The key to self liberation

is abstinence from the destructive escapism of intoxication.



So today I thought I might, in avoidance of other work I should be doing, post a blog on the straight edge culture.

Straight Edge - Minor Threat

I'm a person just like you
but I've got better things to do
Than sit around 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 just something I don't need

I've got the straight edge.

Straight edge is a movement and philosophy that abstains from alcohol and drug primarily and started in California in the 1980s, I believe, with a band called Minor Threat from the hardcore/punk scene. At this time it was a normal practice for shows to be all ages and kids who were under 18 (or 21 depending on the area) had Xs put on their hands so that the bar staff knew not to sell them alcohol. Eventually a movement started where people voluntarily claimed the X and started a counterculture to the drinking and drugs scenes.

Today straight edge varies in extremity and the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle often coincides with being edge, some people believe in abstinence from promiscurity as part of the culture as well. And just some trivia, the 'emo' thing tried to rip off the edge scene as well as the LBGT community through their xXx usage and so called bisexuality (I wonder what they're like now that the 'movement' is dead?)

Last year I really got in to the music that all of this comes from and continues to thrive on. Minor Threat, Teen Idles, Ceremony, Sick Of It All, Earth Crisis, Propaghandi, Bleeders and Antagonist.

Until 2008 I didn't think the edge scene existed in New Zealand, until I saw the Bleeders play with False Start and These Four Walls somewhere in Glenfield. Angelo from the Bleeders changed my perception of the hardcore scene in New Zealand.


That night I had been wearing my X's on my hands, as I usually did back then and I'm quite sure he noticed them. I sure as hell noticed his tattooed on the back of his hands. I suppose realising the culture existed in New Zealand gave me a reason to believe I wasn't the only one trying to abstain from a culture that holds this country's social scene together.

Antagonist are probably the biggest NZ band today that are completely xveganx (straight edge vegan) band that dominate the hardcore scene today and after picking up one of their EPs Distance a few days ago I can't say I'm more proud that they are.


There's something about hardcore music that I really feel, there's hardly any bullshit in the scene just raw, hard breakdowns and when the lyrics are expressing issues that I really feel, it just makes listening all the more worthwhile.

Let's start a firestorm, to purify.