In a culture that sometimes mistakes ambition for arrogance, our own self-worth sometimes takes the hit. How many moments of greatness will we miss because of it?
“I hate the way Norman looks so fucking happy and smug.” -- yeah I bet they did! they wish they were as deservedly happy and proud of themselves as you were!
Reading this made me think a lot about some Ian interview about Fugazi and success - to paraphrase, success is up to you to define. No one else can or should define it for you. Like you, hardcore/punk empowered me to be great and do great but, it also made me reevaluate how I defined success and greatness. In my mind, what matters is what I'm doing is to my standard and no one else. I can disagree with you but at the end of the day, it's none of my business what you do with your business. That said, in my mind, what makes this thing we've all dedicated our lives to interesting is the attempt to create an alternative to the way you are 'supposed' to do things. I firmly believe that hardcore is more than music and part of that is, sometimes, taking the hard way around.
Oh Norm... even now in my 50s, I'm still that guy who shares each new release of my music online + social media. Same guy who pays more to DistroKid each year to host said music on streaming services than I get in payout/return. We do this for love, for creativity, and because we—as humans—share. I'm really digging your return to writing and just became a paid subscriber this morning. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
One of the most liberating experiences was shifting my mindset from a definition of what I don’t do, to what I do do. Hardcore, political hardcore especially, churns through so many people because it takes a lot of energy to define ourselves by what we don’t do. And as you discuss, it puts a false limit on what we can do.
To be vegan can either mean “I don’t eat meat or support those industries” or “I practice compassion for all living things.” Which of those seems fucking exhausting over twenty years? Which of those has implicit in it the possibility of a better world?
That “or not” is just fucking bullshit. We make shit. Creation is brave. We owe it to ourselves to embrace that courage.
I do think that there is probably an entire essay to be had about political sustainability—or rather, framing your convictions in a way that set you up for joy and not perpetual angst.
I agree with you and think there’s a through line among them that includes ideals, politics, and ambition.
If I were to break it down to a question, I think it’s: What does it mean to stop defining ourselves in contrast to the predominant culture and begin defining ourselves by the culture we wish to create?
I fully have incorporated smiling into my performances now. I find that it tricks my body into finding performing less painful (haha) and it also triggers the mirror neurons in people watching us play, therefore also making them experience joy. The masculinity of hardcore is so limiting. Anger is the only emotion we can experience. Hardcore is freeing to me and therefore, produces joy.
I remember going to see Godflesh play at the Rat in Boston around 1996 or so, and the first band on the bill was a local hardcore band called Segment. And despite their music being pretty standard tough-guy hardcore, they were so young and so obviously stoked to be playing this show that they were positively giddy on stage. It sounds condescending to say it was adorable, but it kind of was. It was just unfettered joy and it was amazing.
Recently played a reunion/last ever show with the band that was my life, still kinda is, and probably always will be. It was one of the most joyful nights of my life and probably the best show we/I will ever play. It was nice to end things with one last show. It was well produced, well attended, and totally absent of punk rock guilt. When that shit is dressed up like humility it will cut twice as deep. Thank you for this article.
What other people think about us is none of our fucking business. I have played some incredible shows on the backs of more popular bands. The energy was incredible and we played better. We made nothing from it except a lot of fun and friends. The best compliment we ever got was “I don’t know what that was, but I liked it.” Priceless!
Maybe this falls under the category of "the perils of interpreting" but when I was in college I was a huge fan of Antioch Arrow's lp "lady is a cat" especially the last minute of it when some guy just goes on a huge rant. (later I was told Antioch arrow "sampled" it from a documentary called "another state of mind" both the lp and the documentary are available on YouTube ) But while reading this latest post it reminded me of "the dilemma" most hXc kids like myself go through "is it wrong to play music for the fame and money?" . But back to "the infamous rant" This man goes on about promoters "putting on a show just to make money" and then he switches gears to blaming the bands "half of it is the band's fault. blaming the 'cramps' for playing a bar "ultimately eliminating three quarters of their audience." then this guy says this really bizarre statement. "The bands have to accept responsibility. That is the good thing about this show. The bands are playing for three bucks a head that is nothing." The reason I'm writing this is the person who told me about "another state of mind" was also the same person in college for lambasted me for calling Rancid "sellouts". But I will end this confusing stream of consciousness rant by quoting embrace: "what is right or wrong I can't say."
Thank you for this! I really needed to read this this morning as I think about quitting the thing I’ve spent the last 15 years trying to build. Self limiting or low confidence… need to rethink how I’m approaching it. 🙏
I can't believe somebody would say that... Mind you, I think my disbelief stems from reading about what you've been through. People can be pretty awful sometimes...
On the one hand, how dare you want to get your music out to more people, and on the other, we must be on guard against people who don't *really* like this music and are only here for the status that pretending to like it affords. You hold something you love too tight, it's going to get smothered. And it's hard to spread your wings when someone's gripping you that tightly. If your community's values center around avoiding rock-star excess, there's going to be people who see any attempt at growth as basically wanting to play arenas, and they tend to be pretty loud about it.
It's interesting. This is a little off-topic from what you're saying, but as someone who actually did get to play several arena shows last year, when I think about it now, the way I talked about it had nothing to do with size or scale but with the rarity of the experience. I felt like, after 30 years of playing music, this was an experience I'd never had before—and how amazing is it that this thing I do can still afford me with new experiences so many years later. I never asked for it, and it was never really an ambition for me, but as far as experiences go, I'm happy to have had the opportunity.
(the first part of what I said was me being facetious, if that wasn't clear)
I don't blame you - being able to do something you love, something that moves other people, for so long has to feel good. And if it were me, I'm sure there'd be some "holy shit, can you *believe* we're playing here?" in there too.
I wonder if feelings about ambition in punk/hardcore are changing. Knocked Loose played Coachella, and that's not something I would have ever seen coming, and maybe I'm just not in those spaces any more, but I don't really see them getting pushback for it. Maybe it's not seen as arrogant to just want to make a living from music anymore because all of the things the early punks were reacting to are so much less relevant now.
“I hate the way Norman looks so fucking happy and smug.” -- yeah I bet they did! they wish they were as deservedly happy and proud of themselves as you were!
Reading this made me think a lot about some Ian interview about Fugazi and success - to paraphrase, success is up to you to define. No one else can or should define it for you. Like you, hardcore/punk empowered me to be great and do great but, it also made me reevaluate how I defined success and greatness. In my mind, what matters is what I'm doing is to my standard and no one else. I can disagree with you but at the end of the day, it's none of my business what you do with your business. That said, in my mind, what makes this thing we've all dedicated our lives to interesting is the attempt to create an alternative to the way you are 'supposed' to do things. I firmly believe that hardcore is more than music and part of that is, sometimes, taking the hard way around.
Oh Norm... even now in my 50s, I'm still that guy who shares each new release of my music online + social media. Same guy who pays more to DistroKid each year to host said music on streaming services than I get in payout/return. We do this for love, for creativity, and because we—as humans—share. I'm really digging your return to writing and just became a paid subscriber this morning. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
One of the most liberating experiences was shifting my mindset from a definition of what I don’t do, to what I do do. Hardcore, political hardcore especially, churns through so many people because it takes a lot of energy to define ourselves by what we don’t do. And as you discuss, it puts a false limit on what we can do.
To be vegan can either mean “I don’t eat meat or support those industries” or “I practice compassion for all living things.” Which of those seems fucking exhausting over twenty years? Which of those has implicit in it the possibility of a better world?
That “or not” is just fucking bullshit. We make shit. Creation is brave. We owe it to ourselves to embrace that courage.
I do think that there is probably an entire essay to be had about political sustainability—or rather, framing your convictions in a way that set you up for joy and not perpetual angst.
I agree with you and think there’s a through line among them that includes ideals, politics, and ambition.
If I were to break it down to a question, I think it’s: What does it mean to stop defining ourselves in contrast to the predominant culture and begin defining ourselves by the culture we wish to create?
How dare you look happy on one of the happiest occasions!
I fully have incorporated smiling into my performances now. I find that it tricks my body into finding performing less painful (haha) and it also triggers the mirror neurons in people watching us play, therefore also making them experience joy. The masculinity of hardcore is so limiting. Anger is the only emotion we can experience. Hardcore is freeing to me and therefore, produces joy.
I remember going to see Godflesh play at the Rat in Boston around 1996 or so, and the first band on the bill was a local hardcore band called Segment. And despite their music being pretty standard tough-guy hardcore, they were so young and so obviously stoked to be playing this show that they were positively giddy on stage. It sounds condescending to say it was adorable, but it kind of was. It was just unfettered joy and it was amazing.
in response to someone hating on you for smiling at your own show.
It's funny because I love it when people smile on stage. I love seeing happiness. That person must have been fairly awful to hate it!
Recently played a reunion/last ever show with the band that was my life, still kinda is, and probably always will be. It was one of the most joyful nights of my life and probably the best show we/I will ever play. It was nice to end things with one last show. It was well produced, well attended, and totally absent of punk rock guilt. When that shit is dressed up like humility it will cut twice as deep. Thank you for this article.
What other people think about us is none of our fucking business. I have played some incredible shows on the backs of more popular bands. The energy was incredible and we played better. We made nothing from it except a lot of fun and friends. The best compliment we ever got was “I don’t know what that was, but I liked it.” Priceless!
The smugness.... love this story. ❤️
Maybe this falls under the category of "the perils of interpreting" but when I was in college I was a huge fan of Antioch Arrow's lp "lady is a cat" especially the last minute of it when some guy just goes on a huge rant. (later I was told Antioch arrow "sampled" it from a documentary called "another state of mind" both the lp and the documentary are available on YouTube ) But while reading this latest post it reminded me of "the dilemma" most hXc kids like myself go through "is it wrong to play music for the fame and money?" . But back to "the infamous rant" This man goes on about promoters "putting on a show just to make money" and then he switches gears to blaming the bands "half of it is the band's fault. blaming the 'cramps' for playing a bar "ultimately eliminating three quarters of their audience." then this guy says this really bizarre statement. "The bands have to accept responsibility. That is the good thing about this show. The bands are playing for three bucks a head that is nothing." The reason I'm writing this is the person who told me about "another state of mind" was also the same person in college for lambasted me for calling Rancid "sellouts". But I will end this confusing stream of consciousness rant by quoting embrace: "what is right or wrong I can't say."
Norm, Norm, Super Norm; Super NORMAN BRANNON!
Thank you for this! I really needed to read this this morning as I think about quitting the thing I’ve spent the last 15 years trying to build. Self limiting or low confidence… need to rethink how I’m approaching it. 🙏
I can't believe somebody would say that... Mind you, I think my disbelief stems from reading about what you've been through. People can be pretty awful sometimes...
On the one hand, how dare you want to get your music out to more people, and on the other, we must be on guard against people who don't *really* like this music and are only here for the status that pretending to like it affords. You hold something you love too tight, it's going to get smothered. And it's hard to spread your wings when someone's gripping you that tightly. If your community's values center around avoiding rock-star excess, there's going to be people who see any attempt at growth as basically wanting to play arenas, and they tend to be pretty loud about it.
It's interesting. This is a little off-topic from what you're saying, but as someone who actually did get to play several arena shows last year, when I think about it now, the way I talked about it had nothing to do with size or scale but with the rarity of the experience. I felt like, after 30 years of playing music, this was an experience I'd never had before—and how amazing is it that this thing I do can still afford me with new experiences so many years later. I never asked for it, and it was never really an ambition for me, but as far as experiences go, I'm happy to have had the opportunity.
(the first part of what I said was me being facetious, if that wasn't clear)
I don't blame you - being able to do something you love, something that moves other people, for so long has to feel good. And if it were me, I'm sure there'd be some "holy shit, can you *believe* we're playing here?" in there too.
I wonder if feelings about ambition in punk/hardcore are changing. Knocked Loose played Coachella, and that's not something I would have ever seen coming, and maybe I'm just not in those spaces any more, but I don't really see them getting pushback for it. Maybe it's not seen as arrogant to just want to make a living from music anymore because all of the things the early punks were reacting to are so much less relevant now.