ABSTRACT
I have been extremely fortunate to visit several different countries and while abroad I enjoy seeking out subcultural spaces. While corporate globalization is easy to spot — McDonalds, Taco Bell, KFC — subcultural globalization is evident as well. As I browsed in a Brisbane record shop catering to punk and hardcore, I noticed the many similarities in fashions and even the musical styles between the US and Australia. I have discussed the merits of metal bands Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden in Costa Rica, and argued with a Costa Rican Star Wars fanatic over which film is the best. I saw Icelandic hardcore band I Adapt in a crowded Reykjavik cafe and gave some change to panhandling crust punks in Vancouver. In Peru, I was surprised by the popularity of the South Korean K-pop scene, while in Estonia I learned about Tallinn's underground raves. And at home in the US I've watched Japanese manga and anime subcultures gain increasing popularity. On top of that, straight edge kids from more than 20 countries such as the Philippines, Germany, Indonesia, and Brazil, have sent me emails since my book Straight Edge was published. Who could have predicted that over the course of 40 years or so that subcultures, even supposedly underground subcultures, would become so thoroughly global?
