--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know what punk is? a bunch of…" description: "\"“You know what punk is? a bunch of no-talent guys who really, really want to be in a band. Nobody reads music, nobody plays the mandolin, and you're to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/gordon-korman-3400_music_you-know-what-punk-is-a-bunch-of-no-tale_1200762.jpg" --- # You know what punk is? a bunch of no-talent guys who… ![“You know what punk is? a bunch of no-talent guys who really, really want to be in a band. Nobody reads music, nobody plays the mandolin, and you're too dumb to write songs about mythology or Middle-earth. So what's your style? Three chords, cranked out fast and loud and distorted because your…” quote by Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/gordon-korman-3400_music_you-know-what-punk-is-a-bunch-of-no-tale_1200762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/gordon-korman-3400_music_you-know-what-punk-is-a-bunch-of-no-tale_1200762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/gordon-korman-3400_music_you-know-what-punk-is-a-bunch-of-no-tale_1200762.jpg) > ““You know what punk is? a bunch of no-talent guys who really, really want to be in a band. Nobody reads music, nobody plays the mandolin, and you're too dumb to write songs about mythology or Middle-earth. So what's your style? Three chords, cranked out fast and loud and distorted because your instruments are crap and you can't play them worth a damn. And you scream your lungs out to cover up the fact that you can't sing. It should suck, but here's the thing - it doesn't. Rock and roll can be so full of itself, but not this. It's simple and angry and raw.”” [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rock music is often dismissed as simplistic and angry, yet its raw energy can be compelling despite technical flaws. **In simple terms:** Simple, angry rock can still be powerful. Key Takeaway Embrace raw energy over perfection. Themes music authenticity energy simplicity Mood defiant gritty energetic Type musical cultural When to use this quote - band formation - garage rehearsals - live performances - songwriting sessions Key Concepts rawness emotional catharsis cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What makes raw music resonate? - How does simplicity affect emotional impact? A Different Perspective Technical skill may limit mainstream appeal, but authenticity can win fans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instruments Crap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments-crap-3600048/) [Know Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-punk-3592853/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Rock and roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-and-roll/) [Rock Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-roll/) [Sing Suck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing-suck-3600047/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I kind of got into music in middle school, although at the time I didn't know it as punk music so much as just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccaughan/i-kind-of-got-into-music-in-middle-school-although-at-the-time-i-didn/) [Chris McCaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccaughan/) > [Hot funk, cold punk, even if it's old junk, it's still rock and roll to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/hot-funk-cold-punk-even-if-it-s-old-junk-it-s-still-rock-and-roll-to/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [The Rolling Stones are truly the greatest rock and roll band in the world and always will be. The last too. Everything that came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-rolling-stones-are-truly-the-greatest-rock-and-roll-band-in-the/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The new album is a childhood dream come true. Got to sing with Ronnie Spector, got to cover a bunch of songs that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-new-album-is-a-childhood-dream-come-true-got-to-sing-with-ronnie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You never know with Punk. He is definitely somebody who does things his own way, and I think the biggest thing is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samoa-joe/you-never-know-with-punk-he-is-definitely-somebody-who-does-things/) [Samoa Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samoa-joe/) > [When we moved to England in 1986, I was ten years old and I didn't know anything about punk or hip hop. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/when-we-moved-to-england-in-1986-i-was-ten-years-old-and-i-didn-t/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [It's not some great work of beauty and love to be a rock-and-roll singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/it-s-not-some-great-work-of-beauty-and-love-to-be-a-rock-and-roll/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [The '60s are gone, dope will never be as cheap, sex never as free, and the rock and roll never as great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-60s-are-gone-dope-will-never-be-as-cheap-sex-never-as-free-and/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Of course when you are a kid you listen to what your parents had around. A lot of gospel, jazz. Now when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorma-kaukonen/of-course-when-you-are-a-kid-you-listen-to-what-your-parents-had/) [Jorma Kaukonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorma-kaukonen/) > [For guitar players especially, blues is the foundation of rock and roll. You take country music and rock and roll and jazz and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/for-guitar-players-especially-blues-is-the-foundation-of-rock-and/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I still believe in rock and roll, it pays my bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/i-still-believe-in-rock-and-roll-it-pays-my-bills/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [A lot of my friends, they think I grew up to rock and roll, but I didn't. I grew up to Hank Williams, Jimmy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/a-lot-of-my-friends-they-think-i-grew-up-to-rock-and-roll-but-i-didn/) [Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/) > [Rock and roll is based on pretty boys who look like little girls. The girls love them because they're not threatening. As someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-panozzo/rock-and-roll-is-based-on-pretty-boys-who-look-like-little-girls-the/) [Chuck Panozzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-panozzo/) > [Rock and roll just used to be for kicks, now a days it's politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/rock-and-roll-just-used-to-be-for-kicks-now-a-days-it-s-politics/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [That whole Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing - at least half the people in there don't have a place in any kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/that-whole-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-thing-at-least-half-the-people/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) ## More by Gordon Korman > [“He should earn a puffy-tail for helping and lose it for being mean,” Parker puts in. “At least then he breaks even.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/he-should-earn-a-puffy-tail-for-helping-and-lose-it-for-being-mean/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Hamilton was bug-eyed. "Who are those people?" Jonah held his head. "Man, I should have known it was a mistake to say I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/hamilton-was-bug-eyed-who-are-those-people-jonah-held-his-head-man-i/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“After so many reversals of fortune today, they half expected a meteorite to hurtle from the sky and vaporize them if they dared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/after-so-many-reversals-of-fortune-today-they-half-expected-a/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [For someone who's smarter than a supercomputer, sometimes you're a real idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/for-someone-who-s-smarter-than-a-supercomputer-sometimes-you-re-a/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Why can't you just lie and cheat like the others?" Dan snapped. "Can't you just see that's better than being nice one minute and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/why-can-t-you-just-lie-and-cheat-like-the-others-dan-snapped-can-t/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Dear Mr. Weston, Hello again. We were beginning to wonder what had happened to you. I guess things have been pretty quiet since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/dear-mr-weston-hello-again-we-were-beginning-to-wonder-what-had/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Amy took in the inspired look on her brother’s face. “That’s stealing!” Dan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/amy-took-in-the-inspired-look-on-her-brother-s-face-that-s-stealing/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [Ian sighed wanly. "I once had the means to be gaga over art–before I found myself in a country where the standard of beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/ian-sighed-wanly-i-once-had-the-means-to-be-gaga-over-art-before-i/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“She was salted in the ladies’ room?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/she-was-salted-in-the-ladies-room/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“It was no place for a Kabra, not even a poor one living in exile with a psychopathic cat. He approached the counter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/it-was-no-place-for-a-kabra-not-even-a-poor-one-living-in-exile-with/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [The key to the city of Florence was about two feet long, and painted a garish gold. Hamilton was fascinated by it. "Wow! How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/the-key-to-the-city-of-florence-was-about-two-feet-long-and-painted-a/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [We didn't stow away!" Dan protested. "You sunk our boat and pulled us out of the canal!" "Good point," Ian agreed. "Return them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/we-didn-t-stow-away-dan-protested-you-sunk-our-boat-and-pulled-us-out/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“You did a politics project on a government that got overthrown on the due date? Man, did anybody ever tell you you've got no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/you-did-a-politics-project-on-a-government-that-got-overthrown-on-the/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“It's like Eldridge Kestenbaum always says - you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." "Horse manure catches more flies than honey and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/it-s-like-eldridge-kestenbaum-always-says-you-catch-more-flies-with/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [Art theft gave a guy an appetite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/art-theft-gave-a-guy-an-appetite/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) [Explore all 130 Gordon Korman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You know what punk is? a bunch of no-talent guys who really, really want to be in a band. Nobody reads music, nobody plays the mandolin, and you're too dumb to write songs about mythology or Middle-earth. So what's your style? Three chords, cranked out fast and loud and distorted because your instruments are crap and you can't play them worth a damn. And you scream your lungs out to cover up the fact that you can't sing. It should suck, but here's the thing - it doesn't. Rock and roll can be so full of itself, but not this. 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