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Punk Rock.

"The King is gone but he's not forgotten, this is the story of Johnny Rotten. It's better to burn out, rust never sleeps....." This was Neil Young's tribute to Johnny Rotten of Sex Pistols Punk rock fame. Having just been to a Neil Young Concert in Melbourne, Australia, I would totally disagree with the advertising statement on the internet regarding his fame. "The Godfather of Grunge" From writing the beautifully touching 'Helpless" in 1974 Neil progressed away from Crosby ,Stills and Nash to create his own genre of music. At his Melbourne concert there were many influences to show that he has created his style. His heavy guitar chording and backing made for a real rock and roll show with what some might say were grunge and but not punk influences and if they were they were classy not vulgar, as Sex Pistols music and presentation seemed to me to be . It was as if the British side of the new wave of punk had to sell itself through appealing to a certain image of cashing in on the vulgar. Why I even heard they urinated on stage. No, in my book Neil started it all with his heavy chords played fast it was later just labeled fashionably as punk. Let's face it Britain was looking for something to replace good old rock and roll as performed by the Stones, Joe Cocker and Pink Floyd. Ironical isn't it that all these bands, including Neil, have come back in the last few years to sell out concerts where young kids and adults have loved the original founders of rock music.

I guess without too much judgment from me, whatever music turns you on to enjoy be it your choice if it helps you lead a better life. Having said that I have to wonder at what Punk was trying to achieve, for out of it came people looking kinda weird instead of being themselves. You would look at the dark looks, mohawk haircuts and feel embarrassed that these whities were making a poor job of what they have had in Papua-New Guinea and Red Indian America for centuries. Punk rock was a new way of expressing yourself if you did not know who you were already. It was a kinda superficial rebellious wave of music that did not last.

Neil Young is a modest man with high ideals and writes songs of freedom and things of value in the world. If the link to grunge or punk rock has come about due to his unique style of guitar playing which is sometimes fast and heavy with great output then let it rest there, for Neil Young's contribution to music goes way beyond a passing fad . He is no punk himself, just a

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