Who invented punk rock?

From a social standpoint, you can go back earlier and find the MC5, who had both the proto-punk sound, attitude and social consciousness (including class consciousness, as they were very much a working-class band). The Brits put their spin on things, but they didn't invent that, IMO

 

The Silver Beatles.

before Epstein de-punk them.

 

God, who knows... MC5, Stooges, Dolls...

 

Al Gore.

While he was taking some time off between college and inventing the Internet.

 

I suppose I should be surprised no one's making Calvin Coolidge jokes.

 

Very raw, true. I know the Kinks had a solo in 64-65 or so - I can't remember exactly which song - that had a similar hard sound, but yes what you posted must have shocked people back then.

 

"I Need You"?

 

Maybe... I'll have to dig though the bonus tracks on the 2011 deluxe Kinks and Kinda Kinks, but what you got there is definitely 'raw'

 

Larry

 

Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd.

 

Arthur Sultan after the Ouija board table -tapping weekend in Bognor.

 

Punk had a number of different influences, and some early influences can be called proto-punk or some similar term. But I don't think you had an identifiable genre until the Ramones came along, at which time they nailed it. They were not a mix of punk with other genres, like say The NY Dolls and glam rock, although I do think the Dolls were a huge influence.

Another earlier influence imo clearly was The Who, with even their look, the loudness, the barre chord progressions. But they obviously did not define the genre, and mixed in a number of other elements and genres. They were quite simply not about being punk rock.

Among contemporaries in the NY scene, Patti Smith came close in defining the image and attitude, but imo the music itself was more a combo of Dylan influence and straight ahead rock. Which is what she stuck to even after punk became a defined genre, and not to her discredit, like her awesome cover of Do You Want to be a Rock and Roll Star? That's not punk. Blondie, Television, Talking Heads just in NY alone had overlap with the style. But they were also a mix with others.

The band that comes closest to the basic style after the Ramones was the Sex Pistols, and then the Clash. But the Sex Pistols were if anything TOO basic. And did not in any event come before the Ramones.

When the concept punk rock comes into my head, the first thing I think of is The Ramones. So there's that as well.

 

My uncle Bob.

 

Bob Geldoff ? No.

 

These guys:

 

I went with Iggy & The Stooges

 

As usual with these sorts of questions--no one. It evolved gradually, in bits and pieces.

 

I've always thought that we will never really know.

Surely some garage band that we still do not know and surely forgotten. Some guys who nobody gave credit. There are so many musicians who can have the credit for creating punk rock? I definitely do not think so.

Many unknown (obscure and liile know) bands of the 60s already had some punk rock characteristics that we heard in the 70's.

Like these guys:

Punk is rock with the raw sound of the streets and that has no owner or patent

Many of the ones mentioned here were also influences to consider, but none can be singled out as the one that invented punk.


And who really cares?

 

London ?
New York ?

No one can define it with precision, I believe that both scenes were born almost simultaneously, with different sonic, aesthetic and sociopolitical elements.

 

No, Bob Horowitz.

 

I dont believe it was any of these.

A critic probably started it.

Surely tho the Iomi thing with the two finger barre chord helped any misfit who could count to four be able to play guitar, how come Iomi not on the list

 

They invented the punk

 

Fugs in 1965-1966 they were the most abrasive controversial anti everything group of misfits to grace the entertainment industry at that time.Add to that a literacy of the far left coupled with a strong background for real communism& a abundance of shock value and you have made a perfect punk cocktail. Born in the hotbed of anything goes 1960s Greenwich Village you have the IMO premeir punk band of all time.True pre-historic punk if you will.All this and real Beat poets to top it off.There you have it folks.Remember punk was/is a attitude not just music.That being said the electric Fugs 2nd album is punk rock in its purest form.

 

because plenty of "punk" guitar playing, depending on how you define punk, didnt use two finger power chords - and the "Fact" that Iommi invented that, is debatable anyway.