Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth Timothy A. Heron Auteur(s) Université de Strasbourg

Titre de la revue Imaginaires (ISSN 1270-931X)

22 (2019) : « How Popular Culture Travels: Cultural Numéro Exchanges between Ireland and the United States »

Pages 93-102

Directeur(s) Sylvie Mikowski et Yann Philippe du numéro

DOI de l’article 10.34929/imaginaires.vi22.7

DOI du numéro 10.34929/imaginaires.vi22

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Éditions et presses universitaires de Reims, 2019 Bibliothèque Robert de Sorbon, Campus Croix-Rouge Avenue François-Mauriac, CS 40019, 51726 Reims Cedex www.univ-reims.fr/epure USA more and precisely teenage by American myth. the influenced the rock significantly Indeed, by Ireland Northern was punk heldAmerica for Undertones, the but it by to was no them. limited means height the – was ofanecdote exoticism.thatthe fascination This betrays ating McDonald’s – which had only been introduced London in 1974 in agers from Derry, where there wasn’t eat restaurant, much so Indian an as was goingwas to have aBig french Mac, [ houses but Ionly had one Sire If [records] place mind. in were I paying, ebrate. Bradley recounts: As “Baker Street not is short of decent eating offeredsome thetake to of young band members out fordinner celto Sire records London in 1978, in head the of company the Stein Seymour 2016,in player bass howwith Mick a Bradley tells contract signing after pretentious removed and It fan. from the emerged London in 1976 in then music perceived which was being too as commercial unexciting or and too contemporary a reaction as arose music against popular ular which partly genre of pop minimalist and aggressive, fast rock an was press, Punk etc. alternative the musicmedia: arts, of course, but fashion, visual the also phenomenoncomplex cultural several decades and which several spanned 2. 1. had read about McDonald’s rock NME the magazine in Some thedining. ment band fine of members food junk against pitting available options, picked they McDonald’s. was notsome This state punk Punk is notoriously is Punk hard to define; a subculture is aboth it In his book about Derry punk rock book group his about punk In Undertones, the Derry published to four different criteria: identity that directed against has been it. According to his definition, a subculture must respond we concept the use as it is defined by Paul who addresses Hodkinson, much the criticismof Use of term “subculture” the is not uncontroversial within field the culturalof studies, but Michael Bradley, Teenage Kicks: My Life asan Undertone, Omnibus, 2016,p. 86. See PaulSee Hodkinson, Goth: Identity, Style, and Subculture, New York, 2002, p. 29. Berg, Teenager Love: in Northern Ireland Rock and the Punk American Teenage Myth , commitment sic ] fries and Coke” and ] fries , consistent distinctiveness consistent University of Strasbourg Timothy Heron A. and for and teen these 1 . Out of all the the . Out of all and autonomy and 2 and a and - - - - - .

93 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth 1975 Showband Miami massacre on ofsummer 1977 of appearance a few the rock or punk new wave bands loids, siblings from or and the coming back friends Britain, from in avisit I found that over a third of them tackle various social and political issues; political and I found social over various that of tackle them a third thematicanalysing over concerns.two main After their songs, hundred wavefirst Ireland of Northern punk (1976-1983)in order to determine sis on gritty” the empha aparticular of song,a much popular with themes in wider variety according to John seemed Mullen, to “Punk open with gates the to dealing Indeed, aband. new of range themes by to start anyone able willing and cous music, it that fact enabled but the exploration also the of awhole of on individuals practises the rather than of teenager. focus the on thus music myth American the groups Iwill with associated influencedthe aesthetics by pop partly andmusic particularly wave first from the – during of punk 1976the endto the decade –was of rock of developed that style punk the that Ireland Northern in argue will rock music I –the ayouth and as subculture, punk genre –rather than of my research for my PhD thesis choosewhat course to Ireland Northern did express? the punks During voice audience to an own views their made up of people own age. So their music. orzine in make young people time years, For first the were able to or even means experience people ethic: could little create with afan self” but to its emphasis also on what would it “do your become the as known class and gender and class barriers of transgression facilitated the sectarian, what subculture extent punk the or Ihave DIY practises; focussed on how,of it “do yourself” why to and adoption to punks’ part for in rock music,a proper thanks infrastructure about how scene punk emerged the Ireland Northern despite in lack of the Fingers, scores and Little Outcasts the of others. such Undertones, bands many the young as people RUDI, starting Stiff scene Ireland, Northern avibrant soon local from emerged, visiting with music papers ( John Peel’s through of Britain: late night BBC radio One programme, made its way to Ireland Northern much regions cities and it the as in did 6. 5. 4. 3. Top of the Pops on BBC. At when the “Troubles” atime the the and One of the main attractions of punk rock of not was punk attractions One raw, only the of main the rau University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, unpublished, 2017,TEL: 2017REIML004. Timothy A.Heron, “‘Alternative Ulster’: inNorthern Punk Ireland (1976-1983)”, Diss. britannique John Mullen, “UK Popular Music 1970s”, inthe and Society française Revue de civilisation 42 (1), 2017,DOI: 10.4000/etudesirlandaises.5162. Monsters’: and Grotesque the Bodies Punk in1970sNorthern Ireland”, Études Irlandaises Everyday Life during Northern the Ireland Conflict”, Imaginaires forSee instance Timothy A.Heron, “‘Alternative Ulster’: and Punk of Construction the attack.in asectarian The incident shocked opinion north southand border.the of loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force on way their back to Dublin and other the two were injured On 31July 1975three members of popular the Miami Showband were down gunned by the , 2016,11(3),DOI: 10.4000/rfcb.1695. NME 5 . This was was dueirreverent, . This to punk’s iconoclastic nature, , Sounds 4 . In the present article I will concentrate present the . In on Iwill punk article , Melody Maker 3 discouraged many international discouraged bands 6 , I decided to classify songs, I decided from to the classify . ), tab in reports sensationalist Elsewhere, Ihave written , 19,2015and “‘We’re Only - - - - - ,

94 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth Belfast’s Stiff Little Belfast’sLittle Fingers Stiff (six percent songs). of all is stance this The with band associatedmost revolve issues, only a fifth around the political and social “Troubles”with all the first wave first bands the punk all ofbly Ruefrex, most most and the clearly actively political antisectarian concerned with aspects of teenageconcerned aspects pop culture. with relationships; romantic sexual with and ten and deal percenta quarter are 9. 8. 7. with a specific style style of conspicuous aspecific with consumption which stressed leisure awareness,degree of political “teenager” a 1950s was concept associated students, middle-class counterculture the cept a associated thus with and a1960s was ideological “youth” If con married. Ireland, getting in cially integrated world the fully of adults, ajob which espe implied and, getting stage of when were life, they no longera liminal at school but had not yet youngclass people on threshold adulthood and – the between childhood “Teenager” to aconcept mostly working describe was UK the in used more associated with ily blatantly commercial genres of music. popular rock of more comes are and that punk to when mind read one thinks sound later “pop as known punk”. Teenage thing fantasies not are first the break-upsand –adolescent themes which were combined amelodic with theirsignificant numbersongs of issuesto suchas love, desire, rejection, tion, that’s fashion”. yet And groups Ireland Northern punk devoted a scene “No that one’s love singing songs any more, but ain’t that convic about said 1977, punk in magazine the Vivien Goldman rock journalist relationships.ber of romantic songs sexual with and Sounds which In deal across region. the More for perhaps, surprisingly punk, large num the is playing concerts at venues centre, city not but or Derry Belfast only all in enabled scene they as to local flourish importance the by cial regularly today outside but subculture, were Ireland Northern they the punk of cru they though were These bands, culture. numerous,are largelyunknown sub punk the international (rather within local) life and politics, than violent and antisocial behaviour, from bands Britain: themes as same the avoided about explicitly singing “Troubles” the focussedon instead and Falls or Turf Lodge. but over all region, the including republican neighbourhoods of such Belfast as Ardoyne, the “neutral” venues of town Belfast centre or safety inthe of own their Protestant community, Ruefrex put into antisectarianism practice the preached: they played they not only in the marketing tool. was resented by punks inNorthern Ireland of objected to who use the “Troubles” the as a and it worked. However, StiffLittle Fingers’ successcame at a price: for alongtime,bandthe reliance on “radical chic” of was part aconscious strategy to break into overseas the market – heavyof use conflict-related iconography,with dealing unrelated actually while issues. This appearedwhich those on 1979 debut their album paramilitaries insuch an explicit manner. Most of songs the that followed, and especially music repertoire; however, afterthe thatrelease of single,bandthe rarely again criticised constitute some of most the explicit attacks on paramilitarism Northern inthe Ireland popular songsThe from band’sthe first singles, /Device “Suspect Wasted Life” Digits,(Rigid 1978) classification earlyof Onebook ChordBritish 1985 seminal inhis punk, Wonders. proportions come to close findings the of journalist rock Daveand academic Laing’s own and issues political andConcerning social the songs about relationships, personal these 8 , but otherstoo, conflict addressed the nota 9 . Most groups of other Irish Northern the Inflammable (Rough Trade) Material made 7 Among the songs dealing dealing songs the Among ------

95 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth American acts were still present in the UK charts in the late the 1970s. in present were charts British acts UK the American still in role,tant many youth the did as club which played discos singles. chart concerns” went that of culture a mass beyond part neighbourhood“became or class Ireland.in true also was TeenagersThis andthusIreland across Britain dreams”. idols, music, American American bytheir American their their ideavery of teenager British teenagers the American. was were recognized and cinemas, and friendships and cinemas, wereand forged halls sidesfrom both dance would of cafés, city meet the same up the in 1960sthe for example, before onset the of “Troubles”, the young people sharedand patterns of consumption, in to such Derry extent in that an music in or tastes backgrounds could film loyalist have and alist similar mised the ideals of the American consumer of American ideals lifestyle” the the mised sure-oriented consumption. of abundant epito Thefun teenage myths of asymbol America’sas bold march into anew age of hedonistic lei and teenager south.and Indeed, the “an ideological was vehicle which... stood frowned upon some not in conservative quarters, least Ireland, in north which was vices, and practices ers culture, were American associated with Moreover, teenag and construct American an “teenager” originally was about idleness sides deviance. from and both spectrum of political the openedThis andup a new lucrative market, but also led to concernsit amount of disposable tohad income spend acertain time well as as it. tainties of British [andtainties Irish] everyday life” represented culture American aforce of cer grey liberation the against Ireland, “for many in young and peopleBritain [and Britain in Ireland] posed “Americanization” were of culture sometimes deplored, in both and pleasure and 16. 15. 14. 13. 12. 11. 10. chart countdownschart on radio, the but showbands the music TopAmerican through circulated was of the Pops on BBC the and of mass cultural fantasies” of cultural mass words part inextricable an of became Simon Dream American Frith, “the degrees). inspiration drew (though from US culture all varying the In in later and hippies, the teddy skinheads, rockers, boys, the mods, the the or American-inspired American music: associated with subcultures the degree Ireland saw emergence the toand acertain visible of youth highly heyday was 1950s and the 1960sbut popularity their endured well into 1970s. the such away that were they not perceived as transgressing traditional values (Nuala 127).Their musicians toured who Ireland’s dance and halls played covers of international pop hits in Half way varietyentertainers between and pop groups, modern showbands were groups of 2011, p. 8. John Storey, Macmillan, 1990,p. 144-147. ActsDesmond Bell, of Union Youth Culture and Sectarianism in Northern Ireland, Basingstoke, Ibid S. Frith, op. cit., p. 46. The cultural legacy of punk, 1999,reprint, London, Routledge, 2009,p. 158. Osgerby,Bill teenage aesthetic “The and genealogies of American punk”, Punk rock, so what? 1981, p. 181-196. Simon Frith, ., p. 184-185. 13 . In Northern Ireland this meant teenagers that Ireland Northern . In this from nation 10 . For the first time in history,in time . For first a whole the class of adolescents Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction, Harlow, Pearson Longman, Sound Effects: Youth,Leisure, and the Politics of Rock’n’roll, New York, Pantheon, 12 , especially for teenagers:, especially British the “for the 14 . Though the effects of thethe effects. Though of sup 15 . In 1970s. In Ireland, Northern 16 still played impor an still 11 . Postwar Britain Britain . Postwar ------

96 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth land counterparts” land of some aspects of its violent, main tive, elitist, nihilistic arrogant and “version Irish Northern the rock of of nega contained punk the little biographer the that Roland while Link, argues Little Fingers, of Stiff “a rejection of of dominant the discourses contemporary British punk” “Teenage 1950s rock’n’roll, with American Kicks” song the sees and as Undertones’ associates the Gerry Smyth reject Americanness. rather than the Offs’song Rip band the “Stuff USA” groups –punk seemed to embrace of teenager. the myth However, from Derry Ireland Northern – apart in PistolsSex seemed of discourse romance tothe the spurn associated with gether.all, sing could “I’m soafter TheClash, the bored USA”with the and alto seemed culture glance, American European to punk reject a first “Anarchyand (the UK” the Pistols) in Sex about US? rather the than At rock?ager punk and Was not punk (the about “London burning” Clash) duced in a very different cultural context duced different avery in cultural on tropes differentand –could take whenand experiencedmeanings pro context the in – and of music, popular pop culture sounds American ular object an of as –America America consumption.cal popAmerican Thus adoptionthe of genres of music US amythi the which was originated in America Thecelebrated which was Americanness. or in by lyrics distilled orEuropean Abba, international Boney like M, bands or which Pussycat, made was by success clear of the continental this totied itself; America wereacts more slightly of no was America longer dominant, but myth the 20. 19. 18. 17. Osgerby was asserts, punk both relished both lampooned” and punk 70s that of –aset stereotypes and images sure, pleasure fun carefree and encapsulated consumer the society’s hedonistic fantasies of unbridled lei ager: “A mythologised version adolescent of American teenager’ ‘the life, influenced by American teenthetheandbubblegum pop relatedof myth New York Ramones Blondie, and the the Dictators, were Dolls, he argues, the like bands American genre the start. from right through the running Osgerby of pop-inflected demonstrates astrain music fact there in that was not is punk teenage oftenwith associated pop, While for punk. American Osgerby ship to Bill pop as argued has music sometimes is assumed, than scenes the and it influenced elsewhere a more bear ambiguous relation rock scene’spunk revolt, aesthetic and on stress existential British punk developed region the relative in in isolation. However, despite British the However, concept American between the of teen the what link the is B. Osgerby, op. cit ., p. 156. 2009, p. 68. Roland,Link Kicking Up a Racket: The Story of Stiff Little Fingers, Appletree, 1977-1983,Belfast, 2005, p. 59. Smyth, NoisyGerry Island: AShort History of Irish Popular Music, Cork, Ireland, Cork U.P., S. Frith, op. cit., p. 11. 19 , perhaps because aproto-punk pub rock scene had 20 . This strain of American punk, American punk, of strain . This 17 . 18 ------

97 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth mental riffs” mental a pumping beat simple and dance but catchy chorus hooks instru and pop, byby described executed Osgerbydistinguished pophits “deftly as forand 1976, Glitter band in the Bubblegum before to pop punk. turning 1976:there in power opened local Starjets for band the pop punk them Rollers, Ireland Northern elsewhere had as in ahuge following, played and unavoidable.the The last of bigthe Baybubblegum pop City bands, most it accessible the as readily was form of music popular thus was and pop music playedtop-charting also arole propagating in teenage tropes liousness insouciance to the dose of rebel extra rock agenre an groups. as and added Punk cynicism inspired young people who own would their later to become start punks & blues. Significantly, playedacts both Irelandin in Northern 1976,and Rods Dr Feelgood and played araw brand of American-inspired rhythm playing Hot covers the and British Eddie pub rock. rock of like bands glam Undertones the Ireland’s bands, punk earliest RUDI, and out by started celebratedall lampooned and At of teenage least two Northern myths. Glitter, Stardust, Sweet, such Mud, Gary acts Alvin as Quatro Suzi and you’re chicso / Teenage rebel of week”), David the Bowie (“Starman”) and T. Rex (“Teenage Dream”), Roxy Music Plain”: (“Virginia “You’re sheer, so emphasis rock the laid pubBoth glam and on teenage leisure pleasure. and music-making skills. The Sex Pistols’ guitarist Glen The Pistols’ Sexexplained Matlock guitarist has music-making skills. ment lack and of obvious concern political of 1950s rock’n’roll American icisation of leisure by 1960s the counterculture, looked back excite to the the pretentiousnessthe of what areaction perceived as was rock, against genres glam which, as partly rockers punk were Irish British and indebted also to British pub rock and Pistols, Sex briefly the the aging worked with New York Dolls. Moreover, York McLaren, Ramones. Malcolm the before especially and Dolls man influenced heavily was theandby Popthe – Stooges, US Iggy bands New or rock Europe it as even in Ireland, arose whether Britain in France. Punk scenes emerged that punk the in had Europe, itsit importance in also 23. 22. 21. Osgerby is speaking about the impact of the myth in the US, butthe in about Osgerby impact of myth the the speaking is B. Osgerby, op. cit ., p. 159. more important to popular music Dylan. than Bob Malcolm McLaren considered that – one Billy Fury of Britain’s earliest rock’n’roll stars –was Ibid ., p. 160. 23 provided great for material musicians punk who had few were simultaneously parodied and celebrated and parodied were simultaneously emblems of post-war America’s consumer-culture kitsch Here, the kicks’. ‘teenage whole iconography of carefree the and parties beach proms, high-school movies, of drive-in pastiche a tongue-in-cheek teenage come to surround had icons that and mythologies the with encounter an in grounded prog rock, the distance of arena polit rock, rock, distance the and the and irreverence and of genres. these However, suburban life. American punk elaborated elaborated punk American life. suburban 21 . 22 - - - - - .

98 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth teen idol Donny Osmond. the Belmonts the by Doc Pomus written song originally &Mort Shuman, first for Dion & Idiotsthe produced version apunk of “Teenager Love”, in American an Yummy Yummy” bubblegum by pop American band and Ohio Express, of songs the which were covered bands: by RUDI these covered “Yummy ber of groups. Ireland Northern punk interesting It to note also is some pop, but we didn’t know”. toughest the reputation, band with Northern “we said: has power were all Greg As singer the Cowan, the counterparts. of Outcasts, English the their Ireland Northern tended in bands to have amore pop-inflectedthan sound Penetration However, Buzzcocks. the and of first-wave the all almost punk ration teenage from American-style Generation pop: Damned, the X, at drew least some also bands inspi of Many English their bands. started were they upon, seized cians, consciously or not, who by young the punks adoption adaptation and genres of American musi by Irish British and the or through artists, American through directly punk Irish Northern 1950s,the favoured single over the album. the pop or rock, teenage-orientated like the Furthermore, punk rock’n’roll of lector and amateur punk historian Sean O’Neill, “a O’Neill, song Sean lector historian which practically punk amateur and 27. 26. 25. howthe opening hook he lifted of “Pretty off Vacant” Abba’s “SOS”. 24. ber the oneber the about homework!”. glue, jealousy, Idon’t trouble police. and the Although girls with remem subject the ager and matter at time therefore the revolved around alcohol, RUDI songs “their that documented to what beateen it like exactly was dream”. about said One of Ulster creators the Alternative of fanzine the song “Number one” by RUDI, Young Brian sings beateenage “I wanna Androids refer New to the York the in “Teenage and as Dolls heartthrob” Another Teenage Rebel”, “Lipstick In etc. by Outcasts, Heroes”, the the “Teenagers” by Strike, Rebel” “The by Sect, the Teen Age” by “JustVictim, “Teenager Love” in by Idiots; the “Teenage Love Song” by P45; “Teenage of alarge number lyrics the ofin songs scene: punk Northern from the lescent concerns even and word the teenager famous example undoubtedly is Undertones the “Teenage Kicks”, but ado groups punk Northern seemed preoccupied by teenage themes. The most rockof records punk availability because of limited the like, for young people Ireland Northern to in find outthe what musicsounded Whether teenageWhether musical thematic and tropes way made their into produced inBritain at by time). the ITV songThe coveredalso was Connie by Stevens on The Show Muppet Ireland Northern O’NeillSean and Guy Trelford, It Makes You Want to Spit: TheDefinitive Guide to Punk in Greg Cowan, Personal interview, 2July Belfast, 2014. The Guardian The David Simpson, “Glen Matlock: ‘No matter what we do, nothing equate will Pistols’”, to Sex the

(1958) but which here references 1972 the cover by American , 11 April 2014. , Dublin, Reekus, 2003,p. 22. 25 27 In the early days of punk rock it was difficult days early rock of the it In punk difficult was “Teenager words the Love” in in was, of col 26 This quote be This appliedcan to a large num itself appears again and again again and appears itself again in 1976 (which was in1976(which . Thematically, Thematically, 24 ------

99 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth from it”. from we didn’t songs write about Troubles: the we were doing our to best escape Sharkey of Undertones the famously “People said: to on early used ask why feature of everydaydetermining but their life backdrop the to it. Feargal icant “Troubles” because it the that means not are considered to bethe young people Derry, in or elsewhere Belfast wanted to much so escape as PhD seem to thesis indicate it that wasn’t violencethat the of conflict the fun”. aspired forple of alife “unbridled actually leisure, pleasure carefree and for its suspicion of romance young of these and peo commercial culture, whichwas reputed a subculture with despite that fact the affiliation their songs aconflict-ridden in with few economic society betrays prospects ated asense of adissonance, dislocation.irony The love singing of punks cre suburban which America had punks inspired them,Irish Northern acontext mythical forming in them the which contrasted with sharply so treatment, whether by covering or per and pop by standards parodying every Belfast punk band at the time had ago band at time at” the punk Belfast every 31. 30. 29. 28. “Strike”, nological and ideological developments”. ideological and nological fromscenario rock’n’roll, early re-interprets and stated for Undertones, the “Teenage reiterates Kicks’ has bubblegum Smyth pop American Ireland? Northern band in Gerry As accent by local and through. the which unintentionally breaks Love”, of songs the meaning by the displaced is genre both the (punk rock) in coversbetween. Thus, “Yummylike Yummy “Teenager or Yummy” in voicethe neither is nor but American Irish, Northern belongs to aspace in singers to Often,punk put accent tried failed. American on –but an usually However, for not was case the everyone: this Ireland Northern most in on to or adopted accents local (John Lydon, Joe Strummer, Pete Shelley). because singers asense of local forth often the bringing seen as heldtimes has tohas [reflect] our about doesn’t that sound too contrived ( write toto something find outbest of &N. Ireland situations Derry in “Weinterview: have really the a1978 to in make said Ulster Alternative emotional Ireland. Northern John of in Undertones O’Neill landscape the could to use navigate they own adolescent language their ical and years up. America teenage and growing and sex popcrushes, provided amyth centrate adolescent on being teenagers with deal and problems, such as space where could con they aliminal imaginary, and real eign, both for and ateenagesongs world imagined they familiar both which was 30 But what does it to mean produce cover apunk of alate 1960s p. 619. John Savage, England’s Dreaming: Pistols Sex and Punk Rock, London, Faber &Faber, 2005, Ibid., p. 156. G. Smyth, op. cit., p.59. They knew that this was something something outtheir was their this thatin reach,of knewso They 31 However, out research for during Icarried interviews my the Spit Records Spit everyday or life else it just isn’t honest”. , http://www.spitrecords.co.uk/strike.htm 24/02/2018). (last accessed 29 eg By giving teenage songs By giving apunk : straight politics).: straight music Our it in the light of light it the new in tech 28 . British punk is some is . British punk the teenage the lust/love This is signif This ------100 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth young Catholics and Protestants alike, can be seen as away beseen as of or can resisting young Catholics Protestants and alike, and aboutlescence in spacesdoing so shared conflict, rather the by than critique quo. of status the about love Singing girls, woes the of and ado context the in of “Troubles” the provided having be seen as it can a leisure all-consuming concentration on the now” the on concentration all-consuming with as 1970s all, Jonthis Savage punk, “there prising:said, was after has unsur is This sex. or alcohol in engaging consuming drugs, and settings, have and ties whether agood by time, enjoying shows cross-community in politics ofcommuni their sectarian and conservatism moral the escape by contrast creation facilitated the of spaces where young people could to frown on pre-marital sex than their English peers, for English instance. their to on frown pre-marital than sex 1978 in servative: teenagers male Irish Northern were much more likely of Ireland”; even among young people, tended attitudes social to be con western the world in society bly except most the for Christian Republic the 1970s apermissive hardly society, was “proba been as has described and to emphasis punk’s on DIY. thanks place, partly the Ireland Northern in leisure,dled didn’t pleasurethat fun” first carefree the and there in exist prophecy: createdit the aself-fulfilling for as opportunities acting “unbri teenage of pop Ireland Northern the scene punk added had the value of time”. after Moresimplythan celebrating andpleasure thesong,in leisure Well people don’t -don’t feeling lonesome like keep on /So playing time now“So we’re /But city when stuckhere bright the this shines/ light in just any other teenage love song?” verse. last –receives the answer in an The questionthe whichis chorusrepeated – “Why playanother,during out hole”. of this proves But this impossible: “we’re city”. stuck here this in power pop band P45, sings: frontman which the in “You gotta get yourself It real. very made is was explicit “Teenage in Love Song” by pop the punk/ the desirekind. differenceNevertheless, escape to than of ratherof degree a arguably is of south of Ireland,north the Britain Ireland in those and ence of experiences between young the towns cities people in and in living andits lack effects: boredom. differ theof this regardopportunities In 33. 32. agree with Frith that punk articulated aleisure critique of articulated work the punk that Frith ethic, with agree leisure perhaps even contemporaries more their than so elsewhere. we If teenage its and focus on pop pleasure, culture emphasised celebrated and adoption their Ireland,Northern through of of American aesthetics the but from its exploration of of proletarian aesthetics play” the significance its ‘cultural [...] unemployment fromnotof articulation its derived particular rock dissatisfaction’ in active and punk that and darity as formas of self-indulgence and escape individual and quo.tus “rock that Simon argued has simultaneously been Frith has used escapism –or rather escapism does itself not preclude acritique of sta the 35. 34. Johan Kugelberg &Jon Savage An Aesthetic Punk: (eds.), 1987, p. 72-76. Cairns, CaughtEd in Crossfire: Children and the Northern IrelandConflict Appletree,, Belfast, Ibid., p. 267. S. Frith, op. cit., p. 265-267. 33 . But this was more mere was . But than this , New York, Rizzoli, 2012,p. 149. as asourceas of soli 34 . Punks in in . Punks 32 Punk Punk 35 ------

101 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth by America: “the Americans colonized our subconscious”. Americans by “the America: rearing up of teenagerearing the id”; latest the Jon munities. As less than Savage nothing “punk was said, has reproduction process the at of least of cultural of delegitimizing com both 37. 36. degree of cross-community solidarity. cross-community of degree themes on which enabled overtly a political rather than to them maintain of teenager the myth American to the focus on sounds tropes and linked wave first it the aband, was of topunk’s them start pick and up aguitar ple from diverse backgrounds out neighbourhoods of their encourage and brought to Ireland Northern excitement the needed to entice young peo Wim Wenders quoted in S.Frith, op. cit., p. 45. J. Kugelberg &J. Savage, op. cit., p. 146. 36 and the teenage the and id clearly was influenced 37 If punk rock punk If - - 102 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Heron – Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage Myth