Minor Threat along with the Misfits and Fear were my entrance in to the world of Punk. Up until my six grade summer I was one of the faceless herd. I played school sports and did all of the "normal" white suburban things. Then I found skateboarding at a time when in my hometown anyone who did anything but play baseball was an instant outcast. Thanks to Tony Hawk, the Bones Brigade and Punk Rock I was on my way to being ostracized from "normal" suburban society. Keep in mind this was years before the X-Games, Pop Punk and underground culture being co-oped and commodified, packaged and sold at the mall.
I walked into my first day of middle school wearing green suede shoes, red plaid pants and a brown flannel shirt. Boom, outsider, why for being myself? Yup! The next couple years of school (before dropping out) could have been much more hellish, and for a lot of kids they are, but I was lucky enough to have Punk.
Listening to Punk let me know I was not alone, that my feelings were actually normal. School IS fucked up, society IS fucked up! It wasn't the outcasts like mt that were wrong, it was the rotten little rich kids with their cardigan sweaters and dock shoes who were the problem.
Punk lead me to Hardcore and Oi, and (with some help from my Dad) Reggae and Ska. To this very day not a day goes by that I don't listen to one of those forms of music. Read this great article below and if you've never listened to Minor Threat get your hands on some NOW!
-Chris
http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/the_influence_of_minor_threat_30_years_after_their_first_show/
