NationStates Jolt Archive

So it goes. The era of Punk Rock. To me, it was the best period of Rock 'n' Roll history, both for the music and the scene. Though I wasn't born early enough to see it for myself, I have seen it through the eyes of others, in various documentaries and footage compilations. It was like nothing else before it. Pure, raw, unrefined energy. It was bold and outrageous in a time where Disco and dinosaur rock were king. It was new. It was dangerous. It was fun.

Many say that the movement died at Winterland in 1978. True as it may be, the movement did linger on for a while, and finally fizzled out. However, the music lived, with the Ramones, The Clash, the Buzzcocks, The Damned, and various other bands (the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, and the Misfits, among others).

In the end, it really is the music that matters, but for the sake of the thread's name, let's keep discussion in the first wave. Anyway, talk about your favorite bands from these first five years, about the way things were, and how they could've been.

Surely, you people have taste?

Yes I do. Those happen to be the years that Rush released their best CDs.

And I don't care for the bands you listed.

yes, it just takes effect a few years later, lol

There were much better things than Rush in the late 1970's. Simplicity can be better than complexity.

There were much better things than Rush in the late 1970's. Simplicity can be better than complexity.

It can, but it wasn't. This is self-evident. Have you ever heard 2112, A Farewell to Kings, or Hemispheres? Those ruin every band that you listed. Twice.

I have taste... poor taste...

It can, but it wasn't. This is self-evident. Have you ever heard 2112, A Farewell to Kings, or Hemispheres? Those ruin every band that you listed. Twice.

Pretentious, no?

We're talking about Rock 'n' Roll in its purest form. The way it was meant to be played. These bands didn't give a shit about "art". They wrote about whatever came to them, and it worked.

I do hope that you don't think those were the only bands from that era. There were hundreds, most of them being very obscure.

Pretentious, no?

We're talking about Rock 'n' Roll in its purest form. The way it was meant to be played. These bands didn't give a shit about "art". They wrote about whatever came to them, and it worked.

I do hope that you don't think those were the only bands from that era. There were hundreds, most of them being very obscure.

I don't. But that doesn't mean that Rush wasn't the best.

I don't. But that doesn't mean that Rush wasn't the best.

I'm not saying that Rush sucked or anything (I've seen some of their videos on VH1 Classic, and yes indeed, they are very good). I'm just saying that this 'movement' was far more important, and thousands of great songs came from it.

I havnt listened to very many punk rock bands from that time.

So it goes. The era of Punk Rock. To me, it was the best period of Rock 'n' Roll history, both for the music and the scene. Though I wasn't born early enough to see it for myself, I have seen it through the eyes of others, in various documentaries and footage compilations. It was like nothing else before it. Pure, raw, unrefined energy. It was bold and outrageous in a time where Disco and dinosaur rock were king. It was new. It was dangerous. It was fun.

Many say that the movement died at Winterland in 1978. True as it may be, the movement did linger on for a while, and finally fizzled out. However, the music lived, with the Ramones, The Clash, the Buzzcocks, The Damned, and various other bands (the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, and the Misfits, among others).

In the end, it really is the music that matters, but for the sake of the thread's name, let's keep discussion in the first wave. Anyway, talk about your favorite bands from these first five years, about the way things were, and how they could've been.I thought that time period was Disco... and that Punk Rock came in the early 80's...

I havnt listened to very many punk rock bands from that time.

It's quite an interesting thing to get into. I'll give you a list of the top bands you should listen to first.

Proto Bands
------------

Iggy and the Stooges
MC5
Velvet Underground
New York Dolls

First Wave
-----------

Sex Pistols
Ramones
The Damned
The Clash

I thought that time period was Disco... and that Punk Rock came in the early 80's...

I've noticed that a lot of people think that this is true. It's quite far from it.

The Sex Pistols started in 1972 as "The Strand", with Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Wally Nightingale. They rehearsed in Wally's garage until 1974, when they renamed themselves the "Swankers". Soon after, they kicked Wally out because he had overdosed on heroin. Steve and Paul had met Glen Matlock at Malcolm's shop, and he was a guitarist/bassist, so they asked him to join their band, and he did. They rehearsed in a studio Malcolm found for them, and they soon realised that they needed a frontman. They got that frontman in 1975, when John Lydon walked into Malcolm's shop. They "auditioned" him, and, as they say, the rest is history.

The Ramones started in a much more traditional fashion. Four high scool friends with nothing to do decided to start a band, and they did just that in Forest Hills, New York, in 1974. There's not much more to say, really.

It's quite an interesting thing to get into. I'll give you a list of the top bands you should listen to first.

Proto Bands
------------

Iggy and the Stooges
MC5
Velvet Underground
New York Dolls

First Wave
-----------

Sex Pistols
Ramones
The Damned
The Clash

Alrighty then, I will check them out and let you know what I think. ;)

I've noticed that a lot of people think that this is true. It's quite far from it.

The Sex Pistols started in 1972 as "The Strand", with Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Wally Nightingale. They rehearsed in Wally's garage until 1974, when they renamed themselves the "Swankers". Soon after, they kicked Wally out because he had overdosed on heroin. Steve and Paul had met Glen Matlock at Malcolm's shop, and he was a guitarist/bassist, so they asked him to join their band, and he did. They rehearsed in a studio Malcolm found for them, and they soon realised that they needed a frontman. They got that frontman in 1975, when John Lydon walked into Malcolm's shop. They "auditioned" him, and as they say, the rest is history.

The Ramones started in a much more traditional fashion. Four high scool friends with nothing to do decided to start a band, and they did just that in Forest Hills, New York, in 1974. There's not much more to say, really.true... but the style never really caught on until the very early 80's. then it became mainstream and thus the start of the Era. but then again, Hawaii always was late in the trends.

true... but the style never really caught on until the very early 80's. then it became mainstream and thus the start of the Era. but then again, Hawaii always was late in the trends.

You're kidding, right?

The Sex Pistols were extremely popular and considered very dangerous in Europe. What you're talking about is the American side, which really didn't have much going for it until the 1980's. The European scene was in full force by 1977.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~samhain/summerofhate/

This is all about the Sex Pistols' tour of Scandinavia. It'll show you just how big they were (well, not completely).

You've got the Pistols, The Clash, Souxsie and the Banshees, The Damned, the Buzzcocks, and many, many others. The American scene was quite small compared to the one in Europe, with the Ramones being the only band with a sizeable following.

How come cocksparrer never get no credit? Were they not the first real punk band? I think they should get credit even when I saw them half their fans were all sieg heil!

My favorite early bands: Crass, Subhumans, DOA, Dead Kennedys although they were more late 70s.

You're kidding, right?

The Sex Pistols were extremely popular and considered very dangerous in Europe. What you're talking about is the American side, which really didn't have much going for it until the 1980's. The European scene was in full force by 1977.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~samhain/summerofhate/

This is all about the Sex Pistols' tour of Scandinavia. It'll show you just how big they were (well, not completely).

You've got the Pistols, The Clash, Souxsie and the Banshees, The Damned, the Buzzcocks, and many, many others. The American scene was quite small compared to the one in Europe, with the Ramones being the only band with a sizeable following.As I said, in Hawaii... we get trends last. Really, our radio stations were still playing 60's songs in the mid 70's...

As I said, in Hawaii... we get trends last. Really, our radio stations were still playing 60's songs in the mid 70's...

Wow. That sucks.

Wow. That sucks.
That's life on an Island in the middle of the Pacific...

on the bright side... people from the smaller islands come here to get the latest thing... the BLUE JEAN...

Joking of course... :D

That's life on an Island in the middle of the Pacific...

on the bright side... people from the smaller islands come here to get the latest thing... the BLUE JEAN...

Joking of course... :D

And Spam! Hawaii consumes more Spam than any other place in the world!!

Im sad. Im a 16 year old american, with no middle eastern background(that is anywhere near traceable, anyways), and the first thing the dates made me think of was the Iranian revolution in 1979...

And Spam! Hawaii consumes more Spam than any other place in the world!! :D
http://www.hmsa.com/risingcost/feature/part3/images/spam_musubi.jpg

Oh, don't forget about the Rich Kids, a very obscure band started by Glen Matlock after he left the Sex Pistols in March of '77. Ghosts Of Princes In Towers is their flagship song, and it is excellent.

I'm listening to it right now, as a matter of fact.

I'd always heard it died when the Sex Pistols officially sold out.

They never "sold out".

I like those prepunk bands better but I used to listen e.g. Crass as a teenager. The Fall is also great.

1974-1979 was also the ... *shudder* ... disco years.

Rock and Roll acheived perfection in 1974 and died slowly until its final demise in 1976 by corporate takeover.

Oh, and all your punk are belong to The Ramones. To think otherwise is foolish.

Naw, the DK's were punk at it's finest. It's all downhill from there.