Straight edge

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Straight edge refers to a lifestyle and scene that started within the hardcore punk subculture whose adherents abstain from alcohol, smoking, and other recreational drug use. There is considerable debate over what constitutes a straight edge lifestyle, and some adherents may also abstain from caffeine, psychiatric medication and promiscuity, or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. The term was coined by the 1980s hardcore band Minor Threat.

"X" symbol

The letter "X" is the most prevalent symbol of straight edge. Commonly it is worn as a marking or tattoo on the back of one or both hands, though it can be displayed on other body parts as well. Some followers of straight edge have also incorporated the symbol into clothing and pins. According to a series of interviews by journalist Michael Azerrad, the straight-edge "X" can be traced to the Teen Idles' brief U.S. West Coast tour in 1980.^[1] The Idles were scheduled to play at San Francisco's Mabuhay Gardens, but when the band arrived, club management discovered that the entire band was under the legal drinking age and therefore should be denied entry to the club. As a compromise, management marked each of the Idles' hands with a large black "X" as a warning to the club's staff not to serve alcohol to the band. Upon returning to Washington, D.C., the band suggested this same system to local clubs as a means to allow teenagers in to see musical performances without being served alcohol. While the practice was never widely adopted by D.C.-area music venues,^[1] the mark soon became associated with the straight edge lifestyle. Recently, however, after a slow pickup, more and more music venues have been employing this system. Sometimes the number "24" is used, as X is the 24th letter of the alphabet. A variation involving a trio of Xs ("xXx") originated in artwork created by Minor Threat's drummer, Jeff Nelson, in which he replaced the three stars in the band's hometown Washington, D.C. flag with Xs. The term is sometimes abbreviated by including an "X" with the first two letters of the words "straight edge": sXe.

History

Straightedge has gone through three different eras since its creation in 1980.^[2] Associated with punk-rock, the early years of the straightedge subculture are now called the Old School Era. However in the late nineteen eighties the straightedge subculture seemed to drift further and further away from the punk culture. The following era called Youth Crew, presented different types of elements that began to change the subculture. For example, vegetarianism became a major theme along with following the Krishna-consciousness faith (see ISKCON). Youth Crew also led to tension inside the subculture. After nearly a decade of the separation of straightedge-punk from the punk culture, the era called Straight Edge 2000 brought the cultures together without clash.

Old School

Straight edge ideas can be found in songs by the early-70s band The Modern Lovers, particularly their songs "I'm Straight" and "She Cracked". Hard rock icon Ted Nugent also inspired the early straight edge movement with his frequent declaration that he did not drink alcohol or smoke tobacco or marijuana.^[3] However, straight edge was most closely associated with punk rock, particularly the faster subgenre of hardcore punk that developed in the late 1970s and early '80s, which was partly characterized by shouted rather than sung vocals.^[4] Straightedgers of this early "Old School" era often associated with the original punk ideals such as individualism, disdain for work and school, and live-for-the-moment attitudes.^[2] Though straight edge started on the US east coast in Washington D.C. and New York, it quickly spread through the entire nation and Canada.^[5] By the '80s, bands on the west coast, such as Uniform Choice, were gaining national acclaim. In the early stages of this subculture’s history, musical gigs often consisted of non-straightedge punk bands along with straightedge bands. However, circumstances soon changed and the Old School Era would eventually be viewed as the time “before the two scenes separated”.^[4] Old School straightedge bands included: Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, SSD, Uniform Choice, and Cause for Alarm

Youth Crew

Although the subculture and music of the straight edge movement are dependent on each other, at certain points, the musical influence seems to have been stronger than at other times. During the Youth Crew Era, the influence of music seemed to be at an all-time high. Furthermore, the new branches of straightedge that came about during this era all seemed to come from ideas presented in songs. The Youth Crew Era emphasized the idea that cultures are influenced by media; music is the dominant media source for tenets of the straightedge subculture. Starting in the mid- 1980s, the name of New York straightedge band Youth of Today became associated with the straight edge movement. In their song “Youth Crew” they expressed their views on uniting the scene into a movement.^[6] The most identifiable theme that arose during the Youth Crew Era was straightedge association with vegetarianism. In 1988 straight edge band Youth of Today released their song “No More” that would initiate this new theme within the subculture. Lead singer Ray Cappo displayed his vegan views in the lyrics: “Meat-eating, flesh-eating, think about it/ so callous this crime we commit”.^[7] By the end of the 1980s, bands all over the United States and Canada sang about animal cruelty. During the late 1980s, not all people that claimed to be straightedge identified with animal rights issues, though as the 1990s came on the horizon, bands such as Earth Crisis (with their frontman Karl Buechner) had continued this trend. By the early 1990s, militant straightedge was a well-known presence in the straightedge music scene. The term militant described someone who was dedicated and outspoken, but also believed to be narrow-minded, judgmental, and potentially violent.^[8] The Militant straightedger was characterized by the following: less tolerant of non-straightedge people, more outward pride in being straight edge, more outspoken, and believed that violence was a necessary method to promote clean living.^[8] Youth Crew Era bands include: Gorilla Biscuits, Judge, Bold, Youth of Today

Mid-Nineties

In the early/mid Nineteen-Nineties, a number of bands began popping up with a much stronger metallic influence, further uniting the causes of Social Justice, Animal Liberation, Veganism, and straight-edge. Bands from this era include Vegan Reich, Raid, Culture, Earth Crisis (whom it should be noted were not a Hardline band), Snapcase, Strife, and Integrity (Integrity were not a straight edge band). A number of bands began further combining the above ideologies into a formal organization, borrowing as much from Abrahamic Religions, Anarchism, and Deep Ecology as Punk Rock. The organization that was formed as a result was known as Hardline. Following the dissolution of a formal hardline organization and the end of the 90s, Straight Edge underwent a new era.

Straight Edge 2000 Era

As the mid-90s came and went, some of the more controversial aspects that surrounded straightedge started to disappear. The Straight Edge 2000 Era once again reunited the punk-rock culture. Similar to the Old School Era, straightedge and non-straightedge bands played concerts together regularly. Since the straightedge movement had existed for around twenty years, many members disliked the Youth Crew Era style of music and principles.^[9] Others did not care about Minor Threat or any of the pioneers of the movement. ^[9]

Violence

A subset of straight edge followers had a more militant mentality and were involved in physical assaults in the United States during the 1980s and up to the mid 1990s. Police in some communities—such as Salt Lake City and Reno—have classified straight edge as a gang due to violence associated with militant straight edge groups in these cities. ^[10][11]

References

Further reading

• Sam McPheeters, Dave Stein, Jason O'Toole, Brian Baker, THE STRAIGHT EDGE MOVEMENT (Buzz 1987)
• http://www.cjsonline.ca/reviews/youthsubcultures.html Review of recent book on straight-edge subculture
• Official Straight Edge MySpace Group http://groups.myspace.com/xthisthingofoursx