It was a Music style created in the 70’s and the culture around it. Emerged in New York from 1974when concert hall goers CBGB and the underground scene (drug users, street poets, transsexuals and others) formed and supported bands that opposed to the pompous progressive rock of bands like Yes, which were very successful at the time.
In the United Kingdom, especially in London, the movement gained its own version, with iconic bands such as sex pistols It is The Clash. Over there, the emergence of punk coincided with a delicate political moment, which contributed to many bands criticize the government in your songs. In the early 1980s, the genre gave way to new wave and post-punk as the predominant styles of rock.
REBELS WITH A CAUSE
In opposition to the hippie movement, punk supported individuality and independence.
Angry Catwalk
The British group Sex Pistols was born in a clothing store, Sex, and its look was created by stylist Vivienne Westwood, who brought torn pieces, rivets, safety pins and erotic touches from New York. These trends and the encouragement of individuality spurred punks to come up with unique looks. Even the short hair was a manifesto: it opposed the long locks of the hippies.
Putting the genres together
Punk opened rockers’ minds to other styles. The Clash group, for example, took elements from reggae. Television, on the other hand, drank from the fountain of jazz and Blondie, from disco. At the same time, ska, a fusion of rock and reggae, stood out. And the communal vibe favored influential subgenres like hardcore and psychobilly.
facing the system
Punk was influenced, mainly in England, by the Situationist movement and by anarchist and socialist ideals. Most of the bands were made up of poor people, who didn’t see a future with the government’s actions. Superpoliticized, The Clash supported the rebels of the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua.
female presence
With its welcoming policy, the style made room for women. They went on to integrate and even lead bands – among the important names were Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and The Slits. But not all fans were as inclusive and not all bands with girls had a feminist discourse.
If you want it done right…
The DIY policy (“do it yourself”, or “do it yourself”) preached that musicians and fans did not depend on large corporations. From this ideology, independent record labels and fanzines emerged, which gained popularity and respect. DIY expanded into fashion and design – handmade posters, flyers and clothing were commonplace.
son of anarchy
The styles that replaced punk derived from it. Even some that came much later, like grunge (Kurt Cobain claimed that his band, Nirvana, was punk). He was also a founding member of the riot-grrrl and queercore movements, advocates for the inclusion of women and gay men in music. Today, it still survives as a musical genre and ideology, albeit with less prominence.
ESSENTIAL SONGS
The Clash – “London Calling”
Title track of a historic album, “London Calling” had lyrics that put a finger on the wound of the British
Sex Pistols – “God Save The Queen”
Legend has it that Elizabeth II herself forbade this song to reach number one on the British charts.
Ramones – “Blitzkrieg Bop”
The Ramones were the first true punk band and released several anthems like this one, from the first album
- The genre has also influenced literature and film, helping to launch independent artists such as director Derek Jarman.
- Inspired by the look of North American Indians, the mohawk began to be used in the late 70’s and became a symbol of the cause.
- “Punk” was a word that described call boys. It consolidated itself as a musical genre with the fanzine punkreleased in 1976
- The movement was the birthplace of moshing circles, in which members of the public throw themselves against each other. In the 80s, the version with only girls appeared.
IN BRAZIL
At the end of the 70s, during the dictatorship, our country also created its punk scene, which started in São Paulo and Brasília and later spread to other states. As foreign records were hard to find, fans recorded K7 tapes and shared. Groups like Cólera, Olho Seco and Aborto Elétrico followed the style and sound of foreign bands.
Read too:
– Who was the first Brazilian rock group?
– What was Tropicalismo?
– What’s the difference between rock and pop?
SOURCES Books The Encyclopedia of Punkby Brian Cogan, and england’s dreaming, by Jon Savage, and documentary Botinada – The History of Punk in Brazilby Gastão Moreira