British vs. American punk?
in Music ·
If you actually want to understand the history of punk, do yourself a favor and pick up *Please Kill Me* by Legs McNeil. Honestly, he’s one of the few people truly worthy of being associated with the movement—the guy even ran a fanzine under that very same title. It’s a massive, deep dive covering everything from 1965 all the way through 1982. You won't find a better roadmap.
Let’s stick to the historical facts.
MC5, USA – Kick Out the Jams, 1969. This was the precursor to punk. Some people even argue it was the birth of noise rock.
The Stooges. We’re talking about the early stuff—the 1969 debut, *Fun House* in 1970, and then *Raw Power* in 1973. All of this happened well before the actual punk movement kicked off in 1977. Get that straight.
And let’s not even bother counting all those other "obscure" bands from the 1960s. Why bother?
So, let's get this straight: Americans "invented" punk, only for some British journalists to swoop in, wrap it up in shiny new packaging, and sell it back to the world as if they’d discovered fire? Is that really how we're playing this?
Let’s be clear about what actually happened here. Malcolm McLaren essentially rode the wave of the Sex Pistols to manufacture a massive publicity machine—all just to move more clothes and push his version of "new fashion." It was a calculated stunt. Before he ever got his hands on the Pistols, he tried running that exact same playbook with the New York Dolls. He wanted to package those Americans as the next big thing, but they imploded in '73 because of the drug scene. That was the end of that experiment.
Personally, I’ve always gravitated toward American punk. There’s just something about that raw, filthy, unhinged energy that hits harder. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great bands from across the pond too—take The Damned, for instance. Their first two albums are absolute classics, especially considering how much they drew inspiration from American legends like The Stooges and MC5.
Let’s stick to the historical facts.
MC5, USA – Kick Out the Jams, 1969. This was the precursor to punk. Some people even argue it was the birth of noise rock.
The Stooges. We’re talking about the early stuff—the 1969 debut, *Fun House* in 1970, and then *Raw Power* in 1973. All of this happened well before the actual punk movement kicked off in 1977. Get that straight.
And let’s not even bother counting all those other "obscure" bands from the 1960s. Why bother?
So, let's get this straight: Americans "invented" punk, only for some British journalists to swoop in, wrap it up in shiny new packaging, and sell it back to the world as if they’d discovered fire? Is that really how we're playing this?
Let’s be clear about what actually happened here. Malcolm McLaren essentially rode the wave of the Sex Pistols to manufacture a massive publicity machine—all just to move more clothes and push his version of "new fashion." It was a calculated stunt. Before he ever got his hands on the Pistols, he tried running that exact same playbook with the New York Dolls. He wanted to package those Americans as the next big thing, but they imploded in '73 because of the drug scene. That was the end of that experiment.
Personally, I’ve always gravitated toward American punk. There’s just something about that raw, filthy, unhinged energy that hits harder. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great bands from across the pond too—take The Damned, for instance. Their first two albums are absolute classics, especially considering how much they drew inspiration from American legends like The Stooges and MC5.