Skate rock

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Skate rock is mainly a term used for rock, punk, emo, and heavy metal bands, generally from the 1980s and the 1990s, who were involved in the sport of skateboarding. Some prime examples of skate rock bands are JFA, the Faction, the Big Boys, Agent Orange, Suicidal Tendencies, The Suicide Machines, U.S. Bombs, Lagwagon, Minor Threat, Fu Manchu, and NOFX. The term "skate rock" usually refers to rock bands that occupied a middle ground between hard rock and soft rock, intermixed with both punk and non-punk skateboarding culture.

1 Skate rock vs. skate punk
- 1.1 Music
- 1.2 Culture
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] Skate rock vs. skate punk

[edit] Music

There is some confusion over the term "skate rock," since some skate rock bands don't skateboard, and many musicians that do skate don't play skate rock. Also, not all skate rock bands are punk bands, as not all skaters are punks (and not all punks are skaters), so they are called "skate rock" to differentiate them from the skate punk style. In this case, "skate rock" would refer to bands that mix traditional non-punk skateboarding culture with traditional non-punk rock music. As skateboarding was originally tied to surfing, skate rock can sometimes be considered closer in style to surf rock than skate punk. Additionally, while skate punk is a subgenre of hardcore punk, which is considered "anti-establishment", skate rock can be considered a more "traditional" form of rock music, the non-punk counterpart of skate punk. Skate rock lacks the aggressiveness, rebelliousness, confrontational nature, or rage often inherent in skate punk and other hardcore punk subgenres. Simple rhythms, acoustic/electric guitar interplay, keyboards, and surf-and arena-style drums define the instrumental sound, and vocally, the music is far closer to surf rock or arena rock than skate punk, although like skate punk, the lyrics will occasionally focus on, or at least reference skateboarding. As skate punk is often portrayed as "extreme", skate rock is softer, gentler, and more bombastic.

[edit] Culture

As skateboarding's original popularity was originally tied to punk, the non-punk side of skateboarding culture is lesser-known. However, recently, with skateboarders listening to other genres of music, the skateboarder's "punk" association is diminishing. As "skate punks" dress in out-of-the-ordinary punk fashion, traditional skaters dress in clothing similar to surfers, other kinds of athletes, or hard rock bands, and sometimes a mix of the three. While clothes worn by "skate punks" includes thrift store clothing or anything that openly rejects mainstream clothing, traditional skateboarders wear slightly modified versions of mainstream clothing. A skate punk's attire is baggy, chained, and spiked, and strewn with holes and rips, but a traditional skater's clothing is more sophisticated and refined.