What the f*** was PUNK?

[tauzero]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1370679277' post='2104225']
I never thought the Pistols were punk. Just a bunch of idiots who couldn't play which dictates how their music turned out. Trying to claim youre punk because you're technically restricted isnt punk for me.
[/quote]

I've always puzzled at the people who think that the Pistols couldn't play.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='ironside1966' timestamp='1370786123' post='2105475']
To understand punk you have to understand what it was like to live in the 70s.
[/quote]
Couldn't agree more and something i tried to explain in the infamous Beatles thread that you have to liven through the time to understand the impact etc but that often doesn't often go down too well with those who weren't around at the time.

[White Cloud]

Punk was in many ways anti-music....but was totally necessary at the time.

In fact, judging by the state of the current popular music business we need another punk like event to do the same all over again.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1370799156' post='2105712']
Punk was in many ways anti-music....but was totally necessary at the time.

In fact, judging by the state of the current popular music business we need another punk like event to do the same all over again.
[/quote]

Very true - identical dancers miming to auto-tuned vocals need a safety pin or two.

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1370782307' post='2105420']
. . . .and the butter adverts.
[/quote]

Indeed. Its quite telling that no-one is asking Emerson, Lake, or Palmer to do adverts

[flyfisher]

Too much integrity perhaps?

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1370809655' post='2105914']
Too much integrity perhaps?
[/quote]
Yes, and let's hope that advertisers keep that integrity.

[SteveK]

[quote name='ironside1966' timestamp='1370786123' post='2105475']
To understand punk you have to understand what it was like to live in the 70s.
Adults were king. There was very little TV aimed at the teenager, the music on TV was very much light entertainment, and the band conformed to that model. the other side of the coin was the self indulgent supergroups with their lavish performances and even more lavish lifestyle were miles away from the kids in the street.
Very few working class kids formed bands and if they did they were often cover bands playing the local club scene.
When punk came along it suddenly become fashionable for teenagers to learn to play instruments and form bands, or in fact do anything, make clothes, start magazines, even start record labels.

Punk made it alright to have a go.
[/quote]

I was 20 in 1975. By then I had spent 2 years travelling the length of the UK and Europe playing music. Didn't need no punks to tell me it was 'all right to have a go'... Had a mind of my own donchaknow.

'sfunny, when I think of punk I am reminded of this scene from Life of Brian...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQqq3e03EBQ[/media]

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1370812682' post='2105966']
I was 20 in 1975. By then I had spent 2 years travelling the length of the UK and Europe playing music. Didn't need no punks to tell me it was 'all right to have a go'... Had a mind of my own donchaknow.

'sfunny, when I think of punk I am reminded of this scene from Life of Brian...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQqq3e03EBQ[/media]

[/quote]
It's funny but i think of prog rock when i see it.

[SteveK]

Now that this thread is on its last legs and unlikely to get many more views, I feel I can now make this confession... call it an [i]unloading[/i].
In 1975 a band I was in played a gig at Westfield college, London - We were actually [b]booked[/b] to play. After we'd set up and done our sound check, these four scruffy scalliwags came up and told us that they were going to play and they were going to use our PA. We agreed to their... er, request? How we mused at their rather quaint moniker. I have, since that day, suffered many sleepless nights and bouts of depression - what if we'd said 'No, f^^* off, you can't use our PA'?... Things may have been so different

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1370784595' post='2105453']
I've always puzzled at the people who think that the Pistols couldn't play.
[/quote]

Trust me, on that night in 1975, by any reasonable definition of the phrase, they 'couldn't play'... Never seen a hall empty so quickly.

And for BetaFunk's benefit: We weren't a Prog band - There was [i]other stuff[/i] around [b]in[/b] and [b]before[/b] 1975

[Mr. Foxen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGRIamCE5JU

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1370814099' post='2105985']
Now that this thread is on its last legs and unlikely to get many more views, I feel I can now make this confession... call it an [i]unloading[/i].
In 1975 a band I was in played a gig at Westfield college, London - We were actually [b]booked[/b] to play. After we'd set up and done our sound check, these four scruffy scalliwags came up and told us that they were going to play and they were going to use our PA. We agreed to their... er, request? How we mused at their rather quaint moniker. I have, since that day, suffered many sleepless nights and bouts of depression - what if we'd said 'No, f^^* off, you can't use our PA'?... Things may have been so different

Trust me, on that night in 1975, by any reasonable definition of the phrase, they 'couldn't play'... Never seen a hall empty so quickly.
[/quote]
I also have a small confession although the way this thread is going i may receive praise from some quarters.
Along with the Hope and Anchor, The Clarendon, Golden Lion & Greyhound the Nashville Rooms was a regular place for live bands at that time. The usual groups would be Dr Feelgood, The Stranglers, Kilburn and the High Roads, Kursall Flyers, Roogalator, Eddie and the Hotrods, Average White Band etc.
Anyway i turned up at the Nashville only to find out by the bloke who took the money on the door that it was £1 that night. Now i'd happily pay a quid to see The Stranglers, Sean Tyla, Ducks Deluxe or The 101ers but a quid to see a group that i'd heard of vaguely in the NME but weren't up there with the Feelgoods etc and also as AC/DC had also played there for a quid it seemed a bit steep so i politely declined and went on to spend an evening listening to an acoustic duo in a pub in Hammersmith.

P.S. Forgot to say that group i didn't think were worth a quid to see were the Sex Pistols. In fact i still don't think it was worth a quid.

Edited June 9, 2013 by BetaFunk

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1370652657' post='2104109']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So what do you reckon punk is?[/font][/color]

[/quote] A load of middle aged blokes indulging our hobby and reliving our youth....

Edited June 9, 2013 by Spike Vincent

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1370817243' post='2106047']
A load of middle aged blokes indulging our hobby and reliving our youth....
[/quote]

Very true. Still playing Pistols songs - my development has obviously been on pause years.

[iconic]

This maybe an urban myth...on radio 2 last week I heard that the first Pistols gig sold something like 43 tickets...but the amount of people whom now claim to have been there would fill a Wembly Stadium

Punk sort of passed me by being a weekender type soul boy, it got better with the Pretty Punk Stylee Sigue Sigue Sputnik though

Edited June 10, 2013 by iconic

[Low End Bee]

It's like reggae. You either feel it or you don't. If you aren't stirred by a slightly out of tune cheapo guitar played with intent move on.
The Pistols, the Clash, the Damned, etc. all turned into great rock bands.
The real heroes though were the Tights. the Valves, the Carpettes, Fast Cars, etc. who released some great singles and didn't outstay their welcome.
It was fun and gave me and scores of others the freedom to get a bass, form a band and write songs without all that boring learning and theory stuff first.
I was going to 3 or 4 gigs a week at the time. The variety was glorious. In a week I would see Prag Vec, Spizz Oil and the early Adam & the Ants. None of them are what is thought of as typical 'punk' now.
I lost interest when nearly every band and punk had a studded leather jacket and a mohican. I find that hardcore/Oi stuff too formulaic.

[SteveK]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1370848501' post='2106143']
This maybe an urban myth...on radio 2 last week I heard that the first Pistols gig sold something like 43 tickets...but the amount of people whom now claim to have been there would fill a Wembly Stadium

Punk sort of passed me by being a weekender type soul boy, it got better with the Pretty Punk Stylee Sigue Sigue Sputnik though
[/quote]
Those 43 tickets probably had no mention of The Sex Pistols and even the promoter wouldn't have known about them until an hour or so before 'doors'.
Apparently, for their first few gigs The Sex Pistols would just turn up at a gig on the night, uninvited, unwanted, likely unpaid and blag their way on to the stage. That was certainly the case at our Westfield college gig.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1370848501' post='2106143']
This maybe an urban myth...on radio 2 last week I heard that the first Pistols gig sold something like 43 tickets...but the amount of people whom now claim to have been there would fill a Wembly Stadium
[/quote]
That was the Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester gig that has become legendary. This is not unusual though and another example is when the Jimi Hendrix Experience played the Ricky Tic club in Hounslow, West London in 1967. You'd probably have difficulty finding anyone over 60 around there that wasn't there that evening although it was a small club above some shops.

[Duarte]

"Punk" is big, dirty, picked bass.

Much like this.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Ua8uUv-4E"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Ua8uUv-4E[/url]

[Dave Vader]

Punk was a long long time ago, just like the Beatles and Rock and Roll.

[Earbrass]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1370652657' post='2104109']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So what do you reckon punk is?[/font][/color]
[/quote]

(in its original and purest form)

Music played by people who can't play, and don't care, for people who can't tell, and don't care.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1370862401' post='2106368']
(in its original and purest form)

Music played by people who can't play, and don't care, for people who can't tell, and don't care.
[/quote]

Is punk only about music?

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1370863703' post='2106408']
Is punk only about music?
[/quote]
No.

[xilddx]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1370863971' post='2106417']
No.
[/quote]

My thought too.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1370862348' post='2106367']
Punk was a long long time ago, just like the Beatles and Rock and Roll.

[/quote]
It seems like only yesterday to me.