The history of punk music

This is an abridged version of The Sound of History Podcast. For more context and more discussion about this episode, listen to the full-length episode wherever you get your podcasts.
This is a by no means comprehensive look at where punk came from and what it actually is.
Learn more about The Ramones: • The history of The Ram...
Learn more about The Pistols: • The history of the Sex...
Learn more about Television: • The dramatic history o...
Learn more about CBGB: • What happened to CBGB?
Learn more about Misfits: • The story of the Misfits
Learn more about The Clash: • The history of The Clash
#punk #ramones #cbgb #musichistory

[@Morphstock]

It wasn't Television singer Tom Verlaine who is often credited with creating the punk look, it was their guitarist Richard Hell who left early on and formed Richard Hell & the Voidoids.

[@Michael-rq3nt]

I went to London in the late seventies or early eighties with my family for vacation and to meet family there. I was around six or seven and I remember seeing this man with huge spikes for hair and they were half red and half blonde. He was wearing army pants and big black boots and he had several piercings with a chain wallet hanging off his belt. He looked so scary to me that I almost cried😂. His girlfriend had a rainbow wig on and a pink tutu with big black boots like her mans. My brother is five years older than me and was starting to listen to metal music so he explained to me why those people were wearing clothes like that and he also bought me a Stooges record which I left in London 😂😢

[@Morphstock]

So really this is just a history of US punk with a couple of minutes on the Pistols slotted in. A brief mention of The Clash, no mention of for example the Damned, the Buzzcocks , the Stranglers, Siouxsie & the Banshees, X Ray Spex, Stiff Little Fingers, the Ruts, Sham 69, UK Subs, the Exploited, Crass, Discharge etc - all significant bands in the history of punk.

[@haonyoass9556]

Chill it’s only a 20 minute video haha

[@Morphstock]

@@haonyoass9556 I'm feeling quite chilled thanks. But is it "only a 20 minute video" or is it "the history of punk". Asking for a friend.

[@mattjohn4731]

Just found your ch (watched the new wave video). These videos feed my youtube nerd persona haha, thank you. I recommend Zulu, MDC, Minutemen, Dils, Crass, Poison Girls, Slits, the Damned, Conflict, Alice Bag, DK, Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School Of Medicine

[@soundofhistory_]

Thank you! Some great recommendations - I’ll check em out

[@SunWuKongStaf1968]

First punk band 'Death', Death is an American musical group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1971 .

[@FionaKelleghan111]

Hi, Staf! I hit my teens in the 80s and grew up with my dad's staggeringly great rock library. Punk was a sizable part of it. I'm not familiar with Death. Which are their best couple of songs to begin with? I'm starting my day with Patti Smith's "Hey Joe," the Pixies' "Motorway to Roswell," the Clash's "Rudie Can't Fail," and Green Day's "Holiday." I'm not looking for angry music today, but rather some upbeat pop punk, if Death provides songs like those. Thanks so much for any recommendations. 🎸

[@SunWuKongStaf1968]

@@FionaKelleghan111 death was a band formed by 2 Black dudes, i think they we're Brothers. If you listen to a track from 1971 ' Politicians in my Eyes' it's not that agressive i'm 56 so when i do listen to punk it's Anarcho of Hardcore. But Death was so inovating they didn't even Know they we're playing Punk. It's hot this Devo-Crass vibe to it. Great docu on them in KZbin.A band called Death. So as far as Pop Punk goes Greenday and such are a cool way to get a new generation in to it. I hit my Teens in thé 80's as Well spent half in thé States and other half in Europe Belgium. Another great thing.to Explore and Also American ( for those claiming it's An English thing) is thé 60's Garage Punk scene. If you want some tips on that, i can help. But i'm no expert on pop Punk. Greetz.

[@FionaKelleghan111]

@@SunWuKongStaf1968 Thank you, you've provided great descriptions with just a few words. Of course (smacking my forehead) I can look for Death on KZbin. I'm familiar with English rock and punk, though the only "central" European song I know well is "Dragostea din Tei." Nice to hear from you!

[@peterdaigle4772]

I watched a doc about that band of brothers. Wild shit

[@SunWuKongStaf1968]

@@peterdaigle4772 Pretty amazing huh?

[@user-tt1qf5fg8b]

MC5 was the Architects of Punk Rock...😮

[@muzzboy]

Another great video. This channel is going to blow up soon, keep the content coming!

[@soundofhistory_]

Thank you!

[@legionseraphs4070]

I just found your channel and really enjoyed your Misfits video, was excited for this video, and did still end up enjoying it. But the second commentator basically admitting they weren’t very familiar with the music, culture, or history right off the rip, and then proceeding to laugh at those 3 things and make fun of it def brought down the enjoyment level for me a bit. Her opinions and feelings are valid, and she has every right to express them, but from a viewer perspective and Punk music lover it def took away from the overall value of the video. If the video intent was clearly to roast it would be different, but it felt like you put a lot of time and effort for the other person to laugh at you and us. Either that, or I’m a cry baby who took it too serious and personal.

[@soundofhistory_]

It's an abrdiged version of a podcast where I'm teaching my wife music history. So the premise is for her to not know anything about it. In order to turn it into a viable KZbin video, I have to cut out a lot which hurts the context and removes a lot of what she brings.

[@nomoretez]

You skipped MC5 and Dead Boys

[@brycesuderow3576]

I graduated from college in 1972. At the time we were listening a lot to Carly Simon and James Taylor, the nitty-gritty dirt band, Elton John, Emmylou Harris and Carole King. It seemed to me that rock ‘n’ roll had lost its way. It was becoming more and more countrified and less and less of a cutting edge. A few years later, around 1978, the groups that were popular in northern California were the Eagles, Maria, Muldaur, Eddie Money, and Olivia Newton-John

[@darthspade]

this is an awesome video, but it kinda bugged me whenever a new section is introduced and has a title referencing a song but a different song was played in the background 😭still loved it tho!

[@soundofhistory_]

Ha noted! Just trying out the chapters thing with these videos so that can be changed

[@anadraham2995]

Fuckin love when you 2 do episodes together - it's an extra treat 🎉

[@giffypopvids]

Love this format! just finding this channel. So insightful even as someone who loves punk music. Fun video

[@peterdaigle4772]

Malcolm "Cash From Chaos" McLaren

[@bigguys45s29]

Very nice! Would you be willing to do a History of Beck or History of The Cars episode one day?

[@soundofhistory_]

Definitely! Especially the Cars. I'd love to learn more about them.

[@boris1387]

No mention of pivotal clubs such as the A7 or Maxs Kansas City?? The Damned were also pumping out records before the Sex Pistols. The misfits first played in a club in Lodi, where they were from.

[@jonnybarnard8578]

The Damned are also a much better band than sex pistols lol it sucks how they also get kind of overlooked when talking about the first wave of UK punk

[@Morphstock]

Well, they released their first 7" a couple of weeks before the Pistols released theirs.

[@jeksixten5751]

I love Ska-Punk

[@Liquid_Alchemy]

Good content.

[@soundofhistory_]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@crypticcorgi8280]

I remember people telling me that punk originated from London. Is that not true?

[@kaikrowas]

Awesome vid! Can you do a video about T.S.O.L?

[@pissqueendanniella4688]

i dont know how it too me so long to fcind this channel but subbed immedately

[@KhurtKhave669]

As an old man who was around at the time, The Runaways were never considered punk (regardless of how Joan might like to spin things). They were just a standard 70's hard rock band (with a touch of glam), much closer to AC/DC and KISS, nowhere near the Ramones or the Sex Pistols sonically speaking. Great vid though!!!

[@peterdaigle4772]

I agree 100% They would fit in nicely with a possible Riot Grrrl video

[@Shadowbannddiscourse]

There's a lot of things you kind of left out.New York dollars definitely needed to be mentioned more than it was also post.Punk was kind of simultaneous with the whole.No way thing too even though they were both on 2 different shores.That was all punk rock back in the day no matter what

[@peterdaigle4772]

New York Dolls were mentioned via Malcolm McLaren. Also, they'd fit into a glam video. You might want to consider using your spacebar so as not to link and highlight. Cheers

[@brycesuderow3576]

I don’t think it’s a good idea to have these cartoon figures discuss rock ‘n’ roll. I liked it better when you narrated the velvet underground program, with a voiceover narration.

[@RogueSteel]

Same with the lady that adds nothing to the conversation. She de-rails and takes away from the history and discussion.

[@FionaKelleghan111]

I'm a cartoonophobe. I had to listen rather than watch. Great topic to wake up with!

[@peterdaigle4772]

It seems to me this video was quite early in the growth of this channel. I'm not a fan of quirky animation either, but then again, this is not my creation

[@mwright3471]

Bad religion definitely revitalised punk rock in 1988 with ‘suffer’

[@FactsBeFacts]

I think you forgot the band Death who released their punk album in 1975.

[@KhurtKhave669]

Yes! They deserve so much more credit. Even today they are still relatively unknown.

[@sociallypatterneddefect9580]

You left out a few bands 😆

[@soundofhistory_]

Yeah, it’s definitely meant to be super surface level haha

[@sociallypatterneddefect9580]

@@soundofhistory_ I been listening to a lot of gism that Japanese punk band recently Crass would be a good story All those anarchist bands on crass records I enjoy

[@terrenceliburd8655]

Rock started to take elements of R&B and soul, thus the creation of Punk and hard metal

[@alpoe4467]

Liked presentation. Please explain with the internet what's "The Underground/gatekeeping"? The net is a democratizer.

[@soundofhistory_]

I think there’s definitely still gatekeeping online. It’s the “your not a real fan unless you like [whatever band]” or “you can’t be punk if you like Madonna” or whatever. People don’t have to care about it, but it’s still there

[@Perceptionisreal]

Screamo is not a genre. Great video.

[@xp8969]

It used to be back in the mid to late 90's

[@Perceptionisreal]

@@xp8969 strongly disagree. Screamo was a defamatory blanket term used to describe anything with unclean vocals by know nothings who didn’t know the difference between metalcore, deathcore, post hardcore and to a lesser degree death metal. When people erroneously use the word screamo as a genre classification they’re basically telling you they don’t know anything about metal without telling you they don’t know anything about metal. All that said I’m certainly no gate keeper, call any type of music whatever you wanna call it. It’ll cost me the same amount of sleep which is none. Just know if you’re using the term you’re certainly showing your hand and being judged by some. Some who won’t necessarily even say anything about it. ✌🏼

[@xp8969]

@@Perceptionisreal sorry kiddo, I'm talking about before your time, screaming might have been used derisively by know nothings in your generation but back before metalcore was even a thing screamo most certainly was a thing and it was great

[@Perceptionisreal]

@@xp8969 please good sir list a few examples of these bands or songs that were this screamo genre prior to the time I was birthed in 1972. I’ll wait old timer.

[@KhurtKhave669]

It started in the early 90's, some of the east coast hardcore bands were tired of the violence and macho bullshit in the scene, lots of them in interviews (a friend used to have a hardcore zine at the time) said how they wanted to grow as a band, which included more emotional lyrics. They leaned into the new genre name emocore they were given by fellow bands. Though a lot of them were still just referring to themselves as hardcore, in the 2000's bands split off into what we now call emo with its variation in style, and though screamo was used as a derogatory term for those remaining emocore/hardcore bands, they also embraced screamo as their new genre name for a few years ( about 2004 - 2014). The biggest ones I remember at the time were Atreyu and Poison the Well. Somewhere along the line they decided that it was really just another name for metalcore (same breakdowns, same shitty stolen Iron Maiden/Black Sabbath riffs, same screaming vocals because they can't growl properly like the real metal kids, same lame emo lyrics) and I don't know of anyone using screamo as their subgenre anymore. I used to book and promote shows from 2002-2008 and owned a venue from 2007-2008 in Phoenix AZ, so that's how it rolled out on the west coast. May have been different in other parts of the country.