Punk, are you there?
"Punk is dead", a statement that I have heard my whole life, but I always wondered why; was it true? Punk music new and old was always around, so I began to question, was this a generation thing, was it a scene that faded in time?
I guess it would all come down to how you define it, punk and death; was it a sound, or something deeper...
For if it is dead, then it is survived by the genres that came forth from it's power and vibrations that echo out into new generations. The way I see it, Punk was an expression of change and a evolution of misfits (which I would simply call individuals).
Look at the scene now and all the genres in the Punk family, from Emo to Hardcore, the spectrum is so broad it can make Punk look like a dirty whore, however, it just shows the influence Punk had on future generations.
Punk will continue to inspire as new musical gems like "Death", a 70's punk band from Detroit, was recently rediscovered; I expect a new storm of inspiration due to this relic of the past being brought to the front, thanks to the independent documentary and other formats that have allowed new stars be born.
On a whole different level, Punk's influence was more than just a scene; it spoke of individuality, about sticking out of the crowd; which can be seen by the Libertarian philosophy, as well as the resurgence of the believe in Anarchy (though this generation of Anarchy is less brutal, as it is a believe in order coming from chaos).
Bands, that still carry with them the genre of punk are still going strong, as they continue to evolve and grow...as Punk is not dead, Punk has simply grown, from a child of freedom to an adult of individuality.
The argument may continue on, however, for this writer; Punk has become a staple in society, it is no longer an outcast, but a pillar.