Sadly, it has been going on for pretty much as long as punk has been around, and it doesn’t really have a single contributing factor.
In the US 80s hardcore was made up mainly of white angry teens and young adults. Most weren’t racist but some were. And the low entry of musicianship needed to get into punk made it easy to start a band, so some Nazi bands started forming. The fans of these band thought they would be welcome at other punk shows, but were wrong. That’s why the Dead Kennedy’s wrote the song “Nazi Punk Fuck Off”.
In England skinheads have been around since the 60s but where not the racist skinheads you think of today. It was more of a working class subculture. Oi punk evolved from this subculture, so as fascist started adopting skinhead culture the music came with it. It also doesn’t help that some early punks would wear Nazi symbols to be provocative, even if they didn’t believe in the ideology.
Even in the 90s, when I was a teen and active in the local punk community Nazi’s would show up to a show every now and then. It always ended up with them getting drug outside and getting the shit kicked out of them. Even if they weren’t at the show if there was a sighting of Nazi’s nearby people would go running to kick the shit out of them. Yet, every few months it’s like they expected something else to happen when and would show up again.
My only thought on why this shit is still happening 30-40 years later, is that you have to be a fucking moron to be a Nazi, so it’s not like they would have the best judgement when it comes to where they are welcome.
The song is actually a lot deeper than the chorus makes it seem. He actually trying to reason with the Nazi and say, “hey we’re both anti-authoritarian, you’re just a fucking idiot for thinking Nazism is the best way to go about it.”
Punk ain’t no religious cult
Punk means thinkin’ for yourself
You ain’t hardcore, 'cause you spike your hair
When a jock still lives inside your head
This is saying you can’t just dress like a punk and be punk. Punk is an ethos not a uniform.
If you’ve come to fight, get outta here
You ain’t no better than the bouncers
Some people see punks and mosh pits and think punks are all violent. But that’s not the case, so don’t come around if you just want to fight.
We ain’t tryin’ to be police
When you ape the cops, it ain’t anarchy
But with that said, they aren’t trying to be the police. They want to dismantle control, not recreate it.
Ten guys jump one, what a man
You fight each other, the police state wins
Stab your backs when you trash our halls
Trash a bank if you’ve got real balls
This section is basically saying don’t take your anger and aggression out on people. It is the system that got you down, not the other people. Take your rage out on institutions of real power, unless you are too much of a pussy.
You still think swastikas look cool
The real Nazis run your schools
They’re coaches, businessmen and cops
In a real fourth Reich, you’ll be the first to go
As you noted this is pretty straight forward, those you hold up actually hate you. Scary how accurate that still is today.
You’ll be the first to go, you’ll be the first to go
You’ll be the first to go, unless you think
Use your fucking brain, don’t be a Nazi.
This is all just my interpretation after listening to this song for 30+ years. I’m sure there are other ways of looking at it.
My teacher was a punk back his day and fondly told us about how him and his friends would beat the crap out of Nazi punks when they would show up at the spots. He was born in Germany and his parents lived through the tiny mustache man period, so I am sure it was an act of German and family pride to address them appropriately. He would get a twinkle in his eye, as if recalling a fond memory that brought him joy.
Those Nazi bitches love walking around with targets on their back. They’re masochistic. I’ve punched more than a handful of them in the late 90’s / early 2000’s in FL.
Same reason why MAGA loves to go and ruin Pride festivals, to harass them. They believe that everyone else is sufferring from delusion and are waiting for someone like these MAGA or Nazi scumbags to “save” them.
Johnny Ramone was very hard right. Even praised Regan and Bush during the Ramones Rock & Roll Hall in fame speech. The Ramones song “The KKK Took My Baby Away” was Joey Ramone taking a dig at Johnny for stealing Linda Ramone from him.
Out of all music genres to pick, why would you wear it to the farthest left one?
Sadly, it has been going on for pretty much as long as punk has been around, and it doesn’t really have a single contributing factor.
In the US 80s hardcore was made up mainly of white angry teens and young adults. Most weren’t racist but some were. And the low entry of musicianship needed to get into punk made it easy to start a band, so some Nazi bands started forming. The fans of these band thought they would be welcome at other punk shows, but were wrong. That’s why the Dead Kennedy’s wrote the song “Nazi Punk Fuck Off”.
In England skinheads have been around since the 60s but where not the racist skinheads you think of today. It was more of a working class subculture. Oi punk evolved from this subculture, so as fascist started adopting skinhead culture the music came with it. It also doesn’t help that some early punks would wear Nazi symbols to be provocative, even if they didn’t believe in the ideology.
Even in the 90s, when I was a teen and active in the local punk community Nazi’s would show up to a show every now and then. It always ended up with them getting drug outside and getting the shit kicked out of them. Even if they weren’t at the show if there was a sighting of Nazi’s nearby people would go running to kick the shit out of them. Yet, every few months it’s like they expected something else to happen when and would show up again.
My only thought on why this shit is still happening 30-40 years later, is that you have to be a fucking moron to be a Nazi, so it’s not like they would have the best judgement when it comes to where they are welcome.
I feel like I’m missing context behind some of the lyrics but that line is still JUST as fitting. 👏
The song is actually a lot deeper than the chorus makes it seem. He actually trying to reason with the Nazi and say, “hey we’re both anti-authoritarian, you’re just a fucking idiot for thinking Nazism is the best way to go about it.”
This is saying you can’t just dress like a punk and be punk. Punk is an ethos not a uniform.
Some people see punks and mosh pits and think punks are all violent. But that’s not the case, so don’t come around if you just want to fight.
But with that said, they aren’t trying to be the police. They want to dismantle control, not recreate it.
This section is basically saying don’t take your anger and aggression out on people. It is the system that got you down, not the other people. Take your rage out on institutions of real power, unless you are too much of a pussy.
As you noted this is pretty straight forward, those you hold up actually hate you. Scary how accurate that still is today.
Use your fucking brain, don’t be a Nazi.
This is all just my interpretation after listening to this song for 30+ years. I’m sure there are other ways of looking at it.
wow that’s a great explanation. Thanks for typing it all out!
this song is definitely going in my saved songs now :)
There are people who didn’t know Rage Against the Machine were political until reading a Tom Morello tweet.
My teacher was a punk back his day and fondly told us about how him and his friends would beat the crap out of Nazi punks when they would show up at the spots. He was born in Germany and his parents lived through the tiny mustache man period, so I am sure it was an act of German and family pride to address them appropriately. He would get a twinkle in his eye, as if recalling a fond memory that brought him joy.
Best damn teacher anyone could hope for.
Those Nazi bitches love walking around with targets on their back. They’re masochistic. I’ve punched more than a handful of them in the late 90’s / early 2000’s in FL.
Same reason why MAGA loves to go and ruin Pride festivals, to harass them. They believe that everyone else is sufferring from delusion and are waiting for someone like these MAGA or Nazi scumbags to “save” them.
“Nazi Punk” exists, the skinhead as a Nazi thing is them co-opting culture
Fuckviolence Nazis of all flavorsThe Green Room movie is based around this
What a great movie. Patrick Stewart should play more villains.
Indeed and Macon Blair and Jeremy Saulnier need to do more movies together, check out their movie Blue Ruin if you liked Green Room
I’ve seen both of these and they’re great. Got any other recommendations?
You mean other movies by these people or like in general?
I’ve seen it, it’s fantastic.
You’re supposed to take the skinheads bowling though.
They tend to have a hard time getting through the ball return.
we don’t want them to have an easy time do we
It depends on how long we want to take between players I guess.
Johnny Ramone was very hard right. Even praised Regan and Bush during the Ramones Rock & Roll Hall in fame speech. The Ramones song “The KKK Took My Baby Away” was Joey Ramone taking a dig at Johnny for stealing Linda Ramone from him.
TIL
Well, you just interested me in their biography.