Thank you all for your responses. I’m now downloading some Agent Orange, Dead Kennedys, Generation X, and some Ramones. I’m liking what I’m hearing too. Thank you for introducing to some of my new favorite bands 
Would you be able to give some information on this? I’ve never heard of this fact, and am fascinated - in lots of ways, Zappa was the opposite to punk (particularly with regards to his emphasis on musicianship), but in 1965, if memory serves, he would have been in his surf-music/novelty song phase.
Specifically, I’m interested in finding out what exactly he said about punk then, whether he applied it to himself or to others, and whether he said it only once, or used it a number of times (like my examples of Greg Shaw, Lester Bangs, etc).
If you are looking for a modern pop-punk band, I think either Green Day or Blink-182 would be better examples than The Offspring.
Tanaqui
Yes. And Adolf Hitler would be a better example of a civil rights leader than Jesse Helms would.
/me wishes he could get the umlauts to show up so he could mention HUSKER DU, damnit!
Dude, I’m not tryin’ to dis Lester Bangs!
I will certainly look this up, but I’m going to have to do some digging. I have it in an interview somewhere from then.
However, I was incorrect about the date, I think that it was sometime more like 1967, not 65. It was certainly AFTER Freak Out! was released. He did consider himself and the Mothers a “punk band” and called them that many times, so it was used in reference to himself.
In any case, I think Frank was a pioneer of punk music in terms of the attitude and statement of his music which was unlike the mainstream at the time. At that point he was putting out records like Freak Out!, We’re Only In It For The Money, and Uncle Meat. I woudn’t catagorize these as “surf-music/novelty song” albums…perhaps doo-wop/novelty played a role on some of these records, but they were certainly much. much more than that (in my opinion, anyway. Many people thought it was utter crap). I do think Cruisin’ with Reuben and the Jets is a doo-wop album and not very punk. Don’t get me started on the Flo & Eddie years!
I think it might have been mentioned earlier, but make sure you check Operation Ivy, and later Rancid, who were pretty much responsible for starting the punk/ska movement.
I didn’t mean the records you mention were ‘surf/novelty’ records, I was thinking of his pre-Freak Out recordings (eg the Rare Meat album), and I am genuinely interested in this quote, as I’ve been collecting information on early punk for a long time, and for Zappa to have called himself punk (unless he was using it ironically) at that time is astounding.
Don’t forget Gang of Four.
Puhleese, let’s make a distiction between British punk and American hardcore. To the unitiated, these are the same, but to afficianado’s, these are two seperate genres.
Second the renting Decline and Fall of Western Civilization. This was the quincentenial LA hardcore documentary, and even features pre-Henry Black Flag. You also might want to check out Another State of Mind (another documentary). Really wanna look at some history, get the Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke. During the band contest, they show footage from San Francisco’s Dills performance. Priceless, as well as Cheech and Chongs punk imitation. Find the Chips episode as well.
Maximum Rock n Roll radio show defined the garage punk band. Find their old magazine, Maximum Rock n Roll. also their two record albumn If Punk Is Dead, What the Hell Is This? Here is a link to maximum rock and roll http://64.23.9.139/luver/maxrnr.html
I have to put in a vote for the texas bands. Big Boys, Dicks, Butthole Surfers, Really Red, Millions of Dead Cops. Woodshock album has some good live stuff, also Live At Raoul’s.
Don’t forget the Candian contingent. DOA, Stretch Marks Subhumans (Canadian. The Subhumans from England fronted by Dick was incredible too) and other’s I’m forgetting. The whole DC contingent should be mentioned.
Way too many bands. Again, I would make the distiction between what is popularly known as punk (ala sex pistols) and American Hardcore (ala circle jerks, dead kennedys and about 500 more bands).
Offspring, maybe. Bad Religion, no.
Check out the Trouser Press Record Guide. Not sure if it’s in print still, but it definitely helped me get through high school :).
Maybe worth checking out a few old issues of Flipside, too.
As for bands. . . I’ve mentioned Crass in another thread here and no one seemed to notice. But they’re a great representation of the politically active “crusty punk” movement.
– CH
To see how modern punk has progressed, look at Dropkick Murphys. Punk is going back to it’s roots in Oi!
Maybe s/he was referring to ‘punk-influenced pop’ - which, let’s face it, comprises the majority of what most people consider “punk” (a la “Tony Hawk 3 punk”).
Either way - I’d say if you’re looking for current stuff, the current pop/punk melding should probably be included - I’d just head more for bands like the Vandals than say (current) Green Day.
Rather than tell you more and more and more bands to check out, or point out bands that others have missed, consider this:
Narrow the scope of your paper. Do you want to talk about the genesis of punk? In America or England? Do you want to talk about 80’s punk? What scene? What sound? How did “80’s hardcore” change how people thought about punk? Why was punk embraced briefly in England as popular culture, but has lasted longer in America as underground culture? What is the correlation between the working class “anyone can do it” music born in the 70’s known as rap, and the working class “anyone can do it” music from the 70’s known as punk? How much do people hold punk ideals anymore? Is punk music even relevant anymore? (GASP!)
Which report do you want to write? It seems to me that you could write a whole book on one band, and you could fill a whole library with 30 years of punk rock stories. Narrow your focus so you can tell one small tale well, rather than give broad generalizations that say nothing.
The Misfits gives an interesting, more…romantic, even, side to punk, definitely check outable. But make sure it’s the ORIGINAL Misfits you listen to, as opposed to this blasphemous re incarnation.
Back in the 60’s there was also the Monks, even before Iggy and the Stooges. Kinda hard to find there stuff though. (There were actually 2 Monks bands, one in the 60’s, americans, pre punk kinda stuff, which is the group i mention and endorse, and then there’s the British band called the Monks from the 70’s, and I don’t really like them. Very early ska type stuff though.)
Also, for one of the many directions what Punk has evolved into, check out the Butthole Surfers, particularily their older stuff from the 80’s. Post-Punk rock at it’s best, is what I say.
Scratch Acid, Dead Kennedys, Germs, Minutemen(already mentioned), … and most others in this thread worthy of a listen.
PS. It’s my thoughts that say that most punk music (particularily 80’s hardcore style) isn’t really even punk music anymore, if made by recent bands. Punk is all about doing things differently…and many a band end up sounding exactly the same, even over a span of 20 years. That’s one of the reason the Butthole Surfers are one of my favorites.
Man, I had forgot about Flipside. Very LA focused but a good resource. Could also check out Thrasher skateboard magazine, as they always had a hardcore and metal piece. Pushead used to write reviews.
IIRC, Crass sold a million records by 1985. Maybe it was their label and not just Crass. Rolling Stone had a article on it. Said they had written off the band, but anyone that sells a million records should get credit.
I prefered the Subhumans (especially from the cradle to the grave). the english band and not the canadian one. They were great live too! Also, I quite liked the Poisen Girls.
anyhoo, Xan, you need to narrow down the topic and provide some specifics if you want help. I was the founding DJ of a hardcore radio show and spun wax for 4 years in the early 1980’s. I see on the internet that my old station still has DJ’s playing the same stuff from my days, which seems wierd.