SET THE TONE SERIES – THE STRAIGHTS OF EDGE 1
The Hard Lore episode with Mark Porteri, and the mention of the phrase ‘are you Floorpunch straightedge or Earth Crisis straightedge?’ turned on a light bulb in my mind. There being so many straightedge bands, and not all of them having the same stance on straightedge, or the same discourse, I thought it might be worthwhile to have a look at the different perspectives. Why not make it a series, too, so as to avoid the format of a lengthy article no one would bother to read until the end? Perhaps under a Shoresian influence, the idea took the shape of the Set the Tone series. As a starting point, it only makes sense that this series should begin by the band of the person who was being interviewed when the idea was generated - Floorpunch.
Floorpunch – Division 1 Champs
Released 1996
Not for Me
Now I can see it
What we had is gone
How could something so right
Go so fucking wrong?
It won’t happen to us
No fucking way
Nothing between friends
At least that’s what you said
Now I look at you
I understand why
Something not for me
Something I won’t try
Not for Me evokes the bonds of friendship. A relationship that was apparently built on common principles. On positive ideas, it would seem, as they are described as being ‘so right.’ Once the two parties stopped sharing those principles, the promise that nothing would come between the two friends was broken, and things became ‘so fucking wrong.’ The phrase ‘at least that’s what you said’ implies that the promise might not have been made by both sides, and could have been voiced only by the one who broke it.
In addition, the change of heart from the opposite party comes as a surprise, as they had expressed such an occurrence would never happen. This brings to mind the recurrent theme in the straightedge scene that those who preach the hardest usually sell out the hardest, too.
A certain amount of time has passed since these events took place, as suggested by the use of the word ‘now’ as well as the use of the past tense. How much time, exactly, is unclear. In hindsight, the one who still lives by the principles in question receives a form of validation for their choice, as they are witnessing the consequences of the alternate choice. Their position is, therefore, reinforced.
Not for Me expresses a hint of disappointment in people going back on their choice. In a straightedge perspective, it could suggest that selling out might be a reason to end a friendship.
Changes
There better be some changes
And it better happen today
‘Cause all the shit I see
There’s got to be another way
We need some positive changes
There’s been enough for the worst
You losers better watch your back
Because we’re taking out the drunks first
Temptation, pressure come along
Just remember we’re thousands strong
I’ve always been sincere
For the scene is what I live
Get the fuck out
If you have nothing positive to give
We need the kids who don’t use that crutch
Put down that beer
Is it asking too much?
I found the edge some nine years ago
I learned I don’t need drugs
I learned to say no
It’s all right to be different from your friends
‘Cause we’ll always be there in the end
While Not for Me was about the relationship between two people, Changes offers a look at the proverbial scene and an apparent growth in the popularity of self-destruction. In Mark Porter’s point of view, the reliance on drugs and alcohol has impacted the scene negatively.
One step further from mere disagreement, Changes warns that actions will be taken to rid the scene from these activities plaguing the community and alcohol consumption has been selected has a priority target. Based on the lines ‘temptation, pressure come along’ and ‘it’s all right to be different from your friends,’ the ‘shit’ that Mark Porter has been witnessing could refer on peer pressure inciting people to drink. It could also refer to the inability to have all ages shows, as one would have to be of legal drinking age in order to attend. There have been stories of establishments allowing minors inside venues where alcohol was sold if they drew an ‘X’ on their hand, but these stories were mostly told by bands from a decade earlier. One more possibility would be that consuming alcohol impedes on productivity, affecting the health of a scene by depriving it of contributions that would keep it alive and thriving. It could be that the quality of the contributions is affected because of the sloppyness resulting from being under the influence as much as that the quantity of contributions plummets because people are spending more time drinking rather than putting on shows, forming bands, publishing zines, or recording, for example. This hypothesis would be supported by the statement that the scene needs ‘the kids who don’t use that crutch,’ although it may also ambiguously be a bias of preference towards straight edge contributions.
The line ‘it’s all right to be different from your friends’ displays a certain level of empathy that may come as a surprise, at first glance, after Not for Me stated that selling out may be a reason to revoke a friendship. In Changes, friendship between straight edge people and people consuming alcohol is possible. That nuance is in going back on one’s word.
After the disappointment towards people selling out expressed in Not for Me, the tone in Changes escalates to a more threatening one, disguised as being in the defense of the scene.
Stick Together
We’re all friends and we’ll stick together
These fucking ties we have can’t be severed
Watch our backs
We’re standing strong
With my friends I know I can’t go wrong
When I’m down you’re always there
If there’s ever a problem you know I care
I’m always here if you need me
Friends for life, that’s what we all agreed
Stick Together continues on the theme of friendship introduced in Not for Me, as it states that frienship is not temporary. It may, however, be conditional to reciprocity. There may be criterias to be met in order to be granted the permanence of friendship. For example, the conditions may be to demonstrate protection and show support in time of need. These would be supported by the lines ‘watch our backs / we’re standing strong’ as well as ‘when I’m down you’re aways there.’
In Not for Me, friendship had been revoked after one party had gone back on their word. This supports the idea that permanent friendship has to meet certain conditions in order to be honored. The line ‘friends for life, that’s what we all agreed’ confers a certain business-like quality to the situation, further supporting the idea that friendship is not simply handed, but is rather closer to a transaction.
By making friendship conditional, and exclusive, to a certain extent, Stick Together becomes sort of an anthem. By agreeing to the conditions listed, you gain admission into the group of friends. It is also a warning this commitment should not be taken lightly, as it is advertized as being for life.
No Exceptions
Dedication is what you lack
I turn my head, pull the knife out my back
So many promises, and that’s your one regret
So many goals, now none will be met
Don’t come to me looking for redemption
Not this fucking time
There’ll be no exceptions
You made your choice
Took the easy way out
That shit you pulled, not what friendship’s about
Same old story, I’ve seen it before
You take your lies
Can’t look at your face no more
Once again, the theme of friendship is at the forefront in No Exceptions. Previously, disappointment was expressed at the end of a relationship resulting from one going back on their word. Then, in Stick Together, emphasis was placed on the remaining friends and the qualities that differentiate them from people with whom the bridges might have been burnt. In No Exceptions, friendship is examined under the scope of bettrayal.
Once more, it appears that one party has broken promises that were made. The metaphorical knife in the back signifies that one party is hurt by the other’s decision to take ‘the easy way out.’ The ‘many goals’ may serve as an indicator of proximity has such a quantity of plans could not have been made between people who were not in contact on a regular basis. Not only were promises broken, but so was trust, as the lies that were told result in Mark Porter not being able to stand the sight of the antagonist.
One refreshing aspect of this variation on a theme lies in the idea that the person who hurt the narrator might have apologized or asked for forgiveness, as indicated by the lines ‘don’t come to me looking for redemption / not this fucking time / there’ll be no exceptions.’ Moreover, these lines suggest that it might not have been the first such occurrence. It is possible that friendship had been invoked, in the past, in order to obtain some form of comfort.
In the perspective that every song evoking friendship involved straightedge, Floorpunch would be gradually moving on from disappointment to intolerance towards selling out.
Persevere
Remember when we saw eye to eye?
Bound by the oath until the day we fuckin’ die
I thought these chains would never break
We outlasted all the weak and the fake
As time went on, we saw less of one another
I couldn’t understand what happened to my brother
Then that day finally fucking came
You lost the edge, but I’ll never change
You said you’d never fucking change!
You’re long gone, but I’ll never quit
Through thick and thin
I’ll stick with it
Time goes on, or so they say
I see you now
You’re not the fucking same
Once more, the dynamics of relationships are explored in Persevere with an emphasis on straightedge. While the previous songs referred to friends, this one refers to a brother, potentially introducing a higher echelon on the social ladder. Perhaps the bond between the subjects were stronger than they had been with the subjects of the other songs as the two people still cross path at the time of writing the lyrics and there is no mention of the status having been revoked.
Similarly to No Exceptions, who referred to promises, Persevere relies on the synonym ‘oath’ to describe adhesion to the straightedge lifestyle and the permanent nature of this choice to engage on this particular path. In addition, a line is drawn between those making the choice to claim the edge, implied as being strong, and those who are unable to stay committed, qualified as being ‘weak’ and ‘fake.’
Curiously, the image of ‘chains’ is relied upon to describe either taking this particular oath or carrying it over a period of time. It could be argued that chains are restrictive elements, as the image of prisoners may come to mind. In this perspective, the person wearing chains would be the person who swore to live a life free of drugs and alcohol. That person would be forced to behave in a certain way that is not necessarily their own. However, the image of ‘chains’ could refer to something strong in the perspective of the tool, as chains are used to lift and carry weights that the human body is less able to. In this perspective, making the choice to live a straightedge life would confer upon one an empowering tool. Nothing here indicates that the most frequent image should be the one being referred to.
Although there is still a social component to Persevere, it takes a more personal approach to being straightedge by focusing on the party that remains true to their word. Moreover, it displays defiance towards those who would use growing up as an excuse for their change of heart with the lines ‘time goes on, or so they say / I see you now / you’re not the fucking same.’ The refutation of their argument being based on the constance of their principles.
Deep Inside
You talk about doing
It never gets done
You blame it on us
When you know you’re the one
If you’re here to put us down
Then you better fucking look around
The feeling I have runs deep inside
You tried once, but you can’t step on our pride
What we have can’t be broke
Won’t be torn apart by the words you spoke
We’ve been here for far too long
And what we built is way too strong
Credibility, accountability, opposition, and dedication are ideas drawn upon to potentially express the state of a scene, as it states that a group of individuals will not allow the person being addressed to destroy something that was built over time.
Deep Inside appears to be a reaction to accusations, as supported by the lines ‘you blame it on us / when you know you’re the one.’ In their own defense, Mark Porter relies on the intensity of his feelings and history, as such tactics have apparently been unsuccessful, in the past, when they were defeated by the strength of the defenders’ pride. Finally, the argument is swept aside in an unconcerned fashion, with an affirmation resting on the confidence in the strength of what they built.
It is possible that Deep Inside is a commentary on differences within the hardcore scene. The line ‘if you’re here to put us down’ would indicate that the two parties are in the same location. Similarly, the line ‘you tried once, but you can’t step on our pride’ also supports this idea, as it implies that the presence of the two parties, at the same location, as either been prolonged over time or a recurring event. This perspective would be reminiscent of Changes, which described an opposition between a straightedge part of the crowd and another that drank alcohol. The position in Deep Inside would be a more confident one than in Changes, as the ladder expressed the need for more people who did not need to rely ‘on a crutch.’
The proximity between friendship and straightedge describes a strong social element to Floorpunch’s straightedge. On only one occasion was an allusion made on the committment becoming more personal by unchanging principles in the face of peers breaking their promise, but friendship was still involved. In addition, Floorpunch’s straightedge demonstrates disappointment, as well as intolerance, towards selling out, to a point where it appears to be using these events as reinforcement to their choice. This intolerance borders on condescension as it characterizes sell outs as being ‘weak’ and ‘fake.’ With every addition to the Floorpunch straightedge dataset detailing their stance, one cannot help but wonder if the position as indeed reinforced, over time and records, as suggested by the lyrics of Division 1 Champs.
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