Hardcore

Toughguy and Straight Edge Hardcore Punk

There are primarily two types of Hardcore kids: big ones, and straight-edge ones. Big, meaty hardcore guys often dress as though they are preparing themselves for a high school gym class; gym shorts are seemingly required to attend Hardcore shows, and many often wear sneakers, white socks and jerseys featuring Hardcore bands such as Madball or Terror. Indeed, the entire Hardcore scene seems to have a jock-infused feeling, with many of the guys at Hardcore shows acting stereotypically masculine and violent. Big Hardcore guys usually wear flat-brimmed hats with the stickers intact, and many of them feature a pencil-thin beard or scruffy goatee. Often, Big Hardcore Guy was a high school jock who discovered Hardcore music.

Big Hardcore guy dates Hardcore Girl, who works at a tattoo shop. Therefore, both of them are covered in flash art; Koi Fish, outlines of their home states, band names, brass knuckles, nautical stars and Sailor Jerry tattoos are prevalent on the bodies of Big Hardcore guy and Girl. Hardcore Girl features gauges, numerous facial piercings and lots of dermals (Fig 2). Neither Big Hardcore Guy or Girl are people to be reckoned with; both of them are usually on the larger side, with enough muscle to illicit respect from others lest they get suckerpunched in the face. Often times, these Hardcore Kids are in groups such as DMS in New York or FSU in Boston, and therefore have a million friends who would gladly fuck up anyone who cross their paths.

On the other hand, Straight-Edge Hardcore Kid often illicits nothing other than giggles from his peers should he threaten anyone. These kids, usually high-schoolers, practice the beliefs of Ian Mackaye, namely foresaking drinking and drugs in favor of wearing cutoff denim shorts and straight-edge X’s (Fig 3). These guys are often ridiculously skinny, and many of them favor boat shoes or Keds. Though these kids are “Out of Step with the World”, they can be found at many Hardcore shows mixed among the Big Hardcore Guys and Girls, maintaining edge.