For the punks, ska kids, (non-racist) skins, and hardcore kids, this one is for us. Many of us walked side by side with each other through years of chaos and struggle. It’s time to give credit where credit is due, and it’s far passed time to put this into writing.
Square Peg
Moving through life without a true identity was something that I was used to for a long time. I was able to blend in wherever I needed to. I knew how to navigate different social settings, but I never felt like I fit in well with any specific group of people. I knew I had anger issues, and I knew that I felt alone often when it came to the emotional torment I experienced quite frequently. I was able to make friends easily, and my sense of humor bailed me out of a lot of situations where I otherwise would’ve been forced to talk about my feelings.
About 22 years ago, when I was in middle school, I remember being introduced to this genre of music called Ska. This was my first experience with “alternative” music. It was fun and seemingly edgy at the time. It was something that put a smile on my face every time I listened to it. It also made me feel slightly rebellious; because my parents questioned me about what it was and didn’t necessarily approve of my music choices around this time. So, naturally, it drew me in even further.