Punk
. Hereon, the use of the vague term ‘proto - punk’ will be avoided. It is unhelpful in a discussion of the 1960s, since the entirety of garage rock could (and has) legitimately been allocated said term. Furthermore, ‘proto - punk’ is a retrospective allotment, which aims to create a neat narrative for punk’s evolution, but in doing so, fails to recognize the diverse range of music, such as Led Zeppelin, from which punk rockers drew inspiration. Penny Rimbaud of anarcho-punk band, Crass, even cites English jazz trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton as an influence! 1 This essay shall explore whether any music pre- 1970 has enough in common – in terms of both music and attitude – to be deserving of the title ‘punk rock’. The origin of punk rock is a topic that has been endlessly debated, with the term itself often being liberally attached to the music of the sixties. If one is not mindful of punk’s quintessential characteristics, there is a danger of arriving at music with very tenuous overlap. It could be argued that famed music critic, Lester Bangs makes this very mist ake as he traces punk’s genesis to Ritchie Valens' 1958 version of the Mexican folk song La Bamba ; 2 although rock’n’roll flavoured, the song is undeniably folky. It is important, therefore, that a definition of what ‘punk rock’ actually is be established, for fear of allocating this term to, say, Schoenberg! The following definition is of course by no means definitive and is merely a reflection of my personal experience with punk rock that aims to best represent the genre.
The punk rock aesthetic is characterized by aggressively simplistic songwriting coupled with raw, unsophisticated performance and production. The D.I.Y. ethic is prized, and sheer enthusiasm is valued over virtuosity. Punk bands often shy away from commercial appeal, by dressing and acting outrageously and composing lyrics, which tackle more subversive topics.
Link Wray’s iconic instrumental, Rumble , was released in 1958, and is the first record with noticeably ‘punk’ sensibilities. The single isn’t strictly garage rock – rather a precursor to the genre – but has more of a rockabilly/surf feel. Rumble pioneers the use of distortion, a sound which Wray attainted, in true D.I.Y. spirit, by getting ‘a pen and … punchin’ holes in the tweeters’ . 3 Guitar distortion was a technique largely unexplored at the time, and whilst it had before featured on tracks – most famously on Ike Turner’s Rocket 88 – this was the first time that it was so overt and raw. 4 There is a definite aggression to the instrumental; indeed, Jimmy Page acknowledges its ‘ profound attitude ’ . 5 This attitude is reflected in the track’s ‘provocative’ title, which led, out of fear of its potential to be an instigator of juvenile delinquency, to its being the only instrumental single ever to be banned from radio in the United States. 6 The song’s decidedly ‘punk’ characteristics are compounded by the markedly individualistic appearance of Wray, whose onstage attire ‘always consisted of black leather, dark shades and a hairstyle that altered a pompadour with a ponytail’. 7 Rumble ’s influence on punk rock is
1 Robb, PUNK ROCK: AN ORAL HISTORY , 6. 2 rollingstone.com, Insomniac , [online]. 3 loc.gov, Rumble , [online].
4 guitarworld.com, The evolution of distortion: how advances in gear paved the way for heavy music , [online]. 5 ig.ft.com, Rumble – how Link Wray brought the sound of slashed speakers to rock guitar – FT.com , [online]. 6 pophistorydig.com, ‘Rumble’ Riles Censors 1958-1959 , [online]; loc.gov, Rumble , [online]. 7 Ibid., [online].
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