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Re: [ARSCLIST] A Holiday vision
Whatever else it was or is, Punk Rock was not a response to the Thatcher government in England, which didn't take power until mid-1979. Some, even at the time, would say that Punk was already dead by then. The social situation in mid 70s England was certainly important, but Punk was also a response to the musical trends there, which many were tired of. The American scene, which predated the British one and influenced it musically, wasn't much concerned with who held power in England.
The notion that Punk Rock was simply about playing bad music poorly was promoted heavily at the time in the media, and some bands happily took the bait--one might even say that Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and some others baited the hook themselves--but that doesn't make it so. The name of "Punk" was applied indiscriminately to countless bands and local scenes that didn't fit into the mainstream for one reason or another. Musically, bands with such disparate styles as the Sex Pistols, Pere Ubu, The Real Kids and Television have little in common, but if you were looking for something different than was readily available on the radio or in your local record store back then, as I was, it was exciting stuff, "punk" label or no. Some of it still is.
Matthew Barton
MBRS
The Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540-4696
202-707-5508
email: mbarton@xxxxxxx
>>> "Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 12/27/07 12:34 AM >>>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger and Allison Kulp" <thorenstd124@xxxxxxxxx>
> Once and for all will somebody please explain to me the outright
vindictiveness so many on this list have with music recorded after 1950,or so ?
>
Quite simple...insofar as I have heard it (and I'll change the definition
to post-*1990*, not post-1950...?!) it sounds like...well...faeces...!
Keep in mind that the (supposed, anyway) point of "Punk Rock" was
originally a message thrown at Margaret Thatcher...who had slashed
welfare and unemployment benefits, at the request of her corporate
masters...! The punk-rock reply was, "If we have to support ourselves
with no help, we'll try playing music, even though we're really
bad at it...!"
Okeh...that said, 1950-1955 represents a nadir of popular music
in North America...an era which gave us such unforgettable tunes
as "Doggie In the Window"..."Oh, Mein Papa"..."That's Amore"...
"Tennessee Waltz"...et al...?!
And...can ANYBODY out there in Radio-Land name a memorable
popular song and/or recording of the 1992-2007 period...AND...
hum the tune back to me in identifiable form...?!
(reciting rap "lyrics" does NOT count...?!)
Steven C. Brr