ode to anarchy

So folk punk probably ranks somewhere in the top 10 on My Favorite Things In This World List, and I was going to do one giant post about it because that's how EXCITED it makes me, but lucky for you, I'm not going to do a monster post because 1) I'm not that ambitious and 2) even when I get excited it's usually not enough to turn me into someone who is ambitious. So I will present to you my favorite hybrid genre in small doses, starting with Mischief Brew.

But first I guess I should say something about folk punk, although it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like: an offshoot of punk rock that combines the punk ethos and attitude with a folk sound, which means that lots of folk punk bands include banjos and mandolins and other Southern-porch-y instruments, as well as influences from gypsy music, ceili Irish folk, etc. It's also strongly tied to crust punk (the ones who wear bum flaps and go dumpster diving) and anarcho-punk. Folk punkers, I think, are actually the punkest of all the punks, because the fashion element of its parent genre is almost completely nonexistent, mainly because most folk punkers are poor and/or vegan and/or anarchists and so throwing down $120 on a pair of Docs is probably not how they choose to spend their time and money.

The thing that sums up folk punk the best is their symbol, which looks like this:

It's an ANARCHY HEART! It symbolizes "Love is freedom," as opposed to the traditional anarchist Circle-A, which stands for "Anarchy is the mother of order" (as per Proudhon's manifesto, but that's another post for another day). How awesome is this symbol? If you don't respect the folk punkers now then you have no heart and can stop reading now.

Anyway, I promised I would keep the lecturing to a minimum so I'll shut up and leave you with Mischief Brew, aka Erik Petersen, aka the punkest of the folk punkers. Erik Petersen is probably one of the coolest human beings on the planet and his lyrics are hilarious and intelligent and exquisite in that Marxist power-to-the-lumpenproletariat kind of way. (That's a thing, right?) 

"Thanks, Bastards!"

The perfect anarcho-folk punk thesis statement. It also happens to be stuck in my head all the time. (Seriously. All. The. Time.) 

"Coffee, God, and Cigarettes"

Hilariously satirical. (Or is it ironic? I think that I will never understand the difference.)

"Bury Me in Analog"

I dare you not to like this song.

(the coolest dude in the world)