PUNK UPRISING WITH THE INMATES, THE DECREPITS & THE INDEPENDENTS
by Stoney-05/25/03!
In todays craze of teenbopper "punk" bands it's becoming increasing hard for true believers of real punk to even use the word for fear of being misquoted as if referring to bands like Good Charlotte and Blink 182. Todays fashion of salon spiked hair and designer threads can be found at such none-punk places like the mall making it possible for just about every 16-year-old with their dad's credit card to cultimvate a faux punk like image. What ever happened to the days when all a punk needed was a bike chain and the lock off the old school locker the make that punk statement? Well they still exist, and it's exactly where punk prefers to live. Underground with punk get togethers and small dingy establishments. While middle to lower upper class kids travel from civic center to civic center to perform watered down tunes about the girls they love that don't even know know they exist, true punk bands are crisscrissing the country in old vans that smoke preaching the gospel of Joey Ramone and Sid Vicious. On this night the faithful came out to celebrate punk the way it was meant to be-loud, mean, snotty, discusting and mostly unapologetic.
Within this younger generation stands THE INMATES, a rough around the edges band of young rogues ready and willing to throw up a finger to all things false punk in the name of Johnny Rotten himself. While other lokal punk wannabes are busy whining about not being able to understand some 14 year old girl, THE INMATES have kicked the bitch to the curb and are cussing out the government. They may not be the best or tightest act on the block, but at least their birdies are pointed in the right direction and with time may grow into a strong gang of social antagonizors.
Following THE INMATES onto the Hangnail stage were favorites THE DECREPITS, Augusta's older than God tried and true beer stained punks. These tattooed Johnny Cash with a mohawk outlaws are punk to the core, with a splash of rock-a-billy thrown in to piss off the naysayers. These guys are your "hardcore travel by shitty van" punksters upon which all real punk is replicated. If you don't believe me, go to one of their shows and get up front. You'll either get soaked or smacked, maybe even both if you're up there when the band covers "Folsom Prison Blues" by Mr. Cash himself!
Up next were Carolina bad asses THE INDEPENDENTS. Looking one part metal, sounding one part punk and flirting one part ska, these tall mostly long haired scary fuckers have dragged their spooky hypnotic music from one corner of the U.S. to the other and most places in between. They have worked with members of the Ramones, Misfits and more yet still drag their half dead carcasses into any one horse town that'll have 'em! What an awesome performance! Even their covers, Elvis' "Suspicious Minds", the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" and a ska flavored "Mother" by Danzig, were so attitude filled that you couldn't help but to raise a fist in the air and high step into the pit!
Being a fan of real punk for many a years, I wasn't really sure how I would react to this show. Now I can say that this was one of the best shows I have seen so far this year. The energy, the kids and the loud ass punk bands made for one true night of pure punk mayhem! 
Now if your a true believer in the punk faith, be rest assured that real punk has not been totally lost on the youth amidst the current trend of punk wannabes and teens trying to fit into todays hip social culture. There are those among the young that realize that punk was and is a belief against all things commercial, not a fashion statement.