The Ramones were one of many bands that exploded onto the scene in mid-1970s New York City, using the iconic CBGB club as their home base. They played faster, louder and dumber than anything that people had seen before, and they were hugely influential to later punk bands.
Other influential individuals & groups: Patti Smith, New York Dolls, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Television
London CALLING
The London punk scene in the mid-to-late 70's consisted most notably of two groups: The Sex Pistols and The Clash. The Sex Pistols' obscene and often accusatory lyrics led to a pattern of concerts interrupted by local authorities, most of which ended in chaos. The Sex Pistols are, along with the Ramones, considered to be among the originators of Punk.
CALIFORNIA SCREAMING, Part I
The Cuckoo's Nest, located in Costa Mesa, CA, was a nightclub thats origins date back to 1976 with the first punk slam pit. Created to form an environment where punkers could escape the suburbs and come home to their “element,” the Cuckoo’s Nest served as the main punk venue for Orange County and Southern California. If not for owner Jerry's Roach's creation of the Cuckoo’s Nest, bands like Black Flag, Bad Religion & Circle Jerks simply would not have a home for their art.
Diaspora: Punk across the U.S.
Bad Brains Hometown: Washington, DC Formed: 1977 Sample song: "Banned in D.C."
“The Alternative Music Foundation,” more commonly known as 924 Gilman Street (Berkeley, CA), is one of the most iconic venues for punk. These spaces offered an alcohol- and drug-free stage for punks and punk fans alike to genuinely enjoy music. Famous punk bands like Green Day, Operation Ivy and Jawbreaker made their debut at the Bay Area's very own Gilman Street.
PUNK around the world
Punk is played around the world, with varying sounds and melodies derived from its artists taste and origins. Within the realm of punk, many subcategories are listened to around the globe. As punk grew during the late 1970’s and 1980s, it traveled globally to many different countries, allowing for the genre to prosper and to reach large fan bases.
Celtic Punk: The Pogues (Ireland) and The Dropkick Murphys (Boston, MA)
German Punk: Big Balls & The Great White Idiot (Hamburg)
Australian Punk: The Saints (Brisbane), Young Charlatans (Melbourne) and 5 Seconds of Summer (Sydney)
Russian Punk: Pussy Riot (Moscow) Japanese Punk: Shonen Knife (Osaka)
related genres
Numerous sub-genres of Punk established themselves following the late 1970's. Some include Hardcore, a faster, heavier and more aggressive version of classic Punk; Ska punk, a fusion of traditional punk and Jamaican ska forms; Deathrock, a form of Punk developed during the early 80's in which emphasis was placed on 'spooky' atmosphere; Riot Grrrl, a radical feminist takeover of the punk aesthetic; and Grunge, a hybrid form that emerged from Seattle in the early 1990s.
punk on broadway
Green Day's lead singer / songwriter, Billie Joe Armstrong, worked with playwright Michael Mayer to present a live adaption of the iconic Green Day album American Idiot in 2010. The show won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and performed at the Tony Awards. The cast appeared on numerous other prestigious events and eventually toured across the country.
Mission statement
Punk matters because it was a significant global movement that began in the 1970s and continues to this day, although it’s less evident now than at certain points in the past. The punk culture and its music gave youth an outlet to express themselves and their frustrations with society, and much of the music and aesthetics we see today are a direct or indirect product of the original movement. The concept of ‘Punk,’ although not necessarily as noticeable as colorful mohawks or supersonic rock and roll, can still be glimpsed amongst global and nationwide social issues. Punk, built on opposition to the norm, a rejection of homogeneity and conventionality, can even be sensed in the smallest of interactions at Berkshire School. Is ‘Punk’ cool? Or is it the opposite?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
GETTING PUNK would like to thank: Mrs. Bullock for letting us learn together; the staff at Last Vestige records for their discernment and erudition; all those who contributed to punk topics on wikipedia, the world's first e-punk encyclopedia; Mrs. Bush & Mrs. Riva for hooking us up with a van; and Mr. McCabe, Liam Bullock & company for firing up the sound system before we ever got to 212.