--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think punk rock, especially for me, was…" description: "\"I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.\" — Mike Watt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg" --- # I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle… ![“I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.” quote by Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg) > “I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.” [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Punk rock serves as a rebellious statement against conventional talent expectations. **In simple terms:** Punk rock rejects mainstream talent norms. Key Takeaway Embrace authentic self‑expression. Themes music rebellion identity Mood defiant energetic Type musical cultural When to use this quote - concerts - personal branding - artistic protest Key Concepts counterculture authenticity creativity Questions to Reflect On - How does rebellion shape your creative identity? - What value do you find in non‑conformity? A Different Perspective May alienate those who value technical skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Punk rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk-rock/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of people think that punk rock musicians don't know what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-barker/a-lot-of-people-think-that-punk-rock-musicians-don-t-know-what-they/) [Travis Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-barker/) > [I don't think punk ever really dies, because punk rock attitude can never die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-idol/i-don-t-think-punk-ever-really-dies-because-punk-rock-attitude-can/) [Billy Idol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-idol/) > [The New York Dolls did not think of themselves as punk rock. There was no such term at the time. They were just another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/the-new-york-dolls-did-not-think-of-themselves-as-punk-rock-there-was/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [I never thought of punk rock as the absolute act of rebellion for the sake of rebellion. There's a lot of that in there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hoppus/i-never-thought-of-punk-rock-as-the-absolute-act-of-rebellion-for-the/) [Mark Hoppus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hoppus/) > [I stop and think what they call "punk rock" today...give me a break! Let me know when they can walk in the vapor trail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-stop-and-think-what-they-call-punk-rock-today-give-me-a-break-let/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I think punk rock needs an 'Amadeus.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ross-bowie/i-think-punk-rock-needs-an-amadeus/) [John Ross Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ross-bowie/) > [Hip-hop influences my talent, but I think that punk and everything else I listened to growing up was who my idols were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/hip-hop-influences-my-talent-but-i-think-that-punk-and-everything/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Even though we're not the most punk rock band, the way we've done things is pretty punk rock. Just kinda say it with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-thomas/even-though-we-re-not-the-most-punk-rock-band-the-way-we-ve-done/) [Brandon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-thomas/) > [Even though were not the most punk rock band, the way weve done things is pretty punk rock. Just kinda say it with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-thomas/even-though-were-not-the-most-punk-rock-band-the-way-weve-done-things/) [Brandon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-thomas/) > [ “It's shit punk.\[..\] That doesn't mean I think punk is shit \[...\] it means that when someone plays unk ina shit-like manner, it's excruciating.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/it-s-shit-punk-that-doesn-t-mean-i-think-punk-is-shit-it-means-that/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I can't think of any punk who's put on an acoustic and hasn't just tried to sound like James Taylor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-osborne/i-can-t-think-of-any-punk-who-s-put-on-an-acoustic-and-hasn-t-just/) [Buzz Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-osborne/) > [I don't think that the punk sound really became the punk sound until much later. The punk era wasn't really just one musical sound.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-harry/i-don-t-think-that-the-punk-sound-really-became-the-punk-sound-until/) [Debbie Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-harry/) > [I think I'm a punk rocker at heart. I just love the aggression in that music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-think-i-m-a-punk-rocker-at-heart-i-just-love-the-aggression-in-that/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I don't think punk fashion is a specter or overemphasized - it made a big impression, as there had never been anything like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-don-t-think-punk-fashion-is-a-specter-or-overemphasized-it-made-a/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [I think 'punk' should really be defined as paving your own way creatively and by defying any sort of orthodoxy or commercial pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-think-punk-should-really-be-defined-as-paving-your-own-way/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) ## More by Mike Watt > [I want to be a student for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-want-to-be-a-student-for-life/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [The only thing new is you finding out about something. Like nothing's really new, but you reinvent it for yourself and find your inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/the-only-thing-new-is-you-finding-out-about-something-like-nothing-s/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Baby boomers selling your rumors of their history, forcein' youth away from the truth of what's real today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/baby-boomers-selling-your-rumors-of-their-history-forcein-youth-away/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [The engine room really is a metaphor for my head, and all the things bangin' around, and I think I share that with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/the-engine-room-really-is-a-metaphor-for-my-head-and-all-the-things/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [You need bad things to make good things. It’s like with farming— if you want to grow a good crop, you need a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/you-need-bad-things-to-make-good-things-it-s-like-with-farming-if-you/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [You know there was always a confusion that punk was a style of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/you-know-there-was-always-a-confusion-that-punk-was-a-style-of-music/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Imitation is being rewarded. They're learning that if you fit right in the mold, you get rewarded. Music is no longer a form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/imitation-is-being-rewarded-they-re-learning-that-if-you-fit-right-in/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [These hurts I have are my fault but I'm sure gonna learn from it and hopefully anyone reading this will too. The lesson: stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/these-hurts-i-have-are-my-fault-but-i-m-sure-gonna-learn-from-it-and/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Life is definitely not a rehearsal, this is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/life-is-definitely-not-a-rehearsal-this-is-it/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Punk is not really a style of music. It was more like a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/punk-is-not-really-a-style-of-music-it-was-more-like-a-state-of-mind/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Some things never die, and they often get way better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/some-things-never-die-and-they-often-get-way-better/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [There was a thing during those times in the '80s where it was like Sex Pistols then Nirvana and nothing in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/there-was-a-thing-during-those-times-in-the-80s-where-it-was-like-sex/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [I have a little name. That's why people can remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-have-a-little-name-that-s-why-people-can-remember-it/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [I wanna try and stay a student for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-wanna-try-and-stay-a-student-for-life/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) [Explore all 15 Mike Watt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Watt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was-a-big-middle-finger-to-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was-a-big-middle-finger-to-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/mike-watt-32686_bigs_i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was_2055072.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.” — Mike Watt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mike Watt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think punk rock, especially for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was-a-big-middle-finger-to-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was-a-big-middle-finger-to-this/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```