Why does hardcore get bad representation? (Go Progressive!)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I just bought the self titled album from “System Of A Down.” And it’s amazing, they have a beautiful way of making music. They have beautiful tones, amazing vocals, and it’s not that screaming kill-everything-with-satan type hardcore.

Let’s make this clear first: I love all types of music, favorite bands are Tool, Pavement, Hum, and many more. I don’t like country, and that’s it. Anything else you can get me to listen to. I say this because I don’t want people thinking I’m just a hardcore freak, and that’s all I listen to.

Anyway, I’m listening to the final track on the System Of A Down cd (“P.L.U.C.K.”), and wondering just why it is that hardcore is prejudiced as only for sociopathic weirdos who like to kill, and shit like that? I’m the second cleanest person I know (in terms of living), I do no drugs, drink no alcohol (rare in a seventeen year old), and stay faithful to my girlfriend (when I have one). I shower regularly, I clean up after myself, and I don’t live in filth. Some of the most recent albums I’ve bought are Tool’s box set, system of a down, primus, Deftones, etc. I’m looking to buy some other progressive hardcore, but a lot of it is the yelling and screamind stuff, which just gets to repetitive (unless it’s GWAR, who’re just too fun). I also want to get Fretblanket’s album (not hardcore, regular rock stuff), the old radiohead stuff, Aquabats, and normal stuff. So I may not be the regular hardcore guy.

But what brought people to this conclusion? Was it these school shootings, where they get back to the kids house, find a poster of a hardcore band, and blame the band (like the poster was a picture of who told them to do it. Yeah, right.) How do people reach this conclusion, when bands (like Tool) are producing musical masterpieces (I’m serious, you’ve got to hear Pushit). Why? WHY?!?!?

Anyway, thanx for listening to my rant, it’s much appreciated. I just was a little mad, it’s outta my system (of a down) now.
Couldn’t resist the bad pun! (Punched in throat by nearest bystander)

2

Personally, IMO, I think hardcore has it’s reputation because first of all, it can hardly be called music. As you yourself say, most of it is yelling and screaming, with very little what I would call musical talent backing it up. It’s what I consider to be modern day punk rock. I listen to some old punk, and love a few punk songs, but with few exceptions, punk sucks too. It is “music” that is meant to be so different that it makes a statement, which attracts people who want to be different not because they are an individual, but because they like the idea that it bothers people. You say you are clean cut, etc… well, look at the bulk of who listens to hardcore. A lot of them aren’t, and even the ones who are, want to project the opposite image. It’s about an image, rather than just music. So when the masses take on the image of a music style, it reflects even deeper on the music itself. Let’s face it… how many greasy haired kids in ripped up t-shirts do you see cruising neighborhoods pounding out Mozart at 500 watts?

3

Dude, I hear ya.

I work in a bank. The head office, even. We’re talking classic business suit, monday through thurday (Yes, we’ve Americanized. Casual Friday). When discussing bands with colleagues, they usually shake their heads in disbelief, or stare at me with that hollow look in their eyes.

While I wouldn’t consider my entire music taste “hardcore” (frankly, I’m not that keen on genre descriptions to begin with - it’s so hard to categorise a lot of bands), but I did by Tool - Ænema this afternoon (had it, but lost it a few months ago - and YES, I fired up the character pad to look up that AE-thingie).

I don’t live in filth either, drink moderately (hell, I’m a MODERATOR, right?), rarely smoke (officially, I quit), and find one woman to be quite a handful. I dunno. In the sixties, the “conservatives” of this world where smashing Beatles records. Right now, “hardcore” may be the target.

4

The thing is, most of the people I know who listen to it are straight shooters (with a few scratches on their records), and aren’t the stereotypical hardcore fan. Anyways, it is true that there is a lot of image involved in the music. My cousin is in a hardcore band called RECOGNIZER (Quick! Go to http://www.Recognizernation.com !!!) and their tag line is “we’re nice people, but we’re not a nice band.” And it’s true. ("‘Rape of Faith?’ Who names a song ‘Rape of Faith?’")

Image is a large part of the genre, but the fan image is distorted. I am also a punk fan (except I hate the goddam sex pistols!) and there’s a lot of image there. There is a lot of image in any music scene. Some people use it to identify themselves, and that’s what happens with our stereotypical hardcore fan.