Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah - listen here and listen good - your town cryer calling - latest news - 30 years of punk and all's crap. Crowds are as erratic as ever as nostalgia nuts go full tilt and trying to recapture their youth. Young up and comers are left by the wayside and totally ignored by the blinkered brigade. Top bands continue to coast and collect the dosh and adulation without recording anything worthwhile. The festival mentality is still king and all dayers don't pull a crowd until late in the day. Punks become more limited in their choice of listening and many refuse to pay a few quid for compilations of unknown bands. American bands still impress big time and the new breed just drool in adulation. Etc Etc Etc.

Yeah - a lot of news and a lot of truth - thats what I've witnessed during this punk anniversary. What a shambles. Where is the adventure, where is the originality, where is the difference from a time when everyone had their head screwed on backwards and was marching straight to normality? Punk was and still is about individuality and yet if you don't kow tow to the clicky pressures you are criticised. We have our old school, new school, left wing, right wing, divisions that are all to the detriment of punk. You can't mix and mash these different flavours without causing problems. Why not just listen to the music and fuck politics and what style it is? Forget even if its punk or not - just take the music for what it is - good or bad. If its got spirit and balls then its good enough for me. I couldn't give a toss what the underlying message is (well as long as its not causing anyone to suffer). I just want to push good music that has passion and energy and hopefully a positivity about it that can cause such great torrents of emotion to burst their banks.

This year I have seen an abundance of talent on show and also a lot of money grabbing, self interested shit too. My heart lies with the underdogs - the ones who struggle to get gigs and appreciation of their endeavours. Its great to push them along and hopefully move the old brigade into sharpening up their act. Its a tough challenge but I'm a stubborn old sod and a believer in the cause so I will stick on in there. Don't get me wrong, a few of the old timers have still got a lot to offer and any of you lot who know me will know who I'm talking about but there is a hell of a lot of talent waiting to be adored but just seem ignored. How many of you go to all dayers and sit outside instead of supporting the early bands. Forget the headliners they will have their share of fans - keep the flame burning at all ends. We can't go to all the gigs we want to because we have other commitments but when we do we should make the most of the opportunity and support the new bands.

In retrospect the year is typical of a scene that will always have its highs and lows but without encouragement of future bands you can kiss the highs goodbye for a long time to come. Picture this scenario - Rancid are playing a 2000 capacity stadium for £15 a ticket. Next door I have 20 upcoming bands for £2 on the door - who will have the most attendants. The answer is obvious isn't it - and thats whats wrong with punk.

Fungalpunk/OMD - unimpressed by names and reputations and removing the punk safety net