Rock in the 70s:Rock in the 70s:

Punk and New Punk and New WaveWave

PUNKPUNK

• Continuation of garage bands like The Continuation of garage bands like The KingsmenKingsmen

• Combined with “in your face” attitude, Combined with “in your face” attitude, rejection of commercial rockrejection of commercial rock

• Rebellion against nearly all rock after early Rebellion against nearly all rock after early 1960s1960s

Punk- The BeginningPunk- The Beginning

• Surfaces in NYC 1974-75 at club CBGB OMFUGSurfaces in NYC 1974-75 at club CBGB OMFUG– CCountry, ountry, BBlue lue GGrass, rass, BBlues, and lues, and OOther ther MMusic usic

FFor or UUrban rban GGourmandizersourmandizers• First punk band: New York DollsFirst punk band: New York Dolls

– Modeled after English glam rockers like T. Modeled after English glam rockers like T. Rex, David BowieRex, David Bowie

– Performed in dragPerformed in drag– Limited musicianshipLimited musicianship

Punk - StylePunk - Style

Rock reduced to most basic elementsRock reduced to most basic elements– Saturated eight beatSaturated eight beat - rock style beat - rock style beat

aggressively stated by every instrumentaggressively stated by every instrument– Extremely fast temposExtremely fast tempos

• Rejection of overt moves to court Rejection of overt moves to court commercial popularitycommercial popularity

• Talent optional; passion essentialTalent optional; passion essential

The RamonesThe Ramones

• Surf band on speedSurf band on speed– Extremely fast temposExtremely fast tempos– Repetitive, yet catchy lyricsRepetitive, yet catchy lyrics

• Ex. Blitzkrieg BopEx. Blitzkrieg Bop

The Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols

• English punk group, modeled after NY English punk group, modeled after NY DollsDolls

• Added to characteristics of Dolls, Ramones:Added to characteristics of Dolls, Ramones:– Nihilistic attitudeNihilistic attitude– Gross antics and stage behaviorGross antics and stage behavior– Screamed, monotonous lyricsScreamed, monotonous lyrics

The Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols

• Lyrics, behavior calculated to offendLyrics, behavior calculated to offend

• Songs like God Save the Queen, Anarchy in Songs like God Save the Queen, Anarchy in the UK banned from BBCthe UK banned from BBC– Tons of free publicityTons of free publicity– Shot Shot Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex

PistolsPistols to the top of UK charts to the top of UK charts

Anarchy in the UKAnarchy in the UK

• Complete saturation of texture by eight beat rock Complete saturation of texture by eight beat rock rhythmrhythm– Rhythm guitarRhythm guitar– BassBass– SnareSnare

• Screamed, aggressive vocal styleScreamed, aggressive vocal style• Verse/refrain formVerse/refrain form• Confrontational lyricsConfrontational lyrics

Punk’s DemisePunk’s Demise

• Burns itself out in a few yearsBurns itself out in a few years– After sparking trends in fashion, social After sparking trends in fashion, social

behaviorbehavior

• Influence enduresInfluence endures– Brings certain drive back into rockBrings certain drive back into rock– Fuses with other influences to create…Fuses with other influences to create…

New WaveNew Wave

• Punk + otherPunk + other

• Wide variety of styles mix well with punkWide variety of styles mix well with punk– Punk + reggaePunk + reggae– Punk + popPunk + pop– Punk + art rockPunk + art rock

Punk + ReggaePunk + Reggae

• Riff-based punk fuses particularly well with Riff-based punk fuses particularly well with reggaereggae– Political and social protest in bothPolitical and social protest in both– Rhythmic activity in reggae, especially Rhythmic activity in reggae, especially

accented afterbeatsaccented afterbeats

• Exs: The ClashExs: The Clash

Elvis CostelloElvis Costello

The Clash - The Guns of BrixtonThe Clash - The Guns of Brixton

• Eight-beat rhythm in drums, occasionally Eight-beat rhythm in drums, occasionally divides to sixteen-beat divides to sixteen-beat – Not saturated eight-beat Not saturated eight-beat

• Ska afterbeats in guitarSka afterbeats in guitar

• Thin textureThin texture

• Rough, unmelodic vocal styleRough, unmelodic vocal style

Punk + PopPunk + Pop

• Back-to-basics feel of punk revitalized pop Back-to-basics feel of punk revitalized pop rockrock

• Bright, rhythmic feel of pop works with Bright, rhythmic feel of pop works with saturated eight-beat texturesaturated eight-beat texture

• Both employ stripped down, simple texturesBoth employ stripped down, simple textures• Exs: BlondieExs: Blondie

B-52sB-52s Elvis CostelloElvis Costello

Punk + Art RockPunk + Art Rock• Basic, stripped down textures of punk canvas for Basic, stripped down textures of punk canvas for

artistic elaborationartistic elaboration• Can addCan add

– Beat-type poetryBeat-type poetry– World musicWorld music– Electronic musicElectronic music– Or pretty much anything elseOr pretty much anything else

• Exs: Patti SmithExs: Patti Smith DevoDevo

Talking HeadsTalking Heads

Talking Heads - Psycho KillerTalking Heads - Psycho Killer

• Thin, transparent textureThin, transparent texture

• Eight-beat rhythm present as simple, Eight-beat rhythm present as simple, continuous rhythmic pulsecontinuous rhythmic pulse

• ““Behind the beat” feel from reggaeBehind the beat” feel from reggae

• Nearly monotone lyric deliveryNearly monotone lyric delivery