Punk rock continues to influence musicians globally, with artists describing the genre’s role in their lives and communities as the movement approaches its 50th anniversary.
In Ukraine, Andriy Zholob of the band Beton discovered punk through MTV broadcasts featuring acts like Nirvana and Bad Brains. After forming the band in 2017, Zholob served as a military surgeon on the frontline following the invasion, bringing guitars to perform music as a form of stress relief. The band later recorded a cover of the Clash’s “London Calling” retitled “Kyiv Calling” to fundraise for Ukrainian resistance efforts. Zholob has since left medicine to work with veterans, many of whom attend the band’s regular performances.
In Morocco and Spain, vocalist Nao of Taqbir initially performed anonymously due to cultural restrictions on punk aesthetics in her Muslim community. After relocating to Spain, she continued navigating isolation as an immigrant and woman, eventually using the band as an outlet for anger and self-expression. The group has performed across North Africa and the United Kingdom, with Nao expressing aspirations to perform in Morocco while advocating that punk demonstrates identity categories need not be mutually exclusive.
In South Africa, Abdula Skink of Twenty One Children drew inspiration from bands like Suicidal Tendencies and Black Flag discovered through video games and skater friends. The band, formed in 2023, takes its name from Skink’s prior work as an assistant teacher with autistic children. Members engage in community activism including building a DIY skate park and organizing charity events for orphanages, viewing punk as a lifestyle rather than commercial pursuit.
In India, Aditya Naik founded Punk on Toast at age 17 to address social injustice through satirical commentary. Following the release of a song critiquing right-wing policies, the band received coordinated threatening messages online. Despite operating largely outside mainstream visibility, India’s punk scene continues expanding with emerging bands addressing political and social issues through the genre’s framework.
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