Punk rock may have emerged back in the 1970s, but even decades later, it remains an iconic look, genre, and subculture. The rejection of the corporate-driven rock music of the decade through stripped-down, fast-paced songs and a distinct aesthetic was sometimes quite literally a middle finger to society and a form of rebellion. Now, with massive corporations seemingly in control of everything, the punk rock mantra is naturally quite popular.
Of course, the punk rock mantra and its following are all inspired by legendary bands. Even with the likes of The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Iggy and the Stooges, and The Dead Kennedys laying the groundwork, it can be argued that 90s and 00s stars Green Day are the best punk rock band going, and given how they remain prominent, it’s easy to see how the punk attitude could continue to bleed into pop culture.
It’s not surprising that, across entertainment media, the punk rock mantra is taken slightly differently through a few different representations. Sometimes, it’s punk rock music that’s offering an adrenaline-pumping soundtrack, and other times, it’s the getups and attitude that relay the rebellious nature of those involved.
Punk for Rebellious Gaming
Creating a piece of media in the punk aesthetic automatically offers designers some iconic imagery and an immediate sense of rebelliousness for its users. This is the approach that Nolimit City took with its hit online slot game Punk Rocker. Reflecting the British punk rock scene, it spins to a punk rock soundtrack, features famed images, like those of Churchill and the Mona Lisa “punkified,” and even has its own Riot, Anarchy, and Civil War features.
Sometimes, the aesthetic of punk rock, what with the Mohawks and bright spray paint, isn’t as needed to relay the punk rock sensations. In many video games, punk rock tracks are infused to inspire some rebellious behaviour, with the most famous examples being in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series, the Skate games, and the skateboarding-inspired, and grossly underrated, Sunset Overdrive. Given the sport, punk rock tracks are certainly fitting.
Punk on Stage and Screen
One of the most popular embodiments of the punk rock mantra on stage – well, a stage with ropes around it – is CM Punk. The WWE professional wrestler has long been seen as the modern incarnation of punk in the ring, obviously drawing his name from the movement, but also through his very persona and lifestyle. As he revealed in an interview about his straight-edge lifestyle, he’s long loved punk and hardcore music while living by its mantra.
Elsewhere, punk rock has been depicted as a path to violence. This is the case in the revered and now-studied British play Punk Rock, which is described as edgy through its slow build towards violence. Of course, the most popular depictions of punk rock tend to come from biopics and similar outings in films and TV shows. The 1970s scene of punk rock by itself was simply too outrageous, intriguing, and controversial to create a fictitious story.
So, films and shows try to recreate the aesthetic and the famous faces as they were in their heydays. Rude Boy (about The Clash but disowned by the band), Sid and Nancy (on The Sex Pistols’ second bassist), Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (on Ian Dury’s battle to get on the airwaves), and Pistol (a Sex Pistols mini-series), all look to delve into the people headlining the movement.
Punk rock is a very strong theme to draw on in modern entertainment, and given the state of entertainment and corporatism right now, it makes sense that more people would be gravitating to the genre.
