Important points about Punk!
- Punk was created in the UK (London) and the US (NYC) between the late 60’s and early 70’s. Punk focuses on fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs often political, and outrageous lyrical content.
- Punk was a statement: anyone could do it. And indeed, some famous artists couldn’t even read notes or barely play guitar. As a living paradigm of protest, Punk knew how to bring music back to the youth: raw, sincere, lo-fi, spontaneous.
- Punk goes back beyond the seventies: the concept of short, powerful riffs and brief, energetic songs.
- This is very similar to what happened in Jamaica around the same time: Punk and Reggae were brothers in arms, protesting against authority and returning music to the streets.
- Punk highlighted leather and pins. A culture of DIY and rebellion (drugs, vandalism, squatting, riots, graffiti) hence the name, “punks”: kids who are up to no good. And this is what has made Punk attractive during all these years. Just like Garage Rock and Grunge, Punk is raw: the shredded remains of all eclectic and “intellectual” Rock genres.
- But Post-Punk and New Wave use more extensive song structure, vocal range and instrumentation. What binds these different styles is the power of idea and a strong emphasis on the visual, particularly fashion.
- The genealogy of Punk and Wave starts with a scattered plethora of Punk subgenres, such as Queercore, Cowpunk, Gypsy Punk, Riot Grrrl, Celtic Punk, Street Punk, Art Punk, Oi!-Punk, Skate Punk, Pop Punk, Psychobilly & Horror Punk, Ska Punk,… Punk becomes almost a one-size-fits-all suffix.
- Punk Artists: The Ramones, The Misfits, The Clash and The Sex Pistols.
- Instrumentation: Rock band set up: (bass, drums, guitar, vocals).
Sites to reference…