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Explain the asthetics of Punk

Here's a fascinating essay describing the Sex Pistols performance at San Francisco's Winterland, January 1978:
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/the-sex-pistols-concert/3054-7788.html?utm_source=NL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=090616
As an old fashioned "peace-love/classic rock" lover, this episode of music completely eludes me. Didn't The Who catch the same vibe but with a lot more musical skill and integrity? Nonetheless, the essay gives a good snap shot surrounding the Sex Pistols and a glimpse into the punk musical phenomenom. If punk had been a satire, it'd be hailed a triumphant post-modern concept piece. The fact it is "real" is even more amazing to me. Excuse me, I have to put on a Judy Collins records to feel "clean again". LOL.
jwong
darkmoebius
899 posts
 
Bongofury - went to an exhibition of Raymond Pettibone's art at Bergamot Station Gallery in Santa Monica a months ago. Lots of singles and album covers from the early days along with his comic books.

Also saw and Anna Suma photo exhibit of her 1977-84 LA Punk scene/shows. Amazing stuff with great shots of Wendy O Williams(Plasmatics), Darbi Crash, Black Flag at the Music Machine, The Clash and Strummer '81 at the Roxy, Iggy Pop at The Palladium '80, Sex Pistols at the Olympic Auditorium '80, Johanna Went, The Bags at Hong Kong Cafe '80, Lena Lovich at Roxy '80, lots of X, The Slits, Adolescents, Los Lobos, Circle Jerks at the Starwood '82...Not to mention great shots of just the overall scene during that period.

Brendan Mullen also did a slideshow of photos from his coffee table book "Live at the Masque: Nightmare in Punk Alley" that night. Lots of great stuff in there. I was about 2 years too young to catch the Masque heyday, but ended up seeing most of the bands that got their start there.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
richard hell-destiny street (lp or cd)..a classic
bongofury
1,160 posts
 
Darkmoebius

Some of the landmark shows I saw were Los Lobos at La Raza Park in East LA, the original lineup of the GoGos and X at the Masque, Fear, Germs and the Alley Cats at Madame Wongs, Iggy and the Clash at the Palladium.
martykl
3,563 posts
 
Bongo,

Do you recall who played loudest?
Just curious, 'cause my head nearly exploded at one of those early Los Lobos shows. Among non-punk shows, memory dictates that Smithereens were also incredibly loud, as were Jethro Tull and The Who.

Marty
berzin
28 posts
 
Bongofury writes-"Sadly, The Ramones never had a real pay day for their innovative work."

Maybe I just don't get it, but from what I've seen the appeal must have been seeing these incredibly unattractive guys on stage playing the same chords song after song and getting away with it to an audience that did not care what the lyrics were about(not that they were intelligible to begin with).

So many disaffected youth went home and decided,"Hey, we really don't need talent to play in a band! We can just be our angry, uncoordinated selves!!!"

The lead singer for the Ramones was so spastic it hurts watching him sing live onstage on youtube clips.

To me punk was never about the lack of commercial appeal to the broader masses but about a lack of talent and musicianship-and anger at being white and shyte out of luck in a white man's world.
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