DIY in Punk Rock

“You must learn to live with your own conscience, your own morality, your own decision, your own self. You alone can do it. There is no authority but yourself.”

— Crass

“DIY” means “Do It Yourself.”

It is essential to punk rock.

You don’t need to rely on experts, big budgets, or mainstream acceptance. You only need to be yourself and take control of your own destiny.

It doesn’t matter what other people think. You are taking responsibility for what you want to do. If you have something to say, then say it. Make art on your own terms. Rather than compromising your values, express yourself with the greatest freedom.

You can record an album out of your basement. You can photocopy a hundred copies of your next anarcho-punk zine. You can play a show at an abandoned warehouse and charge only a few bucks to get in. You can write a book on space aliens and the consequences of imperialism.

DIY can be a form of grassroots activism. It can build up from local communities until reaching a wider world. Everyone can play a role, whether they are organizing underground…