What makes a punk band good

The best punk bands are constantly changing. Rancid, for example, has a different sound on every album. The 1994 album "Let's Go" is straight up punk. Immediately following, the 1995 album "And Out Come The Wolves" has more ska and reagee sound. in 1998 Rancid went strait up regee dub with "Life Wont Wait" and then just to prove everyone wrong they turned out their Rancid 2000 release that is straight up hard core.

To give an example of a now rappy punk band due to their INconstant change, is Dropkick Murphys. Their first release "Do or Die" is amazing. I don't think my mind was the only one that was blown after hearing bagpipes mixed with Boston street punk. Then their lead singer changed from Mike McColgan to Al Barr and since then every...cd...sounds...the same. I stopped listening after "The Gangs All Here" and since then "Sing Loud Sing Proud," "Blackout," "The Warriors Code," and most recently, "The Meanest of Times," all are the same cd.

Hearing people call bands sellouts reminds me of middle school. What do you care how much money a band makes? If it sounds good listen to it. If the band used to sound good and then they changed their sound when they signed to a different record label, then just listen to the old stuff that sounded good and don't listen to the new stuff that you don't like. Its that simple.
I like what lead singer Tom Gabel from Against Me! said in his song "Up the Cuts" on their newest album "New Wave,": "In MRR someone asks the question,
"With the instant availability of information
and content so easily obtainable
is the culture now a product that's disposable?"
All the punks still singing the same song.
Is there anyone thinking what I am?

I'm thinking what you are Tom, the Punks have preached DIY and anti-establishment for so long and now that the free distribution model created by the internet has made their music available for everyone the punks are putting a foot in their hypocritical mouths because their no longer making money.

Good punk rock doesent come from clown looking mohawks or dirt-bag looking denim jackets, its in the message. Good bands are those that have something to say that you relate to. Jeff Rosenstock of Bomb the Music Industry, in the song, "Stand There Untill Your Sober," on the 2005 "To Leave or Die in Long Island" sums it up well for me:

"So just one more beer, then grow up.
So just one more beer, then grow up.
So just one more beer.
Go to work.
Pay your bills.
Eat a dick.
One more beer, THEN grow up."

Anti-Flag sucks. OK we get it, its time to get organized and fight George Bush and solve the world with universal health care, do you have any thing else to say? Diddnt think so.