what the fuck is a crusty these days?

[Primitive]

I hate to death this term has been thrown around so much and now pretty much takes on the meaning of practically anyone whos a dirty kid with a dog who dont consider themselves a hippy or a dead head. there was a time that crusty meant someone who listened to crust punk and was part of that scene and/or culture. Imagine people calling themselves metalheads who dont listen to metal, or a deadhead who cant name one greatfull dead song. I mean seriously... crust punk started as anarcho-squatter punks who were into metal. But couldnt identify with the meaningless fantasy lyrics about satan. So they played their own style of thrash metal, fusing it with anarcho-punk and building a culture of resistance with it basing it strictly in radical anarchist politics and outlook, and taking the diy ethic even further. squatting has certainly always been a part of crust culture since it started in the mid-80's with antisect and amebix. But the whole point of it seems to be lost, which was radical politics and crust punk/dbeat/grind/anarcho-punk etc. I dont mean to sound like some scene nazi, but for fuck sakes if youre gonna call yourself a crusty, at least be into the music and what its about. The original point was to radicalize something that was taking youth by storm in the 80's and 90's which was metal. And creating a specified culture of resistance with it. I also must note gg allin and everything he stands for goes against everything that is anarchist. one thing no one should ever do is where a gg allin patch and call themselves a crusty or anarchist. Which ive seen way too much of. Advocating rape, child abuse, sexism, and racism is a no go obviously as far as thats concerned so fuck gg allin and his name shouldnt even me mentioned in the same sentance. Neither is it "cool" and "crust" to do heroin. Anarchism and crust go hand in hand, obviously anarchists are about bieng smart and tactical, something that kills of people like flies should be fought against not embraced. If you wanna commit suicide at least make a political statement out of it. Haha. But the point is how can you be a crusty if you arent even into crust, its kinda the whole point right?

 

[Mankini]

I don't know enough about the scene or the music to say. But it seems like you're focusing on intellectual appreciation of political standards. Whereas maybe there's a sizable contingent who care nothing for politics or ideals and are just into a scene to 'party'...Which mindset I think is common amongst any group of young people. So I guess you have to look for the contingent that reads more and drinks and drugs less. I'm a nihilist but i'm also in my 30s and my musical tastes are old-school punk (Patti Smith, etc.), Chopin, Bach, Goa trance...Perhaps what one could do is share certain thinkers with people who might appreciate them...The Wretched of the Earth is palatable for a lot of people...And Steal This Book...

 

[Primitive]

The whole point is to mix the two really, which ive seen done extremly well. And thats how it once was. Nazi boneheads do the same thing, with mixing music scenes and politics into one atmosphere. Bad example maybe... but maybe not if you think about. Say i call myself a nazi skinhead and listen to all the wp bands but say "well im not into the philosophy" like wtf? Theres few scenes that are created to be strictly based on the mix of philosophy/politics whatever you wanna call it. But crust punk which goes hand in hand with anarcho-punk is certainly one. However the political aspect isnt even the biggest point, sure if you get into the music its up to you how you interpret the lyrics and how serious of an impact they have on your life or how much you identify with it. But the biggest point is at least be into crust punk if youre gonna call yourself a crusty. All politics aside. It just blows my mind how the term is now used to describe people who arent even remotely into the music even.

 

[Mankini]

LOL People who are into WP music but not the philosophy!! "Yeah man. Ummm I'm teaching yoga next Thursday. Cant make it to the rally." "But hey, you know the original Aryans were from India, right?"

 

[Primitive]

Bring your black girlfriend to the wp show... and reacting to their opposition with "dont push your politics on me pal, im just into the music"

 

[Mankini]

Everybody else brings strudel to the potluck: you bring latkes and organic hummus..

 

[Primitive]

And of course... rainbow colored condoms. Haha!

 

[Corinne]

i agree. labels are lame anyway. why fit yourself into a box when being original is so much more fun

 

[Mankini]

Skinhead:"Hey Fucker. Did you peruse that Mein Kampf first edition I lent you?"...."No...But David Hasselhoff' s the man! Am I right?!"

 

[Primitive]

I understand you're point. However what if our originalities about one another provide commonalities to unify and organize under our own labels? Ahhhh....

 

[Mankini]

People always want to revert to tribalism. Tribe calls out to the human soul for some reason.

 

[Primitive]

Oh yeah definitly. Its because humans are social creatures, numbers and unity are strength. Bonding together with unifying cultures/philosophys/traditions is certainly the strongest weapon of survival. Of course im an anarcho-primitivist myself and see a great need for this.

 

[Mankini]

There needs to be a state just for us. Yuppies are needed because they offer Panera Bread and Starbucks for us to Dumpsta....But they must be kept on a tight leash. Not in an Authoritarian way...But more like the Morlocks and the Eloi.

 

[Primitive]

I halfway want to reply with a serious post about how living segregated from this modern industrialized civilization wont last because their colonialist demands would eventually cause them to expand onto wherever that is and whipe it out. But i see what you did there was what you humans refer to as "comical social commentary". Lol

 

[Mankini]

No, no; Please respond w/ serious commentary. I prefer to live around the ultra-rich because the pickins are so good. Plus I've found that their enclaves offer security and well-paid labor because they don't have any proletariat to exploit. When one is squatting in their own backyards the Bourgeois have less awareness of you than a Great White does of the little remora that stick to his sides. Thus the effect of their territorial expansion is negated.

 

[Primitive]

Well the silicon valley is supposed to have one of the best economys in the world, but there are still ghettos here, still poverty, but still extreme high rent costs.

 

[Mankini]

Hell Yeah. That whole corridor is ripe for revolutionary conquest. I use Google Maps a lot to scope out new green swaths to camp in and look for work. I thought, try to live in Pacifica or Half Moon Bay and commute into Palo Alto or Menlo P. for work. I grew up in Salinas and spent much time squattin in Marin so I know that area well. <3

 

[Durp]

Go to a place called Petersburg in upstate NY. That place has been pretty anarchist since way back with the individualist anarchists. No sheriff or law around because they cut the budget for the town and eliminated in. Cool people there may be some cool punk houses but idk if you would have to be vetted or if they are open. They are now in their 30s a lot of them and no longer have a tolerance for bull shit. There are loads of fests around the region, I'm sure you would meet some cool folks. I sort of miss NY, but then I don't haha.

 

[mymotherisafish]

Agreed! Maybe I shouldnt care about this, but it always annoys the hell out of me when I run into kids who refer to themselves as "crusty" but look at me with blank stares when I mention even the most basic or well known crust punk bands. I really shouldnt give a shit what other people think of themselves as, but in this case it bothers me. Crust punk is SERIOUS BUSINESS YO

 

[Andrea Van Scoyoc]

Love this post.

I abhor labels. The concept of needing to fit in has always escaped me.

I've never wanted to conform, let alone, fit in.

And I never have, I'm happy to say.

If you ask me what I am, I'll tell you that I'm a "Bohemian."

Ask me what a "Bohemian" is and I'll tell you, a free thinker (a true free thinker, not the so-called 'free thinker' with herd mentality) a non conformist, someone who flauts the norm and has the courage to do things their own way.

My mode of thinking has never made me popular, but I'm sure you can guess my thoughts on that.