Faster, Louder, Sharper: Hardcore & Straight Edge
By the early 1980s, punk was mutating. Songs got shorter, faster, louder. In suburban basements and crowded VFW halls, hardcore was born. From Black Flag’s chaos in L.A. to Minor Threat’s precision in D.C., this was rebellion at breakneck speed. And with one 46-second song, Straight Edge turned from a personal statement into a global movement. This is the story of how hardcore stripped punk to its bones, built a code of ethics, and rewrote the sound of defiance.