Punk Rock

Punk Rock is a music style that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The movement stripped down the elements of rock music by using only essential instruments (one or two electric guitars, one electric bass, and a drum kit), and essential chords (generally less than 4 chords per song). Bass guitar lines are uncomplicated and generally no instruments have solos.

Punk rock songs are written in verse-chorus format -- although this is not a hard/fast rule -- and in common time. The lyrics are often political, rebellious, and anti-authority and many times are shouted rather than sung.

Ramones is generally credited with the establishment of the Punk Rock style. It has been said that the Punk Rock movement came about due to the "tameness" of so-called rock music at that time: From an interview with John Holmstrom, the founder of Punk Magazine:

                                           "I felt punk rock had to come along because the rock scene had become
                                            so tame that bands like Billy Joel and Simon and Garfunkel were being
                                            called rock and roll, when to me and other fans, rock and roll meant this
                                            wild and rebellious music."
                                            http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5263364.stm

Ramones self-titled album, 1976 Due to its lack of syncopation and simple rhythms, Punk Rock is not easy to dance to. This may have been one of the reasons for its limited commerical success. The Punk Rock dance was "the pogo," where the dancer jumped up and down in one place, with arms kept at the sides, like a pogo stick. Sid Vicious from "Sex Pistols" is credited as the creator of this dance style.

Punk rock fashion again seemed to be dictated by "Ramones" with their long hair, t-shirts, leather jackets, torn jeans, and sneakers, which supported the simple style of Punk Rock in general. It has been said that this fashion was a homage to 1950 American "greasers." The cover of the Ramones self-titled debut album (see right) by photographer Roberta Bayley, was an intentional fashion statement that soon was followed by many rock musicians, punk and non-punk.

Later fashion additions were safety pinks, bondage wear, metal-studded and spiked accessories, mohawk hair, tattoos and piercings.

LIST OF PUNK BANDS

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