Rather like 1984, “Punk” is now being invoked by ahistorical columnists who wouldn’t know what it was if it bit them on the arse

If Joe Strummer was still with us, @parnellpalme, he’d like a word.

So would Jello Biafra:

“Punk ain't no religious cult
Punk means thinking for yourself
You ain't hardcore 'cause you spike your hair
When a jock still lives inside your head” - Nazi Punks, Fuck Off

So would Joey and Dee Dee Ramone, notwithstanding Johnny’s conservatism (and they hated him too)

“Better, call, call the law
When you gonna turn yourself in? Yeah
You're a politician
Don't become one of Hitler's children” - Bonzo Goes To Bitburg

So would the Slits:

“Typical girls stand by their man
Typical girls are really swell
Typical girls learn how to act shocked
Typical girls don't rebel”

Could go on like this forever. I’m not arguing that punk was a leftist movement - it wasn’t, it was a musical one, and you could argue the music was often conservative, in that it took rock back to basics. But the attitude was anything but.

It’s just an offensive notion to anyone who grew up in Bjelke-Petersen’s Queensland, especially. Joh was like Trump without the nuclear codes or a Twitter account, and in his case punk actually did go some way to getting rid of him.

Finally an addendum from @billybragg via @ainsindahouse https://twitter.com/ainsindahouse/status/1348235956126564353