Blake Schwarzenbach and the anxieties of American punk rock: 1991–present

Abstract

Abstract This article argues that Blake Schwarzenbach was a pivotal figure in the evolution of American punk from the early 1990s. Schwarzenbach’s journey as a punk figure has exemplified some of the interconnected ‘anxieties’ of this period relating to punk aesthetics and philosophies, authenticity and ‘selling out’, and the roles of literary cultures. Schwarzenbach’s music, particularly with his first major band Jawbreaker, has also consistently artistically engaged with these anxieties. I argue that Schwarzenbach’s life and work has much to say generally about the radical potential and limitations of American punk, and that it ultimately, and perhaps conversely, embodies the enduring value and appeal of punk as an idea – despite its various iterations, countless sub-genres, and the ever-shifting landscapes of its scenes.