--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is punk rock really music, or is it…" description: "\"Is punk rock really music, or is it really just an attitude? I get into that discussion with people all of the time. I personally consider be-bop jazz ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/tim-commerford-15758_attitude_is-punk-rock-really-music-or-is-it-reall_512640.jpg" --- # Is punk rock really music, or is it really just an… ![“Is punk rock really music, or is it really just an attitude? I get into that discussion with people all of the time. I personally consider be-bop jazz to be punk rock. And prog rock would definitely fall in that category too.” quote by Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/tim-commerford-15758_attitude_is-punk-rock-really-music-or-is-it-reall_512640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/tim-commerford-15758_attitude_is-punk-rock-really-music-or-is-it-reall_512640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/tim-commerford-15758_attitude_is-punk-rock-really-music-or-is-it-reall_512640.jpg) > “Is punk rock really music, or is it really just an attitude? I get into that discussion with people all of the time. I personally consider be-bop jazz to be punk rock. And prog rock would definitely fall in that category too.” [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions whether punk rock is defined by its sound or by the rebellious mindset it embodies, suggesting other genres can share that attitude. **In simple terms:** Punk rock may be more about attitude than sound. Key Takeaway Recognize the spirit behind music, not just its style. Themes music identity culture attitude genre definition Mood reflective curious analytical Type philosophical conversational When to use this quote - music festivals - band interviews - music education - genre debates - personal playlists Key Concepts subculture authenticity musical taxonomy cultural perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide if a style fits a cultural label? - Can attitude alone define a music genre? A Different Perspective Genre labels can be restrictive and overlook artistic nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Punk rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk-rock/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“jazz is punk for old people. I guess that explains it, because I don’t like punk, either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/jazz-is-punk-for-old-people-i-guess-that-explains-it-because-i-don-t/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Prog-rock and concept records and some ambitious projects were kind of anathema post-punk. They were destroyed with the advent of punk rock. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-meloy/prog-rock-and-concept-records-and-some-ambitious-projects-were-kind/) [Colin Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-meloy/) > [I was a huge prog rock fan as a kid in high school, and I'm so thankful for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-was-a-huge-prog-rock-fan-as-a-kid-in-high-school-and-i-m-so/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [As a New Yorker you can't help but be proud of the fact that so much music and culture started here. Punk rock, jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/as-a-new-yorker-you-can-t-help-but-be-proud-of-the-fact-that-so-much/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [If girls are ever going to start to be in bands as the norm rather than as the exception. They need to see people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobi-vail/if-girls-are-ever-going-to-start-to-be-in-bands-as-the-norm-rather/) Tobi Vail > [Youre a supermarket punk rock television comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goo-goo-dolls/youre-a-supermarket-punk-rock-television-comedy/) [Goo Goo Dolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goo-goo-dolls/) > [My attraction to the Church of Satan... is the same thing that initially attracted me to punk rock. It was something that wasn't very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/my-attraction-to-the-church-of-satan-is-the-same-thing-that-initially/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [My perfect day would start with a kiss from my daughter. I would drive her to school listening to our favourite punk rock music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-balti/my-perfect-day-would-start-with-a-kiss-from-my-daughter-i-would-drive/) [Bianca Balti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-balti/) > [You can't really come into a concept record objectively, because you immediately associate it with Yes, stuff from the 1970s that punk rock kicked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-meloy/you-can-t-really-come-into-a-concept-record-objectively-because-you/) [Colin Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-meloy/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [If Nirvana had remained a small, underground punk rock band, Kurt Cobain would still be alive. And he'd probably be living in Seattle, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-nirvana-had-remained-a-small-underground-punk-rock-band-kurt/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“If the early English and LA punk bands shared a common sound, the New York bands just shared the same clubs. As such, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-heylin/if-the-early-english-and-la-punk-bands-shared-a-common-sound-the-new/) Clinton Heylin > [Noise has taken the place of punk rock. People who play noise have no real aspirations to being part of the mainstream culture. Punk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/noise-has-taken-the-place-of-punk-rock-people-who-play-noise-have-no/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [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/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) ## More by Tim Commerford > [I can't stop myself from finding information that makes me mad and writing about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-can-t-stop-myself-from-finding-information-that-makes-me-mad-and/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [I love being a dad, I love my wife and my kids are amazing to me and I love the challenge of making music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-love-being-a-dad-i-love-my-wife-and-my-kids-are-amazing-to-me-and-i/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [Guitars, there was rock 'n' roll. Saxophone, jazz. Now we have the computer and there's this electronic thing happening in music that is somewhat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/guitars-there-was-rock-n-roll-saxophone-jazz-now-we-have-the-computer/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [With Audioslave, it's all about melody and chord progressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/with-audioslave-it-s-all-about-melody-and-chord-progressions/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [With Rage, we wrote riff rock and had rap vocals, so we didn't really concern ourselves with melody for the most part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/with-rage-we-wrote-riff-rock-and-had-rap-vocals-so-we-didn-t-really/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [To me, protesting and playing music go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/to-me-protesting-and-playing-music-go-hand-in-hand/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [I love all kinds of music and I love to play or try to play all kinds of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-love-all-kinds-of-music-and-i-love-to-play-or-try-to-play-all-kinds/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [As a member of Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave and now Prophets of Rage I'm pretty used to coming on stage and there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/as-a-member-of-rage-against-the-machine-audioslave-and-now-prophets/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [I'm a bass player and I love the bass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-m-a-bass-player-and-i-love-the-bass/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [The computer has always been this ominous, scary thing that came into music, for me, in the early '90s, right when I first started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/the-computer-has-always-been-this-ominous-scary-thing-that-came-into/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [I think you still need to use music as a way to say something that's important, and I'm always gonna do that. Always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-think-you-still-need-to-use-music-as-a-way-to-say-something-that-s/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [I'm still really proud of Rage as much as I am of Audioslave. I still love it when I turn on the radio and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/i-m-still-really-proud-of-rage-as-much-as-i-am-of-audioslave-i-still/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [Living in L.A., it's such a big huge place and there's so much of it. It's so much fun to be in Chinatown, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/living-in-l-a-it-s-such-a-big-huge-place-and-there-s-so-much-of-it-it/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [No matter what you're doing, whether you have a business with someone, a band with someone, when you feel confident that your idea is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/no-matter-what-you-re-doing-whether-you-have-a-business-with-someone/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) > [It's insane for me to say this, but I've never been in a room with anyone that's more talented on the electric guitar than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-commerford/it-s-insane-for-me-to-say-this-but-i-ve-never-been-in-a-room-with/) [Tim Commerford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) [Explore all 42 Tim Commerford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-commerford/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) Sheye Hassan > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Is punk rock really music, or is it really just an attitude? I get into that discussion with people all of the time. I personally consider be-bop jazz to be punk rock. 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