive most when the community comes together to build it up.
