‘It gave me a superpower - question everything’: as punk turns 50, bands from China to Greenland explain how it fires up their lives
As punk music reaches its 50th anniversary, musicians from diverse global locations like Ukraine and Morocco discuss how the genre serves as a tool for political resistance and personal expression. The article highlights how punk continues to empower disaffected youth to question authority.
Why it matters
Demonstrates the enduring cultural and political influence of punk rock as a global medium for social commentary and individual agency.
(Clockwise from top left) Beton, Twenty One Children, Taqbir and Depustūtes. Composite: Jess Clark/The Guardian; Getty Images; Katrīna Līva Dalbiņa; Alejandra Núñez; Assante Chiweshe; Ruslan Bulgakov; Valeriia Nekhvodiuk; Yulia Sachul (Clockwise from top left) Beton, Twenty One Children, Taqbir and Depustūtes. Composite: Jess Clark/The Guardian; Getty Images; Katrīna Līva Dalbiņa; Alejandra Núñez; Assante Chiweshe; Ruslan Bulgakov; Valeriia Nekhvodiuk; Yulia Sachul Punk ‘It gave me a superpower – question everything’: as punk turns 50, bands from China to Greenland explain how it fires up their lives Whether on the frontline in Ukraine or skate parks in Soweto, the genre is still a vital outlet for disaffected people everywhere. Here, musicians explain how they rage against the machine
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