Heliotropic wrote:This is a depressing thread.

Go kill yourself

Boombats wrote:

Steve V. wrote:I actually was the guy a lot of my straight edge friends "sold out" with. I saw one have one beer and start to cry.

Jeses SteveV, I hope you've stopped hanging out with intolerable pussies.

Yeah, nothing like a single Pabst sobfest to send me home alone for a quiet pint.

Funny this thread would come up. Two nights ago I had a dream I'm watching the credits of Saturday Night Live and Ian MacKaye is in them. Not as a sketch actor; he was going to be on Weekend Update giving commentary, like A. Whitney Brown used to do. Then I was actually in a sketch, but all I remember doing is sitting on a couch next to Maya Rudolph. Next thing I'm at a douchebag party in this decrepit house; for some reason this was supposed to be the post-show wrap party. Some guy offers me a bong hit and I decline, as I don't smoke pot. Then the bong magically appears in my hand for some reason, and I'm like aw man, I don't want Ian seeing me with this. But when I see him he's acting like a total bro-dog, carrying a six-pack, high-fiving doudes and talking about getting "totally fuckin' trashed." And all I could think is wow, you sure have changed in your middle age. The Minor Threat lyric "what happened to you?/You're not the same" came to mind as well.

Ian MacKaye, if you are an EA lurker and reading this, I really, really apologize for my subconscious. And congratulations.

EDIT: WAIT THAT MEANS YOU HAD SEX YOU ARE TOTALLY NOT EDGE ANYMORE DOOD

Satin-Down wrote:Hmmm.

This one is interestin' to read as a gal who is a 33 years old & who has remained one livin' life 'on the edge', though only ever referred to it that way in a more cheeky manner. Like droppin' the Chain of Strength lyric 'TRUE TIL DEATH'. No one does that seriously. There were also no 'x's worn or sXe related ink in this gal's life or on this gal's body. But she has been livin' this life, well, her whole life...not just adopting it in the late 90s when man, was there a jump on the 'style'.

But, indeed at 33 there remains an absolute absence of alcohol, cigarrettes, drugs etc. in this gal's life. Never entered it. Never had the desire or curiousity for it. Perhaps those Minor Threat lyrics just beyond hit home upon hearin' them on WBNY. But only because she could relate. Not indoctinate. Even through growin' up with her pals experimenting with almost everything that they could get their hands on, trusting that their gal pal would make sure that they got home alright and if anything did go wrong that this gal would be there to make sure they got what they needed.

And yes, she has also been vegetarian for 24 years and a vegan for 14. Though every person in her life is a meat eatin', liquor lovin' fella....and many still smoke and 'relax' in their own ways. And yes, most of the dudes in her life never seem to get tired of chiding her and constantly offerin' her drinks or steak or whatevah, particularly after they have enjoyed a few. But they appreciate a gal pal who can always drive their asses to and from shows all over southern ontario, Detroit and Chicago and hold onto their drinks while they go do whatevah they need to do without any concern of havin' it not be there upon their return. And be able to remember everything that they do...just in case. And all without judgement, though cheekiness and sarcasm are ever present as arsenal to wield when they have been complete dumbasses.

This gal does what she does for her, and has always taken the approach that anyone else should be able to do what they want and need for themselves. One can't expect tolerance and respect without puttin' that out there. Perhaps that is the difference. Militants always were irking and often idiotic; their intolerance polarizing and devisive. Hypocrisy rampant.

Those few around her who had considered themselves 'straight edge' back in the 90's have indeed all gone towards eatin' meat, or drinking and smoking. Though not in a ragin' way as detailed in some of the previous posts. Perhaps we are more moderate up here on Mars.

But she will remain...TRU TIL DEATH ...that's just her

FYP

The drinking people of planet earth rest their case, your honor. Your witness!

vockins wrote:

madmanmunt wrote:Straight edge is a totally American thing isn't it?

I think some Belgians got pretty wacky with it. Some guy from Belgium threw down $200 a piece for two Gorilla Biscuits and Judge records I had.

When I first started going to punk shows I had little idea what was what, and often bought random 7-inches on a lark to see if they were any good. Virtually none of them were, as I found out when I picked up a pile of Belgian straight edge 45s and was immediately confused. Why are these Belgians hollering in English? Why are they singing didactically about the things they aren't doing? Why did I buy this?

I can only remember one of the songs, by some band called Nations on Fire, which featured the lyric "There's a female element/Here in the Belgian scene/Discrimination/Is a thing that we don't need". Jesus.

*dear god, paging o_d_m to thread*

you guys wanna hear something weird?

Marsupialized wrote:I didn't do drink or drugs till I turned 21. Not as part of any kind of movement, I just wanted to see if I could do it and I thought I'd appreciate them more if I waited till I had a little more life experience under my belt. I always planned on getting into them for a few years at least.
I did. I'm glad I waited, they would have been wasted on the high school me and I would have fucked up some of the decent things I had going on at that point for sure.

same deal.

oh, and all the edgers i knew? fucking douchebags. save one, though he didn't align his own tastes with any movement. just didn't drink or smoke. weird dude, that guy. great guitarist.

DNA Concept wrote:I can only remember one of the songs, by some [Belgian] band called Nations on Fire, which featured the lyric "There's a female element/Here in the Belgian scene/Discrimination/Is a thing that we don't need". Jesus.

I think there were a number of Northern European straight edge bands.

In fact, I'm looking at a 10" by a band from the netherlands called manliftingbanner. No spaces in there. Perhaps it's MANLIFTINGBANNER. The 10" is called TEN INCHES THAT SHOOK THE WORLD. They were a communist straight edge band. I don't know why I'm providing those details because obviously everyone reading this has been shaken by this point, fifteen years after this record was released.

Nations on Fire. MANLIFTINGBANNER. Jesus Christ, lighten the fuck up.

I'm gonna ebay it and set the reserve at $100 - see what happens.

All of the former straight-edgers I know currently drink and fuck alot but most still don't eat meat. They, for the most part, sheepishly refer to the experience as an adolescent "wanting to be part of a scene" thing.

I was a pseudo straight-edge myself for a few years, but that's only because I decided to not drink and couldn't get laid at a whorehouse convention.

vockins wrote:I'm gonna ebay it and set the reserve at $100 - see what happens.

It's not going to score the reserve, then someone will offer to meet and share a sixteenth of blow/baby lax and a few hits of X in trade.

When I was into substances, the former edgers and/or fallen holy roller types always had the WORST drugs. I know they just lost their path or had their reason for life wash away, but wise up and stop buying garbage.

I indulged enough over my life to wind up in front of judges, counselors, and therapists at various times, but the decision to call an end has more to with personal choices than laws, movements, or political statements.