Hello. I have been a punk rocker since 1980. I am grateful for the chance this group here on Rev Left have to discuss this musical "tradition". I would like to read what you punk comrades think about the "old men"; Iggy Pop ("Passenger" - the best rock/punk song ever!), Peter Hammill (he is a strange man - but some of the best he made is a kind of punk, i feel -) - and the best rocker/pre-punk ever: Lou Reed. They deserve to be mentioned by "modern" punks. Another question: anyone with an opinion about "rap"? Yours, Little-Lenin
I like music when it sounds good, I dont care how old it is. Iggy Pop and Lou Reed are great musicians. I dont know much about Peter Hammill I only heard his Nadir's Big Chance album which was pretty good the other stuff I heard is too prog for me. I like hip-hop. In fact I love it. Punk was actually a predecessor of sorts for hip-hop, not as much as James Brown or Gil Scott-Heron but still an influence. Post-punk saw punk as a way to rid themselves of rock & roll cliches and took the next step by experimenting with music. Like the Talking Heads did with funk. No waver James Chance for example mixed his crazy punk style with it's "polar opposite" disco music and created some awesome music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtQ5ygEP1MI Hip-hoppers and punks both hated disco because it was soulless music played at eltists clubs where you couldnt get into if you didnt fit the dresscode. The only difference is that hip-hop fought fire with fire, taking disco beats and making it their own music. Disco music in the late 70s lost it's underground roots and was taken over by such commercial acts like ABBA, the Bee Gees and the Village People. Which are funny in their dated ways but in no way as interesting as the underground disco acts like Machine, Cloud One and Dr. Buzzah's Original Savannah Band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K151uTX-AOQ James Chance's style was a mutated form of disco which inspired many people who liked punk, funk and underground disco. ZE Records made a great compilation album called Mutant Disco which has some of the best acts of this style like Was (Not Was), Lizzy Mercier Delcroux and The Waitresses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG8KpJr94HY Like people experimented beyond punk (resulting in post-punk) they now did the same to disco (resulting in post-disco). Post-disco is the link between disco and house music. Post-disco had a strong post-punk influence as well because they were kindred spirits of sorts. Especially bands like Liquid Liquid and Material. Check out Disco Not Disco for more music like this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL45YOtbuy0 Hip-hoppers picked up on this music, using it in their mixes (like Grandmaster Flash using Liquid Liquid's Cavern for White Lines). Some post-punk/disco bands picked up on hip-hop as well like ESG. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaxTHyY58og That is how punk influenced it musically. Hip-hoppers also liked punk's rebelliousness against norms. Some early rappers called themselves punk rockers. The Cold Crush Brothers released a song called Punk Rock Rap. G.L.O.B.E. and Whiz Kid's song Play That Beat Mr. DJ contained some references to punk rock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvN9k4R3fZk One of the first hardcore rappers and predecessor to gangsta rap Just-Ice was a bouncers at punk clubs before becoming a rapper. NWA and Public Enemy's sonic assaults have been compared to punk rock. Also punk's DIY techniques inspired some rappers to record and get their own shit out there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvy7MWjfVPE Punk in return was way more acceptive of hip-hop than other rockstyles who just saw it as another competition just like they did with disco and reggae or some fad that would quickly dissapear. Blondie and The Clash were among the first white groups to give a shot at hip-hop. The Clash making the first political rapsong (in 1980, 4 years before Grandmaster Flash released The Message) The Magnificent Seven about the everyday struggle of the working class. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcHL8efKKPE The Magnificent Seven became really popular in New York especially the hip-hop crowd. When The Clash came to the USA they had Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five open up for them. When Flash was booed off by a rockist audience who didnt know what they heard Joe Strummer angrily told the audience to listen to what Flash was doing. Sorry about the long post.
Here is Peter Hammill. I am not sure if this is punk, but it sure is great music! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18z1PdZGoFI Little-Lenin
