Jews and punk. Two words that can seem contradictory, and yet…<\/p>\n
In the preface of his book Oy oy oy gevalt ! Jews and Punk<\/em>, Michael Croland<\/strong> shows the similarities of these two worlds through this simple word \u201coy\/oi\u201d. The first \u201coy\u201d is a common Yiddish word that roughly translates to \u00ab oh ! \u00bb<\/em>. It expresses dismay or disbelief, sometimes sarcastically. It can be used on its own and in such sayings as \u00ab oy vey \u00bb<\/em>, \u00ab oy gevalt \u00bb<\/em>, \u00ab oy oy oy \u00bb<\/em>. The second \u201coi\u201d is a punk slogan rooted in the British working class and heard at soccer games in the United Kingdom. It became associated with skinhead bands in the late 1970\u2019s, sometimes with racist and anti-Semitic overtones. After digging through articles, websites, and old cassette tapes, Michael Croland compiled this absorbing ethnography of Jews in punk music, or expressing a punk attitude (non-conventional, rebel, outsiders…) through their art (music, video, zines…). He writes about these artists who claim their double identity, Jewish and punk: from the pioneer band The Ramones<\/strong> – including two Jews and two non-Jews, and which the opening track of their first album is called \u00ab Blitzkrieg Bop \u00bb<\/em> – to Moshiach Oi !<\/strong>, Daniel Kahn<\/strong>, The Dictators<\/strong>, The Clash<\/strong>, NOFX<\/strong>, Schmeckel<\/strong>, Yidcore<\/strong>, Golem<\/strong>, and Steve Lieberman<\/strong>, aka \u00ab Gangsta Rabbi \u00bb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Yishai Romanoff, the Jewish orthodox and lead singer of the punk rock band Moshiach Oi !<\/strong> explains, for example, that his song \u00ab Avraham was a Punk Rocker \u00bb<\/em> can be an anthem for Jewish punk : \u00ab Born into a society of lies \u2013 As a young man he came to realize \u2013 That everything around him was deceptive vanity \u2013 Avraham was the first one to break free \u2013 Avraham was a punk rocker \u2013 Smashing all the idols, yea, he never could be conquered \u2013 Thrown into the fire for daring to resist \u2013 Giving us a reason to exist…\u00bb.<\/em><\/p>\n Through many anecdotes and interviews, the followers of this strange sect show us that they found an understanding environment, after having felt outsiders or excluded from their communities, whether it\u2019s a punk or a Jewish community.<\/p>\n Learn more, browse the author’s website<\/a>
The music called \u201cOi\u201d has become a sub-genre of punk rock, that often has choruses doing \u00ab Oi ! Oi ! Oi ! \u00bb<\/em>, and that can be heard today in a variety of punk rock acts, wether they are racist or anti-fascist.<\/p>\n
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