From London’s mods to Southern California’s skaters Punk is easily recognisable through its heavy baseline, angsty lyrics and resistance to authority. It has sustained itself in many forms throughout many decades. There has been little focus on an all encompassing history of punk rock as it is so hard to pin down. Punk rock means different things to different people. Tom Hawking of Flavorwire once wrote that — “punk always pushed the idea of a sort of year zero fundamentalism that sought to banish all that had come before it” That is to a certain extent true, however all music no matter how unique its sound is heavily influenced by music which came before it. This can sometimes serve as an uncomfortable truth. The Music of the Clash or the Sex Pistols would probably seem Alien to a 1990s skate punk. Indeed many of Minor Threat’s original fans would scoff at Millenial Emo kids. In all forms of Music recording there is a tension between acts who remain in the underground and those who strike fame after making it on to MTV. To disown alternative acts is to disown some of the influential acts in History, and to disown acts who made it big is to discard those whose made outstanding contributions to their genre.
Early Pioneers of Punk Sounds.
It is true that the early pioneers of a punk-like sound did not set out to invent punk rock. All music being a product of what preceded it these bands played a pivotal role in shaping what would become Punk-Rock. A punk sounding rhythm can be found in the Kingsmen‘s cover of Louie Louie in the early 1960s. Punk rock legends the Ramones would cite All day and all of the night by the Kinks as the most important song in Punk Rock History. Amorous lyrics followed by strong Guitar beats the Kinks would inspire some of Punk’s most important bands over the next few Decades. Although famous for reasons other than Punk ,The Who’s mutinous hit “My Generation” embodied both the punk sound and the Punk spirit. On the other side of the Atlantic iconic Rocker Iggy Pop’s the Stooges released an innovative album ahead of its time with a punk rock Sound. Iggy Pop would then go on to work with David Bowie a pivotal figure in Punk-Rock history.
Seminal Song in Punk Rock History- The Kinks all day and all of the night.
The First Wave of Punk
At the tail end of the So called British invasion where over a dozen British bands changed the face of Rock N’Roll, the first wave of Punk grew out of a Subculture in London, England. This movement would serve as an anathema to the crass hendonism of the Rock n’Roll movement. Whilst mainstream Rock offered grandiose solos, punk offered hard subversive lyrics, whilst mainstream Rock was focused on supergroups, Punk was focused on DIY music in garages and small venues. With the song “hang on to yourself” David Bowie was both an inspirer and a player in the original punk rock movement. LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy declared him the original punk rocker” So many punk bands would spring out London, and the London accent would have a huge impact on how Punk lyrics would be sung phonetically.
The Bowie of the 1970s helped to shape the punk rock movement.
Punk rock was more than just a music scene it was a way of life. Punk was a Political statement against authority for disaffected youths against a background of Industrial unrest and rising unemployment. Punk was a also a statement of rebellion against established social norms. Fame didn’t stop many emerging Punk Rock stars from brushes with the law.
Sometimes Music making has to take a step back to make a step forward. The Ramones, whilst embracing the rawness of Punk-Rock were stylistically influenced by Retro Rock which preceded the Beatles. The Ramones would produce timeless punk rock hits covered by future acts decades later. The Ramones were nonetheless a divisive bands and were charged with having less artistic credibility than Richard Hell and Patti Smith neither of whom saw as much commercial success.
Malcolm Mclaren who sold raunchy outfits from a Record shop in London took a bunch of young men under his wing. Those men would become the Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols thrived on controversy and off stage antics. The lyrics of Anarchy in the UK lead to them being dropped from their Record label Although not a direct musical influence their style would set the tone for a underground movement in the United States.
The Sex Pistols arguably contributed more to Punk Rock’s fashion and image than its music.
The Sex pistols opened for Joe Strummer of the band the 101ers. Upon hearing their sound, Strummer would be inspired to set up a Punk Rock Band called The Clash along with Mick Jones and Paul Simonin. The Clash were an overtly Political Rock band, whilst the Sex Pistols were focused on tearing down the order, the Clash dared dream of a better society. Although their sound was much more holistic than the Sex Pistols and the Ramones, the Clash did more to proliferate the Punk Sound over the next few decades. As Punk itself began to fade from the mainstream the Clash would continue to enjoy commercial success through the 1980s culminating in their induction to the Rock N’Roll hall of fame. The Clash were no strangers to getting into trouble. Strummer had been arrested multiple times for petty crimes such as shoplifting and bar brawls.
Most strands of Modern Punk can be traced back to the Clash
The Jam, the first band of the now iconic Paul Weller had a very quintessential punk sound and were heavily influenced by the Garage Rock of the Kinks and the Who. Like the Sex pistols they achieved limited success outside of Britain and Ireland. However, unlike their fellow Englishmen they sported a very dapper image often playing gigs dressed in blazers.
A lamentable fact about Punk Rock is its ostensive domination by White Males. The influence of non white and indeed non male acts should not be written out of history. Rock n Roll band Death promoted an authentic and politicized Punk Sound
Detroit based Band “Death”
Punk had its heyday in the 2nd half of the 1970s. A victim of its own success in inspiring other forms of music, Punk was shoved aside from the mainstream when the 1980s arrived. However being confined to the underground didn’t kill the genre, the next decade would play a crucial role in shaping and diversifying the punk sound.
The 80s a crucial but untold decade of Punk Rock
MTV would have most people believe that Punk disappeared down a hole in the 1980s only to reappear shortly after Nirvana, but this could not be further than the truth. Although bands in its spiritual home Britain would play a less significant role, underground punk scenes sprung up all over the United States.
With support from major record Labels not forthcoming, the DIY approach was just as applicable to the distribution of punk music as it was it production. Epitaph records literally began life as a mail order service for punk bands, it would then grow to become one of the most important Punk labels of the 1980s and 1990s. Dischord records founded by the legendary Ian Mackaye followed a similar Business model. Dischord helped to proliferate an underground punk scene in Washington DC of all places. The acts signed to Dischord would not only shape the trajectory of punk rock, but also that of Rock music itself.
Labels commissioned by the Artists themselves were key to keeping Punk alive in the 1980s.
Fugazi would become the missing link between Classic Punk and the modern punk acts of the 1990s and beyond.
California
America’s most populous state would become a thriving scene for underground punk acts producing numerous acts that would have a key impact on the genre. Punk Music making did not exist in a vacuum. The 1980s in General is well known for schisms and diversification in music. Famous Punk band Black flag would borrow some characteristics from Jazz and Metal. In true Punk spirit they recruited their lead singer from their own fanbase. Henry Rollins who would later become a punk icon jumped on stage to sing with the band at a live performance, this led to him being kept full time as lead singer.
Black Flag’s sixpack combines the Punk angst with Heavy Metal’s fast Guitar
The Descendents helped to cultivate the self deprecating side of punk music while singing about the anguish and frustration of adults and adolescents, this would set a precedence for punk songs being anthems for disaffected youths. The Dead Kennedys on the other hand would focus their satire on the Political Order in the United States. Their name was a jab at America’s famous bereaved Political Family. The Band would rally against the Governorship of Jerry Brown, the Reagan Administration and the recently formed Religious Right. Political Conservatives would use obscenity laws to target the group. They would ultimately be prosecuted for lude pictures inserted into their 1985 frankenchrist album. Hard Rock influenced Bad Religion would gravitate towards the punk scene producing their own distinct sound. Although genuine Punk Rockers Bad Religion band members would become well know for their business acumen and intellect. Bad Religion guitarist founded Brett Gurewitz founded Epitaph records and their lead singer Greg Gaffin lectures in Evolution at UCLA. Bad Religion with go on to release albums in the 1990s even signing for a Major Label.
Hardcore Punk Gurus Bad Religion
Washington D.C.
Modern punk in and of itself is seen as something innately Californian, however this tells but a fraction of the story. D.C. would hardly stand out as fertile ground for Punk-Rock music. A contrived City not belonging to any State built entirely for the purpose of Government. It has large urban districts blighted by Urban decay and no suburbs to speak of. This didn’t stop Washington from producing some of the most important acts in Punk History tearing down old barriers and redefining the genre. Inspired by the Sex Pistols Jazz ensemble Bad Brains helped to create the Hardcore punk sound in the 1970s. The Band drew huge crowds in their home of Washington helping to sow the seeds of the local punk scene. Their success was limited by the lack of availability of their music. Ultimately Bad Brains would diversify their music style and focus on a Reggae and Metal sound. Their live shows did however draw a lot of attention which helped to sustain their reputation.
Bad Brains are living proof that punk is neither the preserve nor the historical creation of white people.
Drawing inspiration from both Bad Brains and his good friend Henry Rollins of Black Flag, Ian MacKaye the most influential musician you’ve never heard of got involved in the punk scene. After a stint with his colleague Jeff Nelson in the Slinkees, the two would set up the Teen Idles. Ian MacKaye was the creative force behind the band writing most of the lyrics. The Teen Idles were the first band to be released under MacKaye and Nelson’s own label Dischord Records. The Band’s tour of California effectively flopped breaking the band. However this did not deter Nelson and Mackaye who would go on to establish Minor Threat. Minor Threat would pioneer an unprecedented hardcore punk sound with many songs lasting no more than a minute. Like many punk contemporaries Minor threat espoused anti-establishment Politics. MacKaye having seen many of his youth peers fall foul of Drug addiction with create the “Straight Edge” movement. Adherents to “Straight Edge” refrain from Alcohol, Drugs and “Sex by Conquest”, a movement which still has a place within the Punk-Rock scene. Mackaye would spend some time in short lived proto-Emo band Embrace over the next few years.
Minor Threat with the short but hard hitting “I dont wanna hear it”
Dischord’s Rites of Spring had a curiously innovative approach to Punk Rock. Their lyrical style was more intensely emotional and introspective than many hardcore counterparts. Many commentators retroactively credit Rites of Spring as inventing the emo sound. The band would disband and reform over a few short years culminating in their union with Dischord founder Ian MacKaye to form Fugazi
Fugazi- Arguably the most influential band you’ve never heard of.
Fugazi refrained from cashing in on Punk’s revival in the 1990s opting to continue the DIY model devised by lead singer MacKaye. The band achieved recognition in music circles by way of credibility and influence. Fugazi got a glowing endorsement from Joe Strummer of the Clash who proclaimed Fugazi as the only band who got things right from day one. Fugazi also pioneered a proto emo sound influencing many modern pop punk and emo acts which seem so far astray from American Punk’s hardcore routes. Fugazi would become the missing link between Classic Punk and the modern punk acts of the 1990s and beyond. Fugazi’s reputation would last well beyond Punk Rock, with many world famous Grunge, Alternative Rock and NU Metal acts citing Fugazi as a major influence.
Part 2 will deal with the rise of Modern Punk from early 1990s skate punk to the mid 00s emo scene.
History of Punk 