The Post-Punk Genre | Music
This is the first of many blogs, I intend to post, discussing different influential genres and eras in music. Another interest of mine as well as fashion.
The POST-PUNK movement first came to peoples' attention during the late 1970s in the UK after the punk era of the 70s hence being named post-punk. The movement had similar values to punk but was much more complex than the fist wave of punk. Coming about through experimentation by concentrating on exploring different sound combinations and lyrical themes. Making many bands seen as part of the genre, to have an individual and defining sound. Many ex-punk bands converted into post-punk bands changing their sound and name to be seen moving with times, most likely. For example John Lydon went from being the lead singer of the Sex Pistols to Public Image Ltd who he co-founded with early ex-The Clash guitarist Keith Levene. Some of the post-punk bands had some mainstream popularity during the early 1980s even though it had an underground following.
 |
| PiL performing live (Image source: last.fm) |
The amount of experimenting that took place, encouraged bands for years to come to cross genres culminating in the invention of Alternative Rock which is still around today. Making post-punk very influential. Would direction would music have gone or the music we listen to today be like without it? Music wasn't the only thing that was experimented with, drugs too which could have influenced the post-punk sounds of some bands. I read an article somewhere claiming that The Jesus & Mary Chains signature sound of strong feedback was down to being on drugs which had been denied by the band.
 |
| Still from The Jesus & Mary Chains' video Just Like Honey (Image source: last.fm) |
I find it fascinating that few of the people I have spoken who were around during this period were not aware of post-punk or the bands associated. Which shows it was a much more underground and introverted genre and not as much in your face, so to speak as the first wave of punk was or the currently popular new wave dominating the charts.
If you wish to find out more or are interested in listening to expand your musical taste and don't really know where to start. Below I have listed a few bands that are a must and worth checking out;
The Slits (cover of Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through The Grapevine)
Gang of Four (Return The Gift from 1979's Entertainment!)
The Fall (Totally Wired)
Siouxsie and the Banshees (Spellbound from 1981's Juju)
The Chameleons (Perfume Garden (John Peel Sessions) from 1983's Script of the Bridge)
The Jesus & Mary Chain (Just Like Honey from 1985 debut album Psychocandy, with a very young Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Stagger Lee from Murder Ballads)
 |
| The Slits album cover for 'Cut' (Image source: theguardian.com) |
The US had their own form of this genre but was it called No Wave, worthy mentions include James Chance and the Contortions and Sonic Youth.
But I truly believe us British should be proud of having had such an influential genre However much and how many times I listen to JAMC's 'Psychocandy' or GoF 'Entertainment!' since discovering them both 9 years ago. I shall never grow tired of listening to the complexity and craft of post-punk records. Majority of these bands have influenced today's music artists.
Thanks for reading, Rebecca x.
Be sure to check out my music taste on last.fm
Comments
Post a Comment