TO MANY PEOPLE 'punk' means mohawks and spiky leather jackets, but for others, such as American band Bouncing Souls, it's more a state of mind.
'Punk is about doing what feels right, no matter what other people think,' says Greg Attonito, a singer for the New Jersey outfit. 'It's about walking through life with your own twist on things that is individual to you alone. You can be an accountant who isn't like any other accountant and be satisfied with doing it your own way. That's punk. It has nothing to do with music or clothing to me.'
This attitude has stuck with the Bouncing Souls throughout their rise from high-school band to one of the most notable acts on the US punk scene. They have released six studio albums, headlined the Warp Tour and played with such bands as the Alkaline Trio, 7 Seconds and NOFX.
Attonito and Pete Steinkopf (guitar), Bryan Kienlen (bass) and Michael McDermott (drums) are bringing their steady mix of punk, pop and hardcore to Asia, appearing in Australia and Japan and tonight in Hong Kong for the first time at the Warehouse in Aberdeen.
'We met when we were kids in our home town of Basking Ridge, New Jersey,' says Attonito. 'We shared a rebellious attitude and love for music. We just starting playing cover songs at parties and enjoyed having a good time our way. We haven't really stopped since then. We're still playing in our high-school band, but now we'll be playing in China. How cool is that!'
But the band that took their name from Dr Martens boots' slogan wouldn't be where they are without a steady output of rock-solid punk records. Their 1994 album, The Good, the Bad and the Argyle, in particular, provided the soundtrack to many a US teenager's life. The punk spirit is definitely there, but a sense of humour is obviously also important to the Bouncing Souls.