Being a fan of all things hard when it comes to music, I have all been a connoisseur of punk rock, hardcore, metal, and everything in between when it comes to the broad genres of music. I remember a time in my youth where there was a distinct separation of of these styles to the point of disassociation between the members of each scene, that even escalated to to the point of animosity and fighting. Fortunately, over many years, it has been a pleasure to see these walls crumble.





It really started to happen in the late '80s and as a result has yielded nothing but great music. But, the change plateaued for several years up until about 8 years ago. What really brought it home for me was a comment a friend made at a show not too long ago. A couple of guys with big, spiky hair came by us and one was wearing a Judas Priest t-shirt. “I guess metal truly is the new punk” my friend said. I agreed and that makes me very happy. Los Punks: We Are All We Have is a movie that I think amplifies this aforementioned idea.





The focus of Los Punks: We Are All We Have is the active punk scene in Los Angeles and the backyard concerts that keep this culture alive and strong. We get to meet some of the key players and hear their stories. There is a wide gap in all of these people's personalities, their struggles, and their goals in life. While, the struggle is definitely real with these kids, Los Punks: We Are All We Have really does show the drive they have to not only be a part of the punk community but their need to grow as people.





















Los Punks: We Are All We Have shows this grittiness of their world. While the family element is a fundamental part, violence is ever present, whether it is with outside forces or through natural infighting. Alcohol and drugs have always been a part of this environment too and fuels the organized chaos during these shows.





As I watched this though, the thought never left me of all these blurred lines as I talked about. This is the most interesting to me about Los Punks: We Are All We Have. This is also a point of frustration for me to a small degree. I would have liked to hear about the blurred lines that were very apparent as I watched the film. Regardless, Los Punks: We Are All We Have is a well rounded look at this scene, its awesome craziness, and its people.





Score





Scott W. Lambert











