The Origins of Punk

[BreakCanon]

Would I be wrong in stating that many of the original punk outfits, including the New York Dolls, Saints, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Johnny Thunders, and MC5 were more musically related to early rock n' roll (I.E. Chuck Berry) than their non-punk contemporaries? This thought has been rolling around my head for awhile now, though I cannot verify it because I don't play an instrument and can't read tabs. Relying on the naked ear, it just seems like punk harkened back to an earlier time in rock, reverting back to the sped up blues which many of their more progressive and experimental contemporaries abandoned in favor of more eclectic and abstract sounds.

[Mister Discotheque]

O yea big time. Think about it, what did these groups have to go on/draw from?

If u need any further proof,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHvoxAkP1F4

Ramones def. drew heavily from that Beach Boys shyt, they just gave it that energy and made it more enjoyable.

[Dead End]

Would I be wrong in stating that many of the original punk outfits, including the New York Dolls, Saints, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Johnny Thunders, and MC5 were more musically related to early rock n' roll (I.E. Chuck Berry) than their non-punk contemporaries? This thought has been rolling around my head for awhile now, though I cannot verify it because I don't play an instrument and can't read tabs. Relying on the naked ear, it just seems like punk harkened back to an earlier time in rock, reverting back to the sped up blues which many of their more progressive and experimental contemporaries abandoned in favor of more eclectic and abstract sounds.

pretty much

[BreakCanon]

Upping for other opinions.

[Zayus]

Of course they did, if you think about it. I'd say it happened out of necessity though - early punk bands, for the most part, were awful musicians (apart from The Clash). Three bar songs are easy to play and a lot of what they did was taken from early Rock 'N' Roll. They also didn't have the budget for experimental rock. The Stooges' first three albums were made on tight budgets. As soon as Iggy struck out on his own and started working with Bowie more he had a much bigger budget and was able to mess around with sounds more.

There's also the idea that abstract rock of the time was moving further and further away from the people and was therefore losing some personal collection. It's not a totally invalid opinion if you take into account the rock (I use the term loosely) nature of early Kraftwerk and Neu!. Both groups made (by the standards of the time) sterile and 'cold' music that didn't resonate well at first.

[Apey]

They also didn't have the budget for experimental rock. The Stooges' first three albums were made on tight budgets. As soon as Iggy struck out on his own and started working with Bowie more he had a much bigger budget and was able to mess around with sounds more.
.

I basically agree with you, but I'm not sure about this part. IMO Funhouse is as experimental as anything Iggy ever did after that...hell, a lot of it almost veers into free jazz.

[Zayus]

I basically agree with you, but I'm not sure about this part. IMO Funhouse is as experimental as anything Iggy ever did after that...hell, a lot of it almost veers into free jazz.

I was thinking more in terms of early electronica but you've got a point.

[BreakCanon]

double post.

[BreakCanon]

^

That is why I did not include the Stooges in the OP. They were more psychedelic-jazz with punk simplicty and attitude, than pure punk. I still believe they can be called proto-punk.

[Zayus]

I guess what I said still stands in regards to The Clash though. As soon as they had enough money to bring in musicians and record more they almost completely abandoned any pretense of being a punk band.

[BreakCanon]

^

True.

[Copper Scroll]

A timbre of a lot of punk guitar sounds like surf guitar... only not nearly as proficient in technique.