Punk is a cultural and musical movement that was born in the 1970s.
Punk is a musical and cultural movement that emerged in England in the late 1970s . It is characterized, on a musical level, by simple melodies, fast beats and protest lyrics.
Punks, as followers of this movement are known, often dress unconventionally and wear a mohawk as a hairstyle. Anarchism , self-management , independence , atheism and nihilism are some of the philosophies on which punk thought is based.
Origin of punk
Punk was born as a rebellion against the rock prevailing in the '60s and '70s , which he accused of being a market instrument and a simple fashion promoted by the industry. On the other hand, the bombast and complexity of certain bands kept music away from young people. Added to this situation was the growing impoverishment of industrialized countries, with high unemployment rates and a gloomy vision of the future.
Regarding the name of the genre, it is worth mentioning that it is a term of English origin that is used as a synonym for garbage or scum , among other meanings that, if applied to people, are equally derogatory. The adoption of this word as a label for this musical movement automatically frees its followers from social impositions. It is worth mentioning that this adjective is also used as an insult, regardless of musical tastes, and refers to uncommitted lifestyles and lack of personal hygiene, among other issues.
The Sex Pistols (in England ) and The Ramones (in the United States ) are considered the first punk bands. Over time, the genre acquired influences from other rhythms and styles, which can be seen in groups like The Clash (who mixed punk with reggae , dub and others).
The massification of punk ended up turning it into another trend assimilated by society and the industry . Incompatible aspects even emerged within the same movement, with left-wing groups that promoted revolution and political participation and others on the extreme right that approached fascism and Nazism.
The mohawk hairstyle is characteristic of punk.
Your influences
Punk left an undeniable mark on popular music, to the liking of some and the displeasure of others. As happened in many other cases, his time in the industry gave rise to the birth of various subgenres . Many of the bands that emerged as part of this natural evolution cannot identify with one of them in particular, which makes their classification more complex. Let's look at some of these subgenres below:
- Hardcore punk : emerged in the late 70s in North America, and was the first step in the evolution of punk, with groups such as Bad Brains , Teen Idles and The Exploited .
- Gypsy punk : its name can be translated as " gypsy punk" and is a combination of Romanian or cabaret musical traditions with the classical branch of punk, and was represented by DeVotchKa and Chunga-Changa , among others.
- Pop punk : It is also known as " popular punk" and is characterized by more melodic and clear musical lines. It is worth mentioning that many of its representatives do not embrace nihilistic ideas, given that it is a more market-oriented movement. He was born in North America and his most popular time came in the early 90s through bands such as Blink 182 and Green Day .
- Horror punk : probably one of the most peculiar subgenres of punk, its main feature is that its songs tell horror stories, whose protagonists are vampires, skeletons and zombies, among other beings of the same nature. Regarding the aesthetics of horror punk groups, the use of makeup , costumes and hairstyles stands out to reflect the characteristics of the characters that occupy their verses.