“It just felt that in small towns, at least in my geographical scope, every kid that didn’t fit, that felt there was something wrong, and was brave or bored enough to go and see what’s out there, would band together, regardless of what kind of music they were into, if they were emos, goths, punks, metalheads, rockers, rappers, bboys, skaters or just weirdos, we weren’t enough to scatter, we’d always gather in the same places and chat, dance, laugh, get drunk, plan parties or go out to poster the streets or graffiti the walls… and everywhere I went in the countryside I’d find the same energy.”
Some memoirs of a time and place with some pictures I have:
https://pirahxcx.neocities.org/journal#2026-03
And I wrote a bit more today too:
Re your quote: I’ve been saying the same about the small town I grew up in.
Now I live in another country and I’m much older but recently I went to a countryside punk festival, and it was the best experience I’ve had in a long time.
Added bonus to back then: they have a forum and folks from all over showed up.