The American Influence...And What An Influence!

The Velvet Underground

Lou Reed
John Cale
Sterling Morrison
Moe Tucker
Doug Youle
Nico



The Velvet Underground were the seminal act that quite possibly had the biggest influence on what would later become the punk scene. While not a punk band themselves, it was the pessimistic, psychadelic music that they originated, and also the nihilistic and independent nature in which they went about making their music that would have the biggest influence in the punk rock culture.


Beginning in 1965 and playing as part of Andy Warhol's exhibition, "The Exploding Plastic Innevitable", The Velvet Underground would go on to release 12 records including their live and bootleg productions.









MC5

Rob Tyner
Wayne Kramer
Fred "Sonic" Smith
Michael Davis
Dennis Thompson



Beginning their musical careers in 1964 in Lincoln Park, Michigan, the MC5 also served as a major influence to the punk rock scene. The extremely energetic live shows these five young hippies were performing seemed to be the prototype for the similar performances we would come to expect from the punks.

While only recording three albums in their career that lasted until 1972, it was their first album, "Kick Out the Jams", that created such contraversy that it could well have been thier last. The title track off the album is infamously opened with Rob Tyner, the lead vocalist screaming, "And right now it'stime to...KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHERFUCKERS!!!" This did not sit well with their current record company, Elektra, and the album was pulled from stores to the bands disapproval and shortly after, ties with Elektra were cut.

The Stooges

Iggy Pop
Ron Asheton
Scott Asheton
Mike Watt
Steve Mackay
Dave Alexander (former)
Jimmy Recca (former)
Scott Thurston (former)
James Williamson (former)
Zeke Zettner (former)

The Stooges, as were the MC5, were also from Michigan. Beginning in 1967, The Stooges did quite a lot of touring with the MC5, however it was Iggy Pop's desire to form a whole new style of music instead of replicating everyone else that was his major motivation and drive.

Recording four studio albums, it was The Stooges second album, "Funhouse", that would make the biggest impact on the rock and punk scenes as well as the music scene in general. The Stooges did not do well commercially and this idea was used in the recording of "Funhouse". The album was recorded as a live studio album to capture the raw, live energy they were famous for. Unfortunately it was this characteristically wild behaviour of Iggy Pop that would lead to the bands destruction.

After recording "Raw Power", an album produced by David Bowie, the rest of the band could not co-exist with Pop's overriding heroin addiction and erratic behaviour and saw no other alternatives then to break up.





With tours alongside MC5 as well as being signed to the same record label, Elektra, The Stooges also had a record produced by The Velvet Underground's John Cale.

These three bands were undoubtedly at the forefront of the inspirational acts to assist in the unseen phenomena of the punk scene to follow only a few short years after their beginnings.
The impact these three bands have had on musicians of all genres is really only comprehendable when you look at those effected, so guess what? Here's a list:

Credited

• Lester Bangs
• Henry Rollins
• Kurt Cobain
• Jack White
• David Bowie
• Stone Temple Pilots

Covers

• The Sex Pistols
• The Birthday Party
• Sonic Youth
• Guns & Roses
• Slayer
• Joey Ramone
• Sid Vicious
• Red Hot Chilli Peppers
• The Damned
• Rage Against the Machine
• Jeff Buckley
• Pearl Jam

Punk in London

Punk in London is a film by German TV director, Wolfgang Buld, is a mediocre effort at capturing the events and happenings surrounding the discraceful rise and commercial collapse of the London punk scene circa '75. With only small interviews that seem extremely akward at times, the conceert footage of prevelant punk groups from the period are a saving grace for this doco. The most frustrating part of this production by far was the complete absence of any titles of interviewees or artists. One can imagine how frustrating this can be when viewing this for research reasons.Not to be to unfair, their were some interesting parts to this documentary. One of these was the establishment of a creative hub for the punk scene at the Roxy Club.




One of the biggest problems the punk scene was facing in its early days was a central gathering place. A venue was needed to house the up and coming punk outfits that were surfaacing out of London and the surrounding areas.



The Roxy Club was the brainchild of Andy Czezowski who was, at one stage, manager of the Damned. At the time of recording Punk in London, Andy was managing one of the "it" bands of the time, Chelsea. He explains how the present Chaguaramas, a struggling gay club in the run down London suburb of Covent Park, would be an ideal location to open a venue that this scene and music can call its own.







While it was a success in the true spirit of punk, it was ironically "screwed over by the man" as rent was to high for Czezowski to keep it open if he was to keep door prices down, so not to give in to the pressures of the commercial stigma facing this punk icon, it closed it's doors in April '78 with a fairwell party that involved drinking the remaining alcohol and completely destroying the joint. (F#@* the man!!!)


The punks of London, not surprisingly at all, were not received well by the general public. While this is fairly common knowledge, it is the rivalry that the London punks had with the Teddyboys that Buld strongly emphasises through this documentary. Many of the interviewees explained the unrest between the two sub-cultures as a way for the youth to express their energy due to the fact that there was no war occuring at that particular time...seriously!? I mean really, are they trying to compare this gang rivalry as a civil war happening in the seedy clubs of 1970's London?

The Teddyboys were a sub-culture that based their existence on their undying love for everything rock & roll. Yes this is quite similar to the punks, however while punk and rock & roll have evolved and moved on, the Teddyboys appear to have cemented themselves in time and refuse to evolve with their music. The Teddies claimed that the punks had simply taken rock & roll and made it crap (or fast?). This doesn't seem too far off the mark if you are to listen only to the music, but it seems as though the Teddies were blinded by their suits and shimmering hair to fully comprehend the extent to why these punks were doing what they were doing. An interesting subculture to research in its own rights, the Teddyboys were just as rough as the punks in nature, however not so tough in appearance. (maybe in the late 40's-50's?)

Welcome to the dirty world of Punk

"There's songs about cops, there's songs about killing yourself, there's songs about depression, there's songs about the women that leave. The Car has no breaks and we're flooring it! We're gonna hit something but so what!? It's Black Flag!"

-Henry Rollins ( Punk: Attitude)

What better phrase could be used to open a discussion on the ideals and motivation behind one of the most outrages and influential music scenes to happen in the modern era. Taken from the documentary Punk: Attitude, Henry Rollins, lead singer of the seminal punk/hardcore outfit Black Flag, gives us the perfect picture of what this culture and movement was all about.

This blog will cover the research I will be conducting on the Punk scene starting from the early days of The Velvet Underground in the States and The Sex Pistols in the UK, through to the departure of Johnny Rotten from the punk scene as he formed the post-punk pioneers Public Image Limited and hopefully everything between. Below is a short outtake from the above mentioned documentary that shows prominent members of the early punk scene expressing some of their views on the punk life.

While this is my first attempt at a blog I figure it's the perfect genre to discuss. If it seems to be a little amateur and raw then I can say that is exactly what I was trying to achieve as were the Punks. To quote the banter that occured between The Sex Pistols lead man, Johnny Rotten and a member of the crowd at their gig on January 21st, 1976:

Crowd: You can't play!

Rotten: So What!

Perfect...