RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD
When Punk was dead in the late 80s it lived on in the video stores of America & particularly in Dan O'Bannon's 1985 movie the Return of the Living Dead. More accessible to kids like me than Punk records or books or even Punks themselves - the video rental shop gave us full access to Repo Man, Suburbia, Decline of Western Civilization, Dudes, Sid & Nancy, Road Warrior & the Return of the Living Dead - all of which I still fully recommend as proper transmitters of Punk Rock culture & in many ways - I feel they are some of the truest expressions of Punk, giving it the cinematic, exploitative, romantic quality that it deserves.
After all - what is more Punk then hanging out with your Punk & New Wave friends Trash, Spider & Suicide at the graveyard with a boom box? ALMOST NOTHING. Except for when Trash starts getting into the music & tonight - we make love until we die!
I got one of my first Punk role models from the Return of the Living Dead. "Suicide"
"Nobody understands me, you know that? I fucking bust my ass for you guys & what do I get? "You're spooky."...Fuck you, man. Fuck you all! I mean I got something to say. What do you think this is about? You think this is a fucking costume?...This is a way of life!"
Ultimately Return of the Living Dead shows the Punk principle of Punks Being Punks Somewhere They Shouldn't Be. Just the presence of the Punks should cause some degree of disruption to society & in this way - even the dead aren't allowed their eternal slumber! Little jerks! And - the Way of Life principle! Don't forget it!
- Sean Äaberg
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