An Overview of the Punk and New Wave Movement of the Late 70s in the UK and the USA Essay Example

English audiences were more aggressive compared to conservative crowds in America. They danced, spat, slammed, and jumped to bands like The Clash, The Stranglers,, Siouxsie Sioux , The Slits ,and of course,the Sex Pistols . London was facing economic collapse during this time with many people relying on government welfare. The younger generation had lost hope for their future and were angry at an established order that had failed them. This frustration was reflected in the driven and politically charged music of the punk movement. Prior to punk rock's emergence,British youth were searching for a soundtrack that could express their feelings.When punk rock finally arrived,it sparked a culture war with its electrifying sound.Whether you boarded or not,the train was leaving without you

The roots of punk rock emerged in the 60s when young musicians, coming from various class backgrounds and musical exposure, were growing up. The impact of The Beatles on people during the 60s was significant, including many future punk rockers. Penny Rimbaud, drummer for Crass, looked back fondly on them, stating "What the Beatles did was to confirm the political element. John Lennon made me realize that I could have a voice of my own. Prior to that, it seemed you needed a university degree or knowledge in philosophy to have an opinion, and I always had opinions but was silenced. Lennon and The Beatles helped me understand that my own opinions were just as valid as anyone else's" (Robb, 2006, pg 11). Sharing a similar perspective was Steve Diggle, guitarist for Buzzcocks, who stated "I grew up with The Beatles, The Stones, early Who, and Bob Dylan. Then when I was

fourteen, I got into the Velvet Underground and the psychedelic movement... Townshend was smashing guitars, and The Stones and The Beatles were discussing things that your parents couldn't teach you - that subculture was present. All of this made me politically aware of certain issues such as the environment and frustrations in life" (Robb, 2006, pg 13).

In the early 70s, glam rock and progressive rock were popular, while punk rock was still on the horizon. Pub rock, which brought rock 'n' roll back to its roots in smaller venues in London, had an influence on punk. Various bands emerged in 1972 with different styles such as Bees Make Honey, the Winkies, Kilburn and the High Roads, Help Yourself, and Ducks Deluxe. However, it was later that influential bands like Dr. Feelgood and Eddie and the Hot Rods played a more stripped-down style of rock 'n' roll. These bands played a significant role in shaping key players in punk rock. Wilko Johnson from Dr. Feelgood recalls their journey: "For eighteen months we played little local pub gigs...until somebody told us about this pub rock thing happening in London." (McNeil, 1997, pg 21).

By the mid-70s, a revolution was brewing. In both America and Europe, influential figures in the punk scene were forming bands and discovering their unique sound. In New York City, the New York Dolls and Patti Smith were at the forefront of creating a punk scene in lower Manhattan by performing at the CBGB club. For purists, Iggy and the Stooges set the standard as the first and best punk act. Their music was raw, intense, and unapologetically honest, inspiring countless bands that

followed, such as the Ramones and the Damned. Unfortunately, Iggy's charm and coherence were marred by his drug use, leading his band to decline. Nevertheless, their impact had already paved the way for what was to come. In the summer and early autumn of 1975, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock, and Paul Cook were determined to transform their band from a 60s retro act covering songs by The Who and Small Faces into the most exhilarating hard rock band of the decade. After auditioning several inadequate singers, they stumbled upon a peculiar red-haired kid who seemed constantly high on acid. According to Steve Jones, he was "the best thing in the group." That kid would later be known as Johnny Rotten, and the rest is history (Wolter, 2006).

In 1976, the pub rock scene witnessed the emergence of a new wave of bands. The Stranglers, who were already established as pub rockers, began to adopt a darker and deeper sound, reminiscent of the Doors but with a faster pace. Meanwhile, the Ramones were gaining a devoted following of disillusioned youth as they toured across the United States. In the UK, the Sex Pistols burst onto the scene, performing in small venues and strip clubs with Johnny Rotten as their relentless lead singer. Their first gig, which took place at the Marquee as the opening act for Eddie and the Hot Rods, received their first live review in the NME titled "Don't Look Over Your Shoulder But The Sex Pistols Are Coming." The review, by Neil Spencer, included a brief interview with Steve Jones who famously stated, "Actually we're not into music. We're into chaos." Shortly

after, on July 4th 1976, a band formerly known as London SS made their debut as the Clash when they played alongside the Pistols at the Black Swan in Sheffield. Mick Jones of the Clash later recalled, "Things were starting to happen, there was a vibe – everybody could feel something was going to happen and people wanted to be part of it. It got bigger and more people got into it." Just two days later, on July 6th, another new group called the Damned made their debut supporting the Sex Pistols.The gigs were becoming packed with rebellious youths sporting torn tartan, spiked hair, leather, and safety pins. They enthusiastically threw themselves at the stage when their beloved punk band performed, eliciting fear from parents and conformists. The country was officially being swept by the punk movement.

In 1977, a wave of punk bands emerged, causing a media frenzy. The Sex Pistols, led by Sid Vicious, stirred controversy in the UK with their TV skirmish and provocative single "God Save the Queen". Meanwhile, The Damned paved the way by being the first punk band to release a single and album. The Clash, Siouxsie ; the Banshees, the Stranglers, Buzzcocks, and Generation X burst onto the scene, playing major gigs in London as record labels signed them. In the USA, punk spread nationwide thanks to the Ramones, Blondie, and the New York Dolls. Albums like "Leave Home" and "Rocket to Russia" were released by the Ramones while the Sex Pistols topped the charts with their controversial album "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols". Additionally, in December of that year, one of the first books about

punk rock was published.Titled The Boy Looked at Johnny: 'The Obituary of Rock 'n' Roll', the text was authored by Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill. It asserted that the punk movement had already ended ("Punk Rock," 2001).

The year 1978 marked the end of the initial punk movement for two main reasons. Firstly, the breakup of the Sex Pistols during their American tour in January led to the decline of a significant part of the subculture. The Pistols were considered the essence and epitome of punk, and their disintegration contributed to its decline. Secondly, there was a natural progression in musical styles. Punk had limitations due to its reliance on three chords and a rebellious attitude. This prompted many key figures in the movement to move on or revert to their previous musical interests. This transition gave birth to the post-punk scene where some musicians ventured into creating truly innovative music. Johnny Rotten observed that punk became conservative and lost its initial liberating essence as it gained mainstream attention and media portrayal by those who didn't fully understand it. T.V. Smith also recollects that bands like the Clash and Buzzcocks had their distinct expressions and ways of self-expression.

According to Robb (2006, pg 410), after six months, there were numerous bands wearing leather jackets and imitating the Ramones by being aggressive and playing everything at an extremely fast pace. However, Robb does not consider this as a form of creativity, but rather as mere imitation.

Despite claims that "punk is dead," its influence remained significant and never completely disappeared. Instead, it transformed and evolved in different directions as individuals added their own interpretations. This

evolution gave rise to new wave, a genre that incorporated characteristics more akin to pop music rather than the avant-garde or hardcore elements found in other post-punk genres. New wave emerged in the early 1980s from what remained of punk and was labeled anew as bands and musicians drew inspiration from punk and took the sound to new levels. The incorporation of synthesizers, electronic production, and catchy melodies set new wave apart from other post-punk movements (source: "New wave music," 2001).

Punk rock had a short-lived reign of terror but had significant repercussions. It gave rise to new wave bands like Sonic Youth and Social Distortion and influenced the heavy/thrash metal boom of the early 80s, bringing us refined versions of punk's explosive attitude through bands like Pantera, Metallica, and Slayer. Even modern punk continues to thrive with bands like Green Day and the Offspring, who sell out stadiums worldwide playing the sound that was pioneered 30 years ago. Music has always had a rebellious spirit, with artists like the Stones and Elvis connecting with the youth in ways traditional music couldn't. However, punk rock changed everything by unleashing raw emotion and explosive anger in an emotional and angry generation, leading them to rebel against the establishment and create anarchy. This chapter of music will forever resonate in pop culture's metaphorical ears.

The Dead Kennedys were formed in California in 1978.

The emergence of Dead Kennedys (often written without a ‘The’) in 1978 marked the beginning of the American punk rock movement. Based in San Francisco, California, they were among a wave of new bands that arose following the decline of the

original UK punk scene. The Dead Kennedys gained attention for openly expressing their political views, with lead singer Jello Biafra openly criticizing the Reagan administration and various aspects of American culture throughout the 1980s. Regarded as pioneers in American hardcore punk, they also left an impact on the UK music scene by building a dedicated underground fan base and securing a significant place in punk rock history.

The DKs were formed in San Francisco in June 1978. The band consisted of Biafra as the vocalist, Klaus Fluoride on bass guitar, East Bay Ray on guitar, and Bruce Slesinger (Ted) on drums. Biafra had recently moved from Boulder, Colorado to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz but was captivated by the punk scene in San Francisco. He decided to leave school and relocate there after being influenced by local bands like Negative Trend that incorporated political ideologies and "cultural terrorism" into their music (Turkington, 2004). It was in San Francisco where Biafra first met Will Shatter, who played bass for Flipper but unfortunately died from an overdose seven years later. Will suggested that Biafra start a band since he himself had joined one after only three days of playing bass (Turkington, 2004, para 3).

Jello responded to East Bay Ray's advertisement for band-mates in The Recycler. Along with Klaus and Ted, they recorded their first demos, which included an early version of California Uber Alles. In mid-July, the band performed their first show at Mabuhay Gardens, a Filipino restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach. The venue was known for hosting punk bands for almost a decade. Their on-stage performance was a chaotic mix

of theatrics. The band's style combined loud and fast hardcore with elements of psychedelic, garage rock, and rockabilly. Some described them as a blend of the Sex Pistols and the Ventures, an instrumental rock band from the 60s (Reynolds, 2005, pg 62).

DKs gained a significant underground following by performing numerous shows at local venues. They often had to use alternative names like "the Sharks," "the Creamsicles," and "the Pink Twinkies" due to the controversy surrounding their actual name ("Dead Kennedys," 2001, para. 2). The band's name caused a major uproar. In November 1978, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle criticized them, stating, "Just when you think tastelessness had reached its lowest point, along comes a punk rock group called the Dead Kennedys, who will perform at Mabuhay Gardens on Nov 22nd, the anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination despite growing protests" (Caen, 1978). However, Biafra clarified that their intention behind choosing the name was not to insult the Kennedy family but rather "to draw attention to the demise of the American Dream" ("Dead Kennedys," 2001, para. 2).

In 1979, DKs gained attention once more as Biafra campaigned for mayor of San Francisco with the slogan ‘There’s always room for Jello’. He secured over 6,000 votes and came in fourth among ten candidates. However, the city promptly passed a law forbidding individuals from running for mayor under 'silly names' (Turkington, 2004).

In June 1979, Dead Kennedys released their debut single "California Uber Alles" with the aim of criticizing California governor Jerry Brown and his perceived 'Zen Fascism.' The song gained popularity among underground music fans and was later released by Fast

Records in the UK. After this success, the band went on a successful East Coast tour. Unfortunately, some young fascists misunderstood the song and started using it as a slogan. This was not an isolated incident; Dead Kennedys faced similar misunderstandings with their later single "Kill the Poor," especially in foreign countries where the sarcastic tone of the song did not translate well (Turkington, 2004).

The Dead Kennedys released their first album, Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, in 1980 under the independent label Alternative Tentacles. This album achieved success by reaching number 33 on the UK albums chart and their subsequent European tour further solidified their reputation as a top hardcore band in the punk scene. Despite their accomplishments, major record label Polydor Records approached the band for a potential signing. However, lead singer Biafra strongly opposed this idea. Eventually, Polydor changed their decision after discovering that the Dead Kennedys' next single would be called Too Drunk to Fuck. The release of this controversial song caused concern in the UK as the BBC feared its possible chart success and inclusion on Top of the Pops since it peaked at number 36 instead of breaking into the top 30 ("Too Drunk to Fuck," 2005).

In the years after, the Dead Kennedys released several successful albums, including In God We Trust Inc., Plastic Surgery Disasters, and Frankenchrist. Throughout these releases, their music evolved from hardcore to a more innovative jazz-influenced style, showcasing exceptional musicianship and dynamics that set them apart from other bands in the genre. According to Reynolds (2005), the band became a powerful political voice, opposing elements of American social and political life

such as the religious right and the wealthy elite. Their songs like "Moral Majority", "Nazi Punks fuck off", and "MTV Get Off the Air" solidified their position as spokesmen of social protest. However, their controversial stance led to legal trouble in 1986 when the California Attorney General charged them with distributing harmful materials to minors. The trial predominantly revolved around a foldout poster included with the Frankenchrist album, known as "Work 219: Landscape XX" or Penis Landscape, an illustration by H. R. Giger depicting nine copulating penises (Frankenchrist, 2002). After a year-long legal battle, the trial ended with a hung jury due to insufficient evidence.

During this time, the original Dead Kennedys disbanded due to their growing disappointment with the underground hardcore scenes and the increasing presence of stereotypical macho head-bangers and neo-Nazi skinheads. This shift was a result of thrash metal's rising popularity ('Bedtime for Democracy', 2003). The DKs found themselves performing for an audience that went against their principles, causing them to split up and pursue other interests. In November 1986, they released their final album, Bedtime for Democracy, as a means to express their frustration with the decline of the punk scene. This sentiment can be heard in songs like "Anarchy for Sale" and "Chickenshit Conformist". Following the breakup, Biafra made appearances on various television shows to discuss his political beliefs while the remaining three members pursued solo careers.