Punk rock developed between 1974-1976 in the US, UK, and Australia as a reaction against corporate rock bands. Punk bands created fast, hard-edged music using stripped-down instrumentation and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. In New York, bands like the Ramones and Blondie played regularly at CBGB's, while in London, the Sex Pistols attracted controversy with their provocative performances and lyrics. Punk fashion, spearheaded by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, emphasized individual style over mainstream trends.

1. Music & Society
Punk Rock
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Chris Baker

2. Punk

3. Punk Background
• The beginnings furiously debated.
• Developed between 1974 and 1976 in the U.S, U.K &
Australia.
• Garage Rock precursor to Punk.
• Punk rock bands eschewed excesses of 1970’s rock.
• Punk bands created fast, hard-edged music.
• Typically, short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and
often political, anti-establishment lyrics.
• Many bands self-produced recordings and distributed them
through informal channels.

4. Punk Ethos
• Accessibility and DIY.
• Contrast to the ostentatious musical effects and technological
demands of mainstream rock bands.
• Musical virtuosity looked on with suspicion.
• 1976 English fanzine Sideburns publish illustration of three
chords, captioned "This is a chord, this is another, this is a
third. Now form a band.”

5. Punk Background
• The mid to late '60s saw the Stooges and the MC5 in Detroit.
• Because they didn't know the rules of music, they were able
to break the rules.
• The Velvet Underground, managed by Andy Warhol, were
producing music that often bordered on noise.
• They were expanding the definitions of music.
• The final primary influence is found in the foundations of
Glam Rock.
• David Bowie and the New York Dolls were dressing
outrageously, living extravagantly and producing loud trashy
rock and roll.

6. Punk New York
• Mid 70’s in New York The Ramones, Johnny Thunders and the
Heartbreakers, Blondie ,Talking Heads, Television & Patti
Smith were playing regularly at CBGB’s Club.
• Bands had camaraderie, and shared musical influences.
• All go on to develop their own styles and many would shift
away from punk rock.

7. Punk London
• Political and economic roots.
• Unemployment rates, all-time high.
• Youth were angry, rebellious and out of work.
• Scornfully rejected the political idealism and Californian
flower-power hippie myth.
• Strong opinions and a lot of free time.

8. Punk Fashion & Malcolm Mclaren
• Malcolm McClaren returned to London from the U.S. where
he had tried to reinvent the New York Dolls to sell his
clothing.
• Kings Road clothing co-owned with Vivienne Westwood
named SEX, was building a reputation with outrageous "anti-
fashion”
• Found youths who worked and hung out in his shop to be his
next project.
• The Sex Pistols, developed a large following very quickly.

9. The Sex Pistols
•Sex habitué, Johnny Rotten, auditioned for and won the job.
•First gig November 6, 1975 St. Martin's School of Art.
•Attracted a small but ardent following.
•Guitarist Steve Jones declared that the Sex Pistols were not so
much into music as they were "chaos”
•Often provoked its crowds into near-riots.
• Rotten announced "Bet you don't hate us as much as we hate
you!”

10. Bromley Contingent
• Fans of the Sex Pistols - young punks known as The Bromley
Contingent.
• They were at the first Sex Pistols gigs, quickly realized they
could do it themselves.
• The Bromleys formed a large portion of the London Punk
scene, including The Clash, The Slits, Siouxsie & the Banshees,
Generation X (fronted by a young Billy Idol) and X-Ray Spex.

11. Punk Instrumentation
• One or two electric guitars, electric bass, drum kit, with
vocals.
• Songs shorter than those of other popular genres.
• Vocals sound nasal, and lyrics are often shouted instead of
sung.
• Production often minimalistic, sometimes laid down on home
tape recorders or portastudios.
• Objective is to have the recording sound "real,” capturing
"authenticity" of a live performance.

12. Punk Lyrics
• Frank and confrontational.
• Comment on social and political issues.
• Deal with unemployment and urban life.
• Goal to outrage and shock the mainstream.
• Sex Pistols disparage the British political system.
• Anti-sentimental depictions of relationships and sex.
• "Punk was a total cultural revolt”

13. The End…………. Destroy