Community Building Through Do-It-Yourself Practices & Values in Bangkok’s Rock ‘n’ roll Subculture

Abstract

This article presents the practices and values among members of Bangkok’s rock ‘n’ roll subculture. Understanding a particular manifestation of rock ‘n’ roll practices, in a specifiscene and location, needs to begin with an analysis of both the similarities and differences it has with other, wider rock ‘n’ roll subcultural groupings. How do they relate and remain distinct from each other? In order to answer this question, four rock ‘n’ roll scenes cohabitating in Bangkok city are investigated, they are: metal, punk, hardcore/straightedge and rock. By analyzing the people behind these scenes it is possible to understand the ties and conflcts faced by the participants in these music scenes and their roles in the construction of a subcultural community evolving around independent music.