Pop music historians love to claim—and they’ve certainly left enough relics behind to prove it—that Americans were actually the ones who paved the way chronologically. That said, those who swear by that classic British sound tend to argue that the whole thing really kicked off during the summer of 1975 over in the United Kingdom...
So, I'm curious, do you find yourself leaning more toward the American side of things or the British flavor of punk?
When we talk about proto-punk, we’re really looking at a handful of trailblazing, hard-to-label bands that started popping up in the late '60s, right up until punk truly exploded as a global phenomenon around 1975-76. Of course, nobody back then would have called themselves "proto-punk"; it wasn't a unified movement, and there wasn't one specific sound that linked everyone together at the time. What really binds them is a shared, provocative spirit that just didn't mesh with the dominant counterculture. These bands weren't just pushing back against standard rock tropes; they were actively rejecting the wide-eyed optimism of the hippie era. They were intentionally subversive and leaned into being outsiders—sometimes because they had high-concept, artistic goals, and other times just for the sheer fun of being rebellious. In terms of its lasting influence, a lot of proto-punk was intentionally raw and stripped back, even when it wasn't playing aggressively, and the production usually felt just as unrefined. There was also this tendency to dive into taboo topics, painting vivid pictures of the gritty underside of society and expressing a level of personal alienation that felt deeper than anything seen before. For several reasons, the Velvet Underground stands as the very first proto-punk group: they shattered boundaries with their lyrics, played with feedback, distortion, and white noise, and balanced an unpredictable, experimental edge with a focus on songwriting, all while maintaining a somewhat amateurish, raw energy. Emerging around 1969 , The raucous , almost amelodic rock of The MC5 and The Stooges did more to set The sonic blueprint for punk Than Any other bands. In the early '70s, the New York Dolls kickstarted what would become the New York City punk scene with their raw, Stonesy rock and glammed-up image; around the same time, you had these smaller recordings featuring the soon-to-be-iconic poets Patti Smith, Richard Hell, and Television's Tom Verlaine. most of The British artists Who could be considered proto-punk were also part of The glam rock scena , which inspired many futur punks with its simple , crunchy guitar Riffs , its outrageous sense of style, and the fact that the artists sang with British accents (not to mention the unique personas of David Bowie and Roxy Music).
Their tour across the US is going incredibly well, and honestly, it feels like these rockers really hit their stride in their 40s, only to somehow keep getting better with age... 😍
While Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious definitely grabbed all the headlines, it was actually guitarist Steve Jones who provided the musical backbone for the Sex Pistols. Growing up in the UK, Jones picked up the guitar in the early '70s, drawing inspiration from legends like the Faces and the New York Dolls. Because money was tight back then, he actually managed to snag various pieces of gear by borrowing—or rather, lifting—them from other musicians, including some equipment from David Bowie’s touring band during their big farewell shows in Los Angeles back in '73. Around that same period, he teamed up with drummer Paul Cook, and the two started jamming on cover songs in a local garage. By 1975, they were hanging out at a trendy boutique in London run by Malcolm McLaren, a guy who had previously worked with the New York Dolls and always had a knack for stirring up trouble. McLaren eventually stepped in to manage them on the condition that they formed a real band, which brought bassist Glen Matlock and vocalist Johnny Rotten into the fold. That same year, the Sex Pistols officially launched, serving as the gritty, unapologetic alternative to the massive, overproduced prog-rock giants of the era; alongside American icons like the Ramones, they helped ignite the punk movement. Most of the songs the group wrote during those early days turned into absolute punk classics, though it wasn't easy, especially since Jones was still finding his footing as a songwriter, often building his own riffs by playing along to existing records. The band became a lightning rod for controversy due to their wild behavior, which caught the attention of several labels, though they often found themselves dropped before they could even finish a full album. Matlock left the group just as they were preparing to record their debut with Warner Bros., and he was replaced by Sid Vicious, a close friend of Rotten's.
Their sole official studio album, 1977's *Never Mind the Bollocks... Here's the Sex Pistols*, is widely regarded as a masterpiece of the genre. It gave us timeless anthems like "Anarchy in the U.K." and "God Save the Queen," all powered by those unmistakable guitar riffs from Jones that thousands of aspiring players have tried to replicate over the decades. However, despite the fame, a messy combination of substance abuse, clashing egos, and questionable management caused things to boil over, and the band broke up in early 1978 right after finishing a tour across the States.
Following the split, Jones and Cook stayed close, even contributing to the 1978 solo album by former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders. They also recorded a few tracks without Rotten for a documentary about the band, where Jones even got a chance to step up to the mic for a few songs. By the end of the year, Jones produced an EP for the San Francisco punk group the Avengers, and he and Cook briefly collaborated with members of Thin Lizzy on a side project called the Greedy Bastards.
In early 1979, Jones and Cook played backup on several tracks for Joan Jett's debut album, *Bad Reputation*, and they even recorded an early version of her smash hit "I Love Rock N' Roll." After a few failed attempts to start new projects with members of Sham 69, the duo moved forward with a different lineup. By 1980, they appeared in a film alongside members of The Clash, and Jones even lent his guitar skills to Siouxsie and the Banshees. That summer, their new group, The Professionals, signed with Virgin Records and released a self-titled debut. Though the lineup shifted again shortly after, they released a second album in 1981, but a major car accident during a U.S. tour cut their momentum short, leading to the band's end the following year.
Even though Jones was battling some pretty intense substance abuse issues during this era, he still managed to pull together the new wave supergroup Chequered Past in late 1982, featuring former Silverhead and Detective vocalist Michael Des Barres alongside Blondie alumni Clem Burke, Nigel Harrison, and Frank Infante—though Infante was eventually swapped out for former Iggy Pop bassist Tony Sales. Much like his time with the Professionals, however, Chequered Past didn't stick around long, dissolving shortly after dropping their one and only self-titled album in 1984. By the time the late '80s rolled around, Jones had mostly gotten his life back on track and found himself co-writing tracks for Andy Taylor’s 1987 solo debut *Thunder* and for Iggy Pop on *Blah Blah Blah* and *Instinct*. He also dipped his toes into a solo career during this period, releasing two hard-rock leaning projects: 1987's *Mercy* and 1989's *Fire and Gasoline*, the latter of which boasted collaborations with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Ian Astbury of The Cult, along with cameos from Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose and The Cult's Billy Duffy.
Jones kept his momentum going through the '80s and '90s by collaborating with everyone from Bob Dylan to Don Johnson, and even joined a short-lived side project with Johnny Depp and Gibby Haynes. In the '90s, he jumped back into the supergroup fray with the Neurotic Outsiders, a lineup that brought together Guns N' Roses veterans Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum with former Duran Duran bassist John Taylor. As you might have guessed, the group's run was brief, leaving behind just a single self-titled debut in 1996. His session work remained prolific, ranging from Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies to an Alice Cooper tribute project and even Insane Clown Posse, and he even co-produced Buckcherry's massive 1999 debut. Meanwhile, the original Sex Pistols pulled off a massive reunion tour and live album, *Filthy Lucre Live*, in 1996 before parting ways again, and Jones and his old bandmates were all featured in the acclaimed 2000 biopic *The Filth and the Fury*. ~ Greg Prato
Here you’ll find a rough diary covering Steve Jones and Paul Cook; they even put out a DVD featuring The Professionals and were spotted at a Blondie concert... 😎
He actually played with Paul Cook during his time in the Professionals.
If you just play "Silly thing" in your head for a moment, you'll get a pretty good idea of what it sounds like.
They even managed to score a hit about fifteen years ago with "Just Another dream"...
Did you happen to know that Steve actually released a DVD where he pops up as a sports commentator?😁 I can't quite recall exactly where I saw it, but I'll dig up the link and post it here for you soon.
So, we've got Guns that sound like a modern version of CULT mixed with a touch of Foo Fighters, though instead of an autoerotic frontman, we get someone channeling Ville Valo from HIM.
Did I say enough blasphemous things to get myself buried?😁
I guess I'll just wait for their second album, assuming they actually make it that far...
brisknomad6 said:Is it actually possible for a medication to work the exact opposite way it's intended to?
Let me explain...
Last night, around 9 PM, I decided to try a sleep aid for the very first time because I’ve been dealing with chronic sleep deprivation and feeling just completely wiped out...
I've been under so much stress lately and my internal clock is totally out of whack, so I thought I'd finally give myself a chance to rest.😁
But instead... At 3 AM, there I was... a) wide awake and staring at the ceiling b) tapping my foot incessantly (my dog was actually complaining about it)—and I'm not the kind of person who fidgets or taps their feet like that.
I hadn't touched any coffee since 3 PM, no tea either, and I haven't had a drink in over two weeks...
I had a colleague go through something almost identical once... Even a tiny 5mg dose hit her the exact opposite way, so she ended up having to break the pill in half just to cope! Her doctor basically just gave a vague lecture on homeopathic principles and called it a day... Sometimes it really feels like modern medicine can't provide a clear answer for everything we experience...
This is what our future looks like! Every kid deserves the chance to experience Pixies-e. I always say you should first take a little road trip through a small town, USA, to pick up some cream, eggs, and potatoes, and then head straight to the Križanko show to listen to Pixies... Can't you tell they're already in peak form here in the US, so just imagine how they'll be once they really hit their stride by June...?! 👋
The show is already posted online: the Monastery in Minneapolis... The tour kicks off across the northern US and Europe... The band is in such high spirits right now, and they're actually planning to drop 15 albums this year...!!!
shadowmarlin15 has a point there. But honestly, has there ever—and I mean ever—actually been a massive surge in rock music? By "ever," I’m really just talking about this last decade. I don't think so. It feels more like a total takeover by mainstream "folk" and that somewhat bland pop sound. 👎 😢 🙂
shadowmarlin15 said:Folks, I think you might be a little too optimistic about the reality of the country we live in. Aside from a small handful of us who consider them one of the greatest bands ever, nobody else in America has heard of them, let alone cares. You can try to hunt for tickets all you want, but they'll be gone when they're gone. And honestly, it’s because they sold out their New York City show in fifteen minutes flat. What does New York have to do with us? Over there, the Pixies are a massive deal, whereas here, people are more interested in Thompson or Colony. And as for our neighbors in Canada, our touring circuit has basically been fueled by them for years; people used to travel just to see Magazin, Stavros, and the rest. So, thinking you actually need to camp out for this is just being naive.
Unfortunately, I don't think it's possible to put it any more accurately than that.😢
