While large sections of the punk scene are full of apathetic, nihilistic young people who make stupid decisions and do drugs, there is a portion of the scene that aims to prove you don’t have to be reckless to be punk. Part of the hardcore punk scene formed a movement that wants to end the self-destructive, dangerous lifestyle that is stereotypically part of being a punk rocker. These people call themselves straight edge and set strict guidelines for how they live their lives. Although the guidelines have changed over the years, becoming more strict for some and less for others, the original rules to be straight edge were to abstain from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and casual sex.
The book "Sober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, and Radical Politics" by Gabriel Kuhn is about the punk movement of straight edge. The straight edge movement hit the scene when the hardcore punk band Minor Threat wrote a song called, you guessed it, “Straight Edge”. The song was officially released in 1981, on the album "Salad Days." It’s about being against drugs and alcohol. Once it gained popularity, it became the name for and theme song of the movement it kickstarted. The song contains lyrics such as:
“I'm a person just like you,
But I've got better things to do,
Than sit around and fuck my head,
Hang out with the living dead.
Snort white shit up my nose,
Pass out at the shows
I don't even think about speed
That's something I just don't need”
and
“I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and smoke dope
'Cause I know I can cope
Laugh at the thought of eating ludes
Laugh at the thought of sniffing glue
Always gonna keep in touch
Never want to use a crutch”
As straight edge became more popular the movement spread to other genres throughout the underground and alternative music world. There are all sorts of bands that consider themselves straight edge today. This has even lead to people saying the straight edge movement has sold out and that some bands today just use it as a way of marketing. A way to be more socially acceptable and make the parents of teenagers like the image of the band more.
No noble cause is without its detractors. This is a lesson that Minor Threat frontman Ian Mackaye learned first hand. After Minor Threat released the “Straight Edge” song and the movement came to life around it, there were a lot of people who were upset with what they saw as a group of elite snobs who wanted to tell them how to live. People denounced Minor Threat, people would come to shows solely to start fights with edgers. Some punks even started calling themselves “Bent Edge” or “Curved Edge” as a way to counter the straight edge movement. When asked about it mackaye said, "The anti-movement started before the movement began. People were rebelling against straight edge before there was even a movement to rebel against.”
The book "Sober Living for the Revolution: Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, and Radical Politics" by Gabriel Kuhn is about the punk movement of straight edge. The straight edge movement hit the scene when the hardcore punk band Minor Threat wrote a song called, you guessed it, “Straight Edge”. The song was officially released in 1981, on the album "Salad Days." It’s about being against drugs and alcohol. Once it gained popularity, it became the name for and theme song of the movement it kickstarted. The song contains lyrics such as:
“I'm a person just like you,
But I've got better things to do,
Than sit around and fuck my head,
Hang out with the living dead.
Snort white shit up my nose,
Pass out at the shows
I don't even think about speed
That's something I just don't need”
and
“I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and smoke dope
'Cause I know I can cope
Laugh at the thought of eating ludes
Laugh at the thought of sniffing glue
Always gonna keep in touch
Never want to use a crutch”
As straight edge became more popular the movement spread to other genres throughout the underground and alternative music world. There are all sorts of bands that consider themselves straight edge today. This has even lead to people saying the straight edge movement has sold out and that some bands today just use it as a way of marketing. A way to be more socially acceptable and make the parents of teenagers like the image of the band more.
No noble cause is without its detractors. This is a lesson that Minor Threat frontman Ian Mackaye learned first hand. After Minor Threat released the “Straight Edge” song and the movement came to life around it, there were a lot of people who were upset with what they saw as a group of elite snobs who wanted to tell them how to live. People denounced Minor Threat, people would come to shows solely to start fights with edgers. Some punks even started calling themselves “Bent Edge” or “Curved Edge” as a way to counter the straight edge movement. When asked about it mackaye said, "The anti-movement started before the movement began. People were rebelling against straight edge before there was even a movement to rebel against.”