THE PUNK ROCK EDITORIAL
This should get you panties in a bunch. Sid Vicious vs. Elton John
A New Punk Role Model
or
Elton Vicious
Many people consider Sid Vicious to be the archetypical role model of a punk
rocker. However, Sid gets a lot of heat for the mystery surrounding Nancy
Spungen's murder. With punk rock waning in popularity right now, I think
it's high time we recognize a new punk rock role model, Sir Elton John.
While that statement will probably raise a few pierced eyebrows, I
do have concrete reasoning to back it up.
Most things about Elton don't coincide with traditional beliefs
concerning punk rock, like his musical style, choice of instrument, past
commercial endeavors and the whole knighthood thing.
However, the numerous examples of his credibility say he isn't only
a punk but a punk icon. Elton has always said that he enjoys a wide variety
of musical genres and influences, much like Joe Strummer appreciated and
experimented in reggae and early hip-hop with the Clash.
He doesn't sound punk, but a clear musical lineage is present. The
Ramones began their career, and punk rock, by trying to reproduce the
bubblegum classics they loved growing up, thus giving birth to the pop-punk
subgenre carried on today by the likes of Blink 182 and Green Day.
Pop-punk's catchy melodies and harmonies are greatly influenced, and often
even become, pure pop songs like those by Sir Elton John.
His music has even been recognized and covered by some legends of
punk rock Former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson covered Elton John's
"Crocodile Rock" on the "When Squirrels Play Chicken" EP from his band
Perfect. This was before Tommy joined Guns 'N' Roses so his punk cred was
still intact.
Punk cover band Me First and The Gimme Gimmes covered Elton John's
"Rocket Man," as well as numerous other pop standards of the past 50 years.
The Gimmes should know of what they play as their lineup boasts NOFX's Fat
Mike on bass and Lagwagon's singer and drummer.
As for the piano, there are no rules saying that you have to play
certain instruments to be considered punk. The Living End and Stray Cats
used stand-up basses and still get punk rock props. String sections have
even shown up on albums by bands the majority of people would call punk
rock.
Of course, he did dance with Paula Abdul in a television commercial
for Diet Coke, but it was the 80's and Elton was on a different kind of coke
so I think we should give him that one.
Another major blemish from his past is his involvement with the
movie The Lion King. Working with the evil corporate monster with the mouse
ears is hard to explain away. But his involvement was limited to writing
music for the movie and that music is a perfect precursor to punk rock.
"Hakuna Matata" is basically a ska song, just speed that puppy up and the
Voodoo Glows Skulls would be all over it.
While people like Moby, who is always screaming he's punk even
though he licensed all his songs to vacuum cleaner commercials, railed
against Eminem for his "offensive" lyrics, Elton supported and defended him
in interviews. Elton recognized Mr. Inem's creativity, talent and right to
say whatever he wants.
Saying whatever you want is something that Elton is very familiar
with and it's just that don't-give-a-fuck attitude that is his closest tie
to punk rock. He came out long before it was cool or even socially
acceptable. For his 50th birthday Elton dressed up in full queen mode
because that's what he wanted to do.
While the fact he's been knighted could blow all his cred, I think
it really just depends on how you look at it. Elton has always said and done
whatever the fuck he wanted which is one of the things that make him cool.
And one of the punk ethos main credos is acceptance of people for who they
are so punks should know better than to look down on Elton John because he's
been knighted. Besides, it's really cool.
In recent interviews he's said that he always wanted to be in a band
and smash a guitar over someone's head. You don't get much more punk rock
than that.
Rumors abound that his next album will be recorded with a full band
and that he's going to work with Krist Novoselic and Kim Thayil. There's a
boatload of cred for any nonbelievers.
The fact that Sir Elton is British also helps his case because punk
rock, on the whole, has always had a vague Britishness to it. The Ramones
realized it and Joey always sang with a British accent. The British accent
is as much a part of the quintessential punk image as the mohawk and the
abounding love of the use of safety pins in a variety of creative ways.
For many people punk isn't just a musical genre, but an attitude and
a way of life. Elton John's music may not always fit in with punk but his
attitude and demeanor do. Elton acts the way he wants to and makes you
accept him for who he is. At the same time he is very accepting and
nonjudgmental of others. Basically he's the living embodiment of the punk
rock attitude.