Punk: Noise, Attitude, and Revolution

[George 1978]

I know that not only did John Peel share my birthday but he was broadcasting on Radio 1 on the day I was born as well!

[beccabear67]

The first music I heard that was called 'punk' was Stranded by Australia's The Saints. Before that it was something you read about, or would see a band name spray-paint stenciled on something, which is where I saw The Sex Pistols name first knowing nothing about them/it.

Australia with The Easybeats in the '60s had a lot of great raw rock and roll to draw upon. There definitely was a connection to listening to earlier garage rock and '60s music in general. A swing away from long elaborate progressive pieces.

I really liked/like The Jam, but I consider myself more of the 2-Tone/Ska generation.

[zabadak]

Oh yes, I definitely bought into the post-punk thing as I discovered Peel in the late 70s!

Very much, Hypnotised is one of my favourite albums!

[TubThumper]

Oh yes, I definitely bought into the post-punk thing as I discovered Peel in the late 70s!

Peel was an innovator. I’m guessing you digged The Undertones?

[zabadak]

You got into it when the first wave of punk had ended. You had hit the “post punk” scene and embraced it. This would have been more radio friendly and experimental.

• New Wave had begun
• Celtic Punk became a thing
• Gothic Rock was emerging
• Cold Wave and Dark Wave fused electronica with Punk attitude

Exciting times

Oh yes, I definitely bought into the post-punk thing as I discovered Peel in the late 70s!

[George 1978]

My signature comes from a punk song - well, I suppose it was regarded as punk at the time...

[TubThumper]

I got into it in about 1979. I have minimal exposure to it before then but I just didn't get it. Once I did, that was it and now I love it.

You got into it when the first wave of punk had ended. You had hit the “post punk” scene and embraced it. This would have been more radio friendly and experimental.

• New Wave had begun
• Celtic Punk became a thing
• Gothic Rock was emerging
• Cold Wave and Dark Wave fused electronica with Punk attitude

Exciting times

[zabadak]

I got into it in about 1979. I have minimal exposure to it before then but I just didn't get it. Once I did, that was it and now I love it.

[TubThumper]

Punk didn’t just appear overnight in 1976—it had roots stretching back to the mid-to-late 1960s. Bands like The Stooges and MC5 in the US, along with the raw edge of The Velvet Underground, were already stripping rock music down to something louder, rougher, and more confrontational.

By the early 1970s, a scene was bubbling under—particularly in New York at places like CBGB. That’s where bands like Ramones helped define the sound: fast, simple, and no-nonsense.

Then came the explosion…

Between 1976 and 1978, punk truly erupted—especially in the UK. Bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and Buzzcocks didn’t just make music—they made headlines. Whether it was controversial TV appearances, DIY record releases, or anti-establishment lyrics, punk became as much about attitude as sound.

It wasn’t just music either. Punk had a look—ripped clothes, safety pins, leather jackets, and bold hairstyles. Designers like Vivienne Westwood helped shape that visual identity, turning rebellion into something instantly recognisable.

But as quickly as it exploded, the original wave began to fragment…

By the end of the 70s, punk splintered into different directions:

• Post-punk experimentation (think Joy Division)
• New wave and more radio-friendly sounds
• Hardcore punk in the US
• Oi! and street punk in the UK

And yet—punk never really died. It just evolved.

From the political edge of the 80s, to the pop-punk revival of the 90s, right through to today’s underground scenes, its influence is everywhere.

• When did you first discover punk?
• Were you there during the ’76–’78 explosion, or did you come to it later?
• Favourite bands—early pioneers or later offshoots?
• And do you think punk still exists in the same spirit today?