Writing Punk Wheeler: Painting An Accurate Cultural Aesthetic For the Era & Why He's Queer-Coded Hardcore Punk
*Wrote this in regards to some choices made in Voyeuristic Wheeler (Fic)
The mainstream media's depiction of Punk / Counter-Culture in the 80s is normally over-embellished: excess piercings, giant mohawks (Ugh, Nikki from Tales From 85), and giant studded belts. The 80s were the 'Birthing Era' of DIY culture, which exploded across the East Coast, the West Coast, and the Midwest. Most films/TV continuously ignore the fact that it was in its infancy, and a reactionary movement to politics in conservative geographical regions, where most young people were not privileged enough to get away with loud attire without extreme social ostracization.
Mike Wheeler, coming from a Reagan family in rural Indiana, is a good example of a kid who IMO would have been a "subdued punk", in contrast to the louder kind of metal kids like Eddie Munson.
They could have chosen ANY band for Mike to adore via proxy to Eddie: Black Sabbath, Kiss, or ACDC. A metal band realistically heard on the radio... but they chose a relatively inaccessible noise-rock band akin to DIY culture: Butthole Surfers. It absolutely tickles me and intrigues me as a music history nerd. I think this says something about what he'd listen to in the summer of 1990, two months post-Fugazi's "Repeater" release.
Realistically, Wheeler isn't classic punk; he's a hardcore punk who digs noise rock. And it's in the queer lyrical coding of bands adjacent to the surfers.
I spent 10+ years playing in punk/hardcore/emo music. When I first got into the music scene. I didn't realize that my own concept of punk, hardcore, or DIY fashion, inherited from film/media as a kid, was wrong until I actually stepped into a basement show and started playing music with others at 19 (I'm 30). Luckily, I blended right in; Most "punks" did not sport over-the-top mohawks. You'd find one or two, but a majority's attire was understated.
When I saw the Stranger Things costume department dress Wheeler up in season 4 in a Hellfire Baseball-T, Converse, and black jeans (which mirrors a vanilla version of modern emo fashion, excellent decision for marketing), I nerded out. Even more so in season 5 during the WSQK scene with Robin, where they argue about music (Go, Mike, Go)
I think they got Baby Punk Noise Rock Wheeler DOWN. The lore of Nancy Wheeler convincing Mike to not do the mohawk? Extremely realistic. I myself loved all things DIY in HS, but dressed understatedly because that was the easiest way to signal counter culture while blending in, especially for someone who feared their sexuality being revealed in overtly queer-coded fashion. Icons like Fugazi's Guy Picciotto even sported chunky, layered sweaters similar to Wheeler. And it makes me think this boy would have been listening to experimental art punk like Fugazi, Sonic Youth, and SWANS.
The best reference for the evolution of punk culture will always be the book "Our Band Could Be Your Life", where I first learned in my early 20s about one of Mike Wheeler's favorite bands, "Butthole Surfers.". You can see what real punk fashion was from digging up any live video of the bands mentioned in this book.
So here are the subtle fashion indicators that were always consistent when sniffing out a fellow punk or DIY showgoer, regardless of era.
These included:
Chrome bags (in the 2000s)
High School kids with duct tape wallets
Working class boots for mid-20 somethings
Skate shoes like Vans or Volcoms for younger kids with no disposable income.
piercings (usually the ear or brow, one or two)
wallet chains
oversized flannel
buttons, patches, and pins, but not too many, usually obscured
Cargo shorts (in th the late 90s and 80s, BELIEVE IT OR NOT)
Cloth-based or studded cuffs/ bracelets
In the 80s, bootcut jeans were typically rolled at the cuff.
Plain oversized t-shirts or band Tees
Any pants in muted colors or black (Brown, gray, black, muted green)
mullets, or unkept hair generally. Anything a person could do themselves. Buzzcuts were common as well, but eventually less due to the sk1nhead association.
Accurate depiction of baby metalhead fashion in Detroit Rock City:
To this day, understated punk fashion remains relatively similar, but with tighter-fitting clothes due to the overlap of noise rock/emo.
Thematically, at the center of my fic is Fugazi's "Shut The Door":
It's about the self and waiting for someone else to make a hard decision for you. I think it's a good choice for Wheeler's sexual liberation via Will and the death of his past self.
"She's not moving, she's not breathing."
Although Ian wrote the song in regards to seeing friends die due to addiction, this can represent Mike's past self, Eleven's death, or even the death of Mike conforming to hetereonormativity. Not to mention, "I burn myself, I am the fuel" and "I tie my arm to be free" play into alcoholism / Mike's kink experimentation.
It's crazy that writing a gay fanfic and drawing gay fan art about a fictional character is how I choose to spend my time now (LOL late-diagnosed autism). However, I relate deeply to closeted Punk Wheeler and find his fashion/music choices fascinating. Life is strange, but I'll be damned if I don't write or draw my fic Voyeuristic Wheeler accurately, given the real-life experiences I've had navigating my own queerness through music.
Making an ongoing soundtrack here
