Yes, we called it “Nerdy White Boy” punk, but really it was what I think the pop punk of the 90s and early 2000s evolved from.
Catchy, rebellious, angsty and sarcastic, the nerdy punk vibe gave us “uncool kids” a reason to claim our own semblance of badassery…and it was glorious. Yes, you CAN play D&D and still slam dance with the best of them.
Here’s a few of my personal nerdy, punk, new wave or alternative faves to refresh your memory:
“Punk Rock Girl” by the Dead Milkmen
The band who gave us a reason to rebel from the broody new wave with songs like “You’ll Dance To Anything” and its classic rant “You’ll dance to anything from a bunch of stupid Europeans who come over here with their big hairdos intent on taking our money when you should be giving your cash where it belongs. To a decent American artist like myself.” Preach!
But they also gave us this great shout-along gem:
“American Music” by Violent Femmes
On the flip side, the Violent Femmes poked some jabs at the those “close minded” squares along with other things. Yet, it was so much fun to listen to.
“Killer Klowns From Outer Space” by The Dickies
The theme from the movie of the same name that was so cheesy and geeky is is now massively popular cult classic with the newer generations. And this theme is just perfectly on target for the punk rock pie in the face.
“I Wanna Be A Flintstone” by Screaming Blue Messiahs
I don’t think I have to explain why a danceable song with “Yabba Dadda Do Time” in the lyrics is one of the coolest songs for the geeky punk set:
“Uncontrollable Urge” by Devo
Yes, Devo could more be classified as new wave than punk, but they they run in the same circles. And you gotta give this art experiment with music sense some credit. They blew away the crowd at Coachella this year, and still maintain a steady live performance schedule. Because, Gen X never got over that “Uncontrollable Urge” to perform and celebrate their own weirdness.
Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!
Punks. Artsy Recluses. Geeky White Dudes. Whatever they are or whether you even want to classify them, these as punk, post-punk, alt, new wave or anything else, there was just something wonderfully fun and rebellious about the “Nerd Rock” of the 80s.