Punk’s not dead in military-ruled Myanmar FEATURE 01/22/2010

Punk’s not dead in military-ruled Myanmar FEATURE 01/22/2010 YANGON — The singer smashes his guitar to pieces on the stage as thousands of spiky-haired punk fans cheer loudly — a rare display of countercultural exuberance in military-ruled Myanmar. At this concert in a land where all song lyrics must be submitted to the regime’s censors, there are no openly anti-establishment messages from either the musicians or the crowd with their dyed blond, blue and red locks. But as the band launches into the next number, a raw release entitled “I Want To Kill You!,” fans moshing at the open-air park in the former capital Yangon say they want the freedom to express themselves. “As a punk, I do whatever I want!” says 16-year-old Ko Pyae, dressed head-to-toe in black and sporting smeared black eye shadow — the unofficial uniform of punks and goths all around the world.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20100122com6.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Erap unbound FRONTLINE Afraid of Erap ZOOMING IN Wrong timing, wrong endorser, wrong party NO HOLDS BARRED Options DIE HARD III National destiny unfolding FEATURE Punk’s not dead in military-ruled Myanmar