-Punk Overview-
where did punk originate from?
In the late 1960s, music now referred to as protopunk originated as a garage rock revival in the northeastern United States. The first distinct music scene to claim the punk label appeared in New York City between 1974 and 1976. Around the same time or soon afterward, a punk scene developed in London.
What defines music as punk?
Punk rock is a genre of rock music that started in the 1970s in both America and the United Kingdom. It is characterized by minimal instrumentation, simple melodies that are often yelled rather than sung, and often discordant harmonies. It tends to include upbeat, loud, fast songs.
Was punk popular in the 70s?
The 1970s was a pivotal decade for punk rock, and several bands emerged during this time that had a profound influence on the genre and its subsequent development. The Sex Pistols are arguably the most iconic and influential punk band of all time.
Why Punk Music Is Used
Rebellion and Counterculture
Punk music embodies rebellion, individualism, and a rejection of mainstream norms. It’s often used in media to represent characters or movements that challenge authority, societal expectations, or the status quo.
Raw Energy and Simplicity
With its fast-paced rhythms, aggressive vocals, and minimalist structures, punk conveys raw, unfiltered emotion. This immediacy makes it perfect for intense or chaotic scenes.
Cultural and Historical Context
Punk music was a reaction to the political and economic struggles of the 1970s, including unemployment, class inequality, and disillusionment with institutions. Media set in this period often uses punk to ground itself in these realities.
Youth and Subversion
Punk is synonymous with youthful rebellion, anti-establishment attitudes, and the DIY ethos. It’s used to depict teenage angst, underground cultures, or grassroots movements.
Edginess and Authenticity
Punk’s rough, unpolished sound adds a sense of authenticity to stories about marginalized or subversive characters. It’s a musical shorthand for grit and defiance.
Effects of Punk Music
Creates Tension and Urgency
Punk’s high-energy and aggressive sound can heighten the tension in action scenes, protests, or moments of emotional release.
Symbolizes Resistance
It’s often used as a rallying cry for characters resisting oppression, whether on a small personal scale or in broader societal struggles.
Conveys Chaos and Disorder
The raw, unrefined nature of punk music can mirror chaotic environments, fractured relationships, or personal turmoil.
Evokes a Specific Era
Punk is unmistakably tied to the 1970s, particularly in cities like London, New York, and Los Angeles. Using it in media immediately situates the audience in that time and place.
Breaks Conventional Boundaries
Punk’s rejection of traditional musical norms mirrors stories or characters that defy conventional rules, making it a natural fit for unconventional or avant-garde narratives.
Popular punk songs:
7.“ The Passenger” performed by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
6.“ I Wanna Be Your Dog” by The Stooges.
5.“ Anarchy in the UK” by the Sex Pistols.
4.“ Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads.
3.“ Gloria” by Patti Smith.
2.“ London Calling” by The Clash.
1.“ Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones.
-punk music case study-Psycho killer-
What inspired Psycho Killer Talking Heads?
The band's Scottish-born frontman David Byrne met Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design in 1973; “Psycho Killer” was conceived in their student days as a rejoinder to the “mock-ghoulish” antics of Alice Cooper.
“ Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads is one example of punk songs.
Talking Heads
David Byrne – rhythm guitar, lead vocals.
Chris Frantz – drums.
Jerry Harrison – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals.
Tina Weymouth – bass guitar.
What scales are used?
At the end of the intro he alternates A5 with D#°7. It sounds like a skewed version of A7 and D7 from the blues, but it's unsettled. The first verse finally resolves the issue with clear A7 chords, implying A Mixolydian mode. But then the chorus is equally clearly in A natural minor and C major.
The song "Last caress" is a song by American punk rock band Misfits, this song was written by vocalist Glenn Dazig. this song also was later included on the compilation album collection II, released in 1995 as well as the album static age.
Chords used: A G D C E Tuning: Standard Tuning (EADGBE) Capo: +0 fret
The sex pistols-Pretty Vacant
"Pretty Vacant" is a song by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols, released on July 2, 1977, as their third single. It was also featured on their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, which came out the same year. This track is notable as the first song written by the band.
The song opens with an electric guitar that carries the main melody. Drums are introduced gradually, growing louder and more aggressive, with cymbals added abruptly. The rhythm of the track, driven by Paul Cook's drumming and Glen Matlock's bass, combines chaotic energy with tight control.
As typical of punk music genre, "Pretty Vacant" features short, fast-paced arrangements, hard-edged melodies, and a raw, stripped-down sound.
Relevant Music Theory
Punk is an aggressive style of rock music that emerged as an international, predominantly Anglo-American, movement between 1975 and 1980. It originated from the countercultural rock of artists like the Velvet Underground and Iggy Pop with the Stooges. Punk rock evolved in New York City during the mid-1970s, with pioneering acts such as Patti Smith and the Ramones. It quickly gained momentum in London, where iconic punk fashion—spiked hair, ripped clothing—became part of the scene, with bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash leading the way. The genre also flourished in California with acts like X, Black Flag, and the Dead Kennedys.
Punk is typically characterized by a fast, aggressive beat, loud guitars with abrupt chord changes, and lyrics that often convey nihilism. Subgenres include new wave, which is more pop-oriented and accessible, and hardcore, known for its brief, intense songs played at high speeds. Hardcore continued to thrive well into the 1990s.
punk music, just like pop, follows a simple template. I-VI-V. this is a one-four-five cord progression, this is a song section that uses only cords from the first, fourth and fifth notes of the major scale.
Punk rock typically features a stripped-down setup of one or two guitars, bass, drums, and vocals. Songs are generally shorter than those in other rock genres and are played at fast tempos. Early punk rock often followed a traditional rock 'n' roll verse-chorus structure and used a 4/4 time signature.
Musically, punk is defined by its fast tempos, loud and distorted guitar riffs, straightforward song structures, and shouted vocals. The genre is known for producing short, high-energy tracks with raw melodies and minimal instrumentation. Lyrically, punk frequently addresses themes of anti-establishment and anti-authoritarianism.