Just a thought, punk rock and rat rods.

We have a movement in our hobby that berates the rat rod, but I was thinking about what's happening, as it relates to COUNTRY MUSIC.
In the late '70's, despite flashes of brilliance( WAYLON, WILLIE, DAC ), we had what might be described as banal, overly self indulgent music overpowering the airwaves, think CASH AND JONES.
Let's leave BLUEGRASS out of the equation, because I love BLUEGRASS. It was pure, it was HILLBILLY, it was the soundtrack to the drugged out BANJO DELEVERANCE orgy.
Anyway, back to my point, somebody, somewhere, decided that home grown music played at loud volumes, with less than masterful ability needed to be heard.
Of course there were politics, there was the HANK JR coronation, there was the PAYCHECK, but in the midst of it all was the rebellion.
I guess what I'm saying is that COUNTRY MUSIC was as neccessary as the rat rod in shaking up the system, be it music or cars.
If you wanna look back at the state of affairs in the late '80s, early '90s, we had reached a point of perfection that was ripe to spawn the rat rod.
And so it happened.
It's like some of us were sprayed with Boyd Be Gone.
I don't want anybody to die in their rat rod, but as far as a reaction, it was the panacea the hot rod world needed.
Go back and look at at the little books, there were unsafe deathtraps on virtually every page, this is nothing new.
Somewhere along the line the idea of hot rodding was de-balled.
I want to think that the true birth of COUNTRY rock happened long before it really happened. JERRY LEE LEWIS is as punk rock now as he was in '56.
This is how I feel about the rat rod. Sure it's a no/no in '04, but some of you cocksuckers actually embraced the term 5 years ago.
When I moved to the USA in '81, folks shouted KNOCK THREE TIMES and BORN TO BE A COUNTRY BOY to my face, and I ababdoned my love for their prescient music out of cowardice.
I realize now that the MARSHALL TUCKER BAND and ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL were remarakable, but I was a pussy, so I caved.

I guess what I'm really saying is is that there are pieces of shit on the road, but in reality they might be as important as The TV Personalities were to Genesis, as The Purple People Eater is to The Deucari.

But the true revolution won't be confined to cars, hopefully it will branch out to the point that we (the little people) aren't pawns of the almighty.

I'm not holding my breath.

Put me in my chamber now, I want to be at one with JOHN DENVER
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The only pleasure I have in life is severe OVERBITE.

 

Punk rock and RatRod are labels the our human need for scientific qunatification were born out of. Look at all the bands out there that we look up to as punk bands, not one of them started out saying - "Lets start a punk band". They just played what they wanted, how they wanted and the title followed. Its the forgotten bands that said - "Lets start a punk band". Same with Rat Rods, its just a title. Those that build for themselves ride with style, those that ride for an image are soon forgotten. But the true ideology lives on.

 

Boyd-be-gone, that's rich...

Who's to blame when parties get out of hand?

 

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Boyd-be-gone, that's rich...

Who's to blame when parties get out of hand?

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-Jose Cuervo.

 

Many a Top 40 Hit was born out of what began as a punk rock staple.

Punk bands played loud, they did their own thing, and broke the "rules". They were putting notes where they shouldn't be, playing out of tune, and making up their own chords...but they did it with no apologies or regret...they just added Attitude till it had punch!

Some stayed on that hardcore path and never strayed...

...others inched towards hooks and and gave their act just a hint of order...and got their video on MTV...making themselves mainstream whether they knew it or not.

How cool was it to hear your buddy's MOM singing "Blister In The Sun" in 1986?

The dark side of the world...any world, be it musical or automotive...is not for everyone, and few will ever stay hidden in the shadows for long. They'll make their statement, pay their dues...and most will gravitate...even if ever so slightly, towards The Center. They'll play clubs instead of garages, they'll tune up...and play in time.

Some won't, of course...but the majority will.

That scenester kid building a death rod today...should he discover that cars are truly his passion, will be building ever so more refined machines in future successive efforts. He'll tune up...and keep the beat. He won't go Bubblegum Pop in all likelyhood...but he will...dare I say it...MATURE? ...and so will his craft.

Before ya know it...he's got a fiberglass Deuce with a Comp Cammed 350 in it...playing Clash covers with thinning hair and failing eyes...

 

Note on the term Death Rod. The corrolation between Death Metal and Death Rod will be discussed on Thursday evening, 8:00 PM Eastern Time Zone. Lets stick within group shall we.

 

I really feel that personal priorities of music for most people is directly related to their youth.
True, one can argue of the oldie rockers in their 60's and how memories are so vivid when a certain song is played.
But for most, music is just another noise in the masses.
Age will prove that one will long for silence or at least a very negligible soft tune.
Music has.. is.. and will be an integral part of culture for every generation. But my point is... not as important as a quite morning of coffee on the deck or the sound a waves hitting the beach in later years. And no I'm not ancient.
The best rock band of all time is Led Zeplin.
Rat rods fall into the same category. You previous rat rodders will soon become gold chaining billet lovers.

 

Nads, did you mean to say ELO instead of ELP? I like what I like and I'm sticking with that. I've also realized that stuff I hated when I was a kid, I like now. That's freakin weird! later plmczy

 

The future?

Punk rods and rat rock!


The revolution will not be televised.

 

Well put Nads...

 

Punk died when the "thrash" pit became the "mosh" pit.

"Mosh" pit sounds like someplace where little old Italian ladies stomp on wine grapes.



The term "rat rod" has evolved. It was first coined to describe cars built by guys with limited resources trying to emulate the cars from the roots of hot rodding. Some of the cars were ratty looking and some were downright dangerous. This was not by design, but due to lack of resources.

Later, the term came to describe cars being purposely built with a ratty appearance, questionable engineering and poor workmanship. These cars are buit to emulate the fist group I described and cash in on their perceived "coolness"

Now the term has become a corporate marketing tool. Look at it's use in mags like OSR, on TV shows like Rides and of course it's rampant use on e-bay. These folks use the term to cash in period.

They're all just hot rods to me. Some are rough, some are finished nicely. Some look good to me, some look ugly to me. Some are well built machines and some are death traps.(Yes, I've seen plenty of well built, roughly finished machines and I've seen plenty of nice, shiney death traps)

 

"The second wave of the hippy generation commandeered the sound and made it their own. No longer is Punk about self worth, self gratifying, stand alone anti-establishment anarchy and self reliance. Now we hear dreadful songs about strife, loathing and political intrigue to the tune of activist socialism."
I went to the warped tour this year to see bands like Bad Religion and the Bouncing Soules, and durring every show I heard some comment on President Bush. I thought Punk was about anachry and who gives a shit attitude, not some half ass rock stars brain washing some kids about who they should vote for. When did punk become a platform for the Democratic party? Don't get me wrong I still love punk and hopefully always will. And to those who say punk is dead, pick up a Swinning Utters cd or the Bodies and maybe you will change your tune.

 

Nads, Nads, Nads, Nads, Nads,..............your as deep as a pie pan my brother! Or maybe not. I love the hell out of your posts man! You failed to mention Early Bob Marley or the Skatelites! What about Duran Duran or the Thompson Twins?!?!?! Oh it aches my heart to think your leaving out the goofy as early 80's new wave shit!!


Now Days.......you'll find me listening to Faron Young or T Bone Walker or Hank Snow. Im just a dumb hillbilly muisc fan now. WRAT RODZ WRULE!!!!!!


By he way you....did you ever listen to my CD?

 

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Screw all that shit!
25 years ago, as a young wanna-be, I dug Kustoms, wide whites, and Doo-Wop. Still do.
Disco SUCKS!

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25 years ago I was living in Highland Park (well, that's where my Bank was and the private road down the hill from the house I was living in went through HP to get anywhere else) drivng my only car, a '55 Olds Super 88 2dr Ht with power everything including the antenna beater, riding a XLCH with rattle can black paint and listening to Willie and Waylon and friends or whatever they were playing on the Mexican Music station because I couldn't stand that racket those hyperactive boorish kids called Punk. It was worse than that fag disco drivel, (although, at least you could dance to Disco, with women, instead of that physical ritual so-called guys did in mosh pits to or was it with each other?)
At that time I thought Punk sucked Donky Kong but now I listen to some of it, as long as it isn't all scratch, as long as it's "later stuff" that's been mutilated by actual music producers into something musical, and we saw the B 52s play in Tempe a few years ago, them old broads can shake them thunder thighs in them short skirts, but what up with that asexual icon singer?
Saw Billy-Fuckin-Idol on the same stage a different year, but have been told he sucked after his first "garage band" stuff, (probably a good thing, it sucks because it became music after?)

Punk has absolutely nuthin to do with what I think about cars...
Chuck Berry, motorvatin' over a hill might, or Steppenwolf, (seen the Model A in the "For Ladies Only" album jacket?) but not Punk.
Must be a generation thing, maybe?
I think people cross-associate the music they listen to with whatever else they are doing and tend to think one influenced the other, when maybe they just remind them of each other.
Like, I had just bought and was repeat listening to Buffalo Springfield's Last Time Around" album while reading "1984" so now, when hear anything off that album I relate to that novel, and the impending doom that was to come, but waited a quarter century to materialize.
20 years ago it was Stray Cats, Ranting.....but also Dire Straits, He's got his own jet airplane,,, and chicks for free!
Too many rodders within the hobby like too many different kinds of music for just oneof them to be the influence for an entire "trend"

 

Your freakin' cracking me up over here Honest.

good stuff Nads.

Dr J good thoughts, but I think you missed Nads point.

 

good thoughts Nads. I would have to agree with you. DrJ like krupanut said I think you missed his point. he was just saying the original punk movement was to music as rat rods are to the hot rod scene.

 

Punk and politics have been bedfellows since day one. Politics are an extension of social ideals. That which punk one way or the other is rooted in. Do you even understand what the idea of anarchy really is? I have a feeling you maybe own a 75.00 pair of zipper pants from Hot Topic.

Kinda drives home the point I think Nads initially had maybe. Some poeple get it, some people don't.

Oh and when I knew the Bouncing Souls, they didn't necessarily refer to themselves as punk.

 

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good thoughts Nads. I would have to agree with you. DrJ like krupanut said I think you missed his point. he was just saying the original punk movement was to music as rat rods are to the hot rod scene.

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Oh well, all I could relate to was the part that related to cars.. and I guess I mistakenly thought the thread was about the cars....
Gene Vincent, punk?
See, only someone who sees everything as being related to punk would even concieve that.
That's why I said it's generational.
That's cool, I can relate, and did about the Buffalo Springfield album, but one wasn't a catalist for the other, just a coincidence.
It's just that the system has always been stirred by people like Richard Graves with his half painted half primer'32 tub and Jake's '29 tub that he painted with a 2" brush and a can of red enamel AT a NSRA(?) national meet.
I doubt either thinks Punk is a similar influence, on their lives.
Country-rock Alabama, Oak Ridge Boys maybe, or Talking heads.
New Wave is more "getting back to the roots" and more similar to the getting back to the roots rat rod movement to me than Punk was at the time anyway, maybe it's because I liked New Wave and wouldn't even listen to that Punk noise... And Jazz, Blues, Big Band and, heaven help us, Swing.
Like I said generational.
I only tolerate punk now because there's so much "worse" noise being made now

Or maybe I don't see the same point...

 

Never owned a pair of zipper pants and yes I do know what Anachry is. But I guess telling kids not to vote for Bush because of his views is relly punk. I was under the impression that Anachry is agianst authority and total chois, Fuck the establishment if you will. All I was trying to convay is that why bring certin political views into a rock show when the majority of you audience is under the voting age???? Oh and I consider The Bouncing Souls punk. Sorry that they are no idols like The Sex Pistols to you, but they play some pretty good music.

 

Actually I strongly dislike the Sex Pistols.

Anarchy is not anti authority, it is the existence of a community without authority.

Looking at the term of "punk", voicing your opinion is very "punk". Maybe not always in good taste, but "punk".

If a bands on Warped Tour, its not "punk".

Sidebars:

-I am really sorry I got drawn into this discussion too far

-I really dislike the fact that we have to label everything with such general terms as punk and rat rods, because inevitably I think it eventually gets watered down to such things as Nads point being missed.

cheaterjack if you want to discuss further, PM me.

 

Damn...thats a lot of reading....
I just like old cars that look mean. Rusty or painted... makes no difference to me. Its just cheaper and easier not to paint em....
I like whatever music I like. Sinatra to T.S.O.L. Who cares what people think as long as youre not bothering anyone else.

Thats it.

 

I agree with Nads. I think the "rat rod" movement is something the hot rod world needed. To me it's a big FU to the norm. I also believe that not only is it needed, but it will only help the hobby grow stronger. Every style of hot rodding over the past 60 years has taken something from past and used it to help create something new. This trend is no different. Once the fad is over guys who are and have always been into traditional style rods will not be affected, and the people who fell off the hot rod bandwagon will go on to new and better things, taking some styling and engineering cues from what the saw and did. who knows what the "next big thing" will be?
If I'm way off the mark here, it's the meds kicking in.

 

For every Gene Vincent there's an Everly Brothers. For every Rolling Stone there's a Four Tops. For every Jimi Hendrix there's a B. J. Thomas. For every New York Dolls there's a Jackson 5. For every Ramones there's a Captain and Tennille. For every Billie Joe Shaver there's a Dolly Parton. For every Richard Hell there's a K. C. and the Sunshine Band. For every Clash there's a Knack. For every Gen X there's a Wham! For every Beastie Boys there's a Sir Mix-a-lot. For every Social Distortion there's a Nirvana. For every Rancid there's a Celine Dion. For every White Stripes there's a Beyonce.

For every PPE there's a Cadzilla.

There IS NO damn revolution.

As the lady said, "it's all the same fucking day, man."

 

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Punk and politics have been bedfellows since day one. Politics are an extension of social ideals. That which punk one way or the other is rooted in. Do you even understand what the idea of anarchy really is?


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Does "Punk" have an ideology?
A common one that is?
In the 60's I thought the so-called "Hippies" had an ideology but there was no group ideology or political thought at all, there were some who thought like Ralph Nader and some who thought like Rush Limbaugh. The only thing thay really had in common was they stunk like Pachouli oil.
I keep hearing Punk associated with Anarchy but have heard middle of the road status quo same old same old "Old Politician Man" politics coming out of the mouths of some people sporting mohawks.
I also think Nads is probabaly a good one to answer my question because he has international first hand experience on the subject.

 

DrJ the answer to that will vary depending on who you ask. In my opinion punk is about rebellion, questioning what is force fed to you by the media and thinking for yourself. It's to hard to label. and ol-scratch just cause they are on the warped tour doesn't mean they aren't punk.

 

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DrJ the answer to that will vary depending on who you ask. In my opinion punk is about rebellion, questioning what is force fed to you by the media and thinking for yourself. It's to hard to label. and ol-scratch just cause they are on the warped tour doesn't mean they aren't punk.

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So being Punk is like being an Artist...
A self asigned title?
You are just by thinking you are?
If that's so, why do so many so called Punk people follow the stuck in the institution that is the Grand Old Party?
I would think they would be much more radical in their party politic.

 

for the most part most people who consider themselves punk are pretty liberal. but like with anything there are exceptions to that.

 

And let's not forget Country Joe McDonald's salute to Governor Reagan at Woodstock. I think part of youth rebellion is rebelling against authority at all levels.

 

Honest rules, he's a visionary stuck in a weird place.

Mike, I heard the CD, it rocks.

I was really drunk when I made this post last night, and so my thoughts might have been a little convoluted.

It's my birthday today, I turn 43, I'm having a reflective moment.

I guess what it comes down to is that this rant was a personal reflection on the way I have been affected by cars and music. It is these things more than any others that have impacted my life.

I bet if we asked the Low Flyers most of them would say they came from a Punk Rock background. As did I. Many of my clubmates have skinhead backgrounds, assholes!

I guess if you have to pigeonhole yourself as one thing or another you're pretty pathetic, like people who use their race to define them. But hey, that's the way it is.

I'm really happy that I got to experience both Punk Rock and Rat Rods as revolutionary movements. In the end, like most revolutions they'll end up amounting to nothing in the grand scheme of things, but that doesn't negate the fact they really did happen.

BTW, I wasn't neccessarily bagging on Genesis (with Peter Gabriel) or Coyd Boddington, I just think they might have been the most visible faces that needed rebelling against.
I still listen to "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" but there hasn't been anything that Boyd built that quickened my pulse. I can say the same for Troy Trepanier and Chip Foose, their cars still lack soul.

Oh yeah, one last thing in defense of disco, if anybody thinks that The Brothers Johnson, The Ohio Players, Earth Wind and Fire and Chic didn't know how to compose a song and play it with skintight precision they can kiss my butt.

And history has proven that their classics can still make the booty jump, and if that's the goal of music, then disco was 100% successful.

 

I agree with nads and think that people of all ages just got sick of easter egg colored cars with tweed interior that were so quiet you couldnt tell that they were on. AND:

Punk died when the slam pit became the thash pit...

Rock-a-billys are hot rodders without cars...

We drive hot rods, they drive street rods...

The word rat rod is still gay...

So, put me in the chamber now, i wanna be one with Johnny Thunders.