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The punk subculture is a Subculture that is based around Punk Rock music. Since emerging from the larger Rock 'n' Roll scene in the mid-to-late-1970s in the United Kingdom , the United States and Australia , the punk movement has spread around the globe and developed into a number of different forms. Punk culture encompasses distinct styles of music, ideology, and fashion, as well as visual art, dance, literature, and film. Punk also lays claim to a Lifestyle and community.1 The punk scene is composed of an assortment of smaller subcultures, such as Hardcore Punk and Streetpunk . These subcultures distinguish themselves through unique expressions of punk culture. Several subcultures have developed out of punk to become distinct in their own right, including Goth and Psychobilly . The punk movement has had a tumultuous relationship with Popular Culture and struggles to resist Commercialization and Appropriation . HISTORY See Also: History of the punk subculture The punk subculture emerged in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia in the mid-to-late-1970s, and has since undergone several developments.234 Savage, Jon. ''England's Dreaming: The Sex Pistols and Punk Rock''. Faber And Faber , 1991. ISBN 0-312-28822-056 The punk subculture originated from a number of antecedents and influences. Various Philosophical and Artistic Movements influenced and preceded to the punk movement. In particular, several strains of Modern Art anticipated and affected punk. Various writers, books, and literary movements were important to the formation of the punk aesthetic. Punk rock has a variety of musical origins in the Rock And Roll genre. Previous youth subcultures also had major influences on punk. The earliest form of punk, retroactively named Protopunk , arose in the north-eastern United States in the early-to-mid-1970s. The first ongoing music scene that was assigned the punk label appeared in New York City between 1974 and 1976. Around that same time, a punk scene developed in London. Soon after, Los Angeles became home to the third major punk scene. These three cities formed the backbone of the burgeoning movement, but there were also other scenes in cities such as Brisbane , and Boston . Starting in 1977, the subculture diversified, and factions such as 2 tone and anarcho-punk came into their own. As the punk movement began to lose steam, post-punk, New Wave, and No Wave gained the media's attention. Sometime around the early 1980s, punk underwent a renaissance in the form of the hardcore punk subculture. Hardcore proved fertile in much the same way as the original punk subculture, producing several new groups. These subcultures stand alongside the older subcultures under the punk banner. The underground punk movement in the United States in the 1980s produced scenes that either evolved from punk or claimed to apply its spirit and DIY ethics to a completely different music, securing punk's legacy in the Alternative Rock and Indie scenes. The commercial success of alternative rock gave way to another style that the mainstream media dubbed Pop Punk . A new movement in America became visible in the early and mid-1990s, claiming to be a revival of punk. MUSIC performs in concert]] See Also: Punk rock Music is the most important aspect of punk. Punk music is called ''punk rock'', sometimes shortened to ''punk''. Most punk rock is a specific style of the Rock Music genre, though Punk Musicians sometimes incorporate elements from other genres. Punk subcultures often distinguish themselves by having a unique style of punk rock, though not every style of punk rock has its own associated subculture. Most punk rock involves simple arrangements, short Song s and Lyrics that espouse punk values. Punk rock is usually played in bands, as opposed to solo artists. IDEOLOGY ]] See Also: Punk ideologies Punk ideology is concerned with the individual's intrinsic right to freedom, and a less restricted lifestyle. Punk ethics espouse the role of personal choice in the development of, and pursuit of, greater freedom. Common punk ethics include a radical rejection of Conformity , the DIY (Do It Yourself) ethic, Direct Action for political change, and not Selling Out to mainstream interests for personal gain. Punk politics cover the entire Political Spectrum , although most punks find themselves categorized into Left-wing or Progressive views. Punks often participate in Political Protest s for local, national or global change. Some common trends in recent punk politics include Anarchism , Anti-authoritarianism , Anti-militarism , Anti-capitalism , Anti-racism , anti- Sexism , Anti-nationalism , anti- Homophobia , Environmentalism , Vegetarianism , Veganism , and Animal Rights . Some individuals within the subculture hold Right-wing views (see Conservative Punk ) or other political views conflicting with the aforementioned, though these comprise a minority. Well-known punks with conservative values include Michale Graves and Johnny Ramone . There are also some punks in openly white racist groups like Blood and Honour which embrace the Nazi ideology. FASHION of Conflict ]] See Also: Punk fashion Punks seek to outrage propriety with the highly theatrical use of becomes a dress, shirt or skirt; safety pins and razor blades are used as jewelry. Leather , Rubber , and Vinyl clothing are also popular, possibly due in part to the fact that the general public associates it with Transgressive Sexual Practices like Bondage and S&M . Punks also sometimes wear tight "drainpipe" jeans, T-shirt s with risqué images, Rocker Jacket s (which are often decorated by painting on band logos, adorning the lapels and pocket flaps with pins and buttons, and covering sections of the jacket, especially the back and sleeves of the jacket, in large numbers of carefully placed studs or spikes), and footwear such as Converse sneakers, Skate Shoes , Brothel Creeper s, or Dr. Martens boots. Some punks style their hair to stand in spikes, cut it into Mohawk s or other dramatic shapes, often coloring it with vibrant, unnatural hues. Punks tend to adorn their favorite jacket or vest with pin-back buttons and patches of bands they love and ideas they believe in, telling the world around them a little bit about who they are. They sometimes flaunt taboo symbols such as the Iron Cross . Some early punks occasionally wore clothes displaying a Nazi Swastika for shock-value, but most modern punks are staunchly anti-racist and are more likely to wear a crossed-out swastika symbol. In contrast to punks who regularly walk the streets wearing skin-tight plaid pants, a sleeveless band t-shirt, a leather jacket (with the cover of their favorite album hand painted on the back, the paint-free area of the back and both the sleeves coated by a precise grid of studs, and the lapels invisible beneath all the buttons), and combat boots with eighteen eyeholes, there are some punks who are decidedly "anti-fashion," arguing that music should define punk, not fashion. This is most common in Hardcore Punk . VISUAL ART '' single designed by Jamie Reid ]] See Also: Punk visual art Punk aesthetics determine the type of Art punks enjoy, usually with Underground , Minimalistic , Iconoclastic and Satirical sensibilities. Punk artwork graces Album Cover s, Flyers for concerts, and Punk Zine s. Usually straightforward with clear messages, punk art is often concerned with political issues such as Social Injustice and economic disparity. The use of images of suffering to shock and create feelings of empathy in the viewer is common. Alternatively, punk artwork may contain images of selfishness, stupidity, or apathy to provoke contempt in the viewer. Much of the earlier artwork was in black and white, because it was distributed in Zines reproduced at copy shops. Punk art also uses the Mass Production aesthetic of Andy Warhol 's Factory studio. Punk played a hand in the revival of Stencil art, spearheaded by Crass . The Situationists also influenced the look of punk art, particularity that of the Sex Pistols . Punk art often utilizes Collage , exemplified by the art of Crass, Jamie Reid , and Winston Smith . John Holmstrom was a punk Cartoonist who created work for the Ramones and Punk Magazine . The Stuckism art movement had its origin in punk, and titled its first major show '' The Stuckists Punk Victorian '' at the Walker Art Gallery during the 2004 Liverpool Biennial . Charles Thomson , co-founder of the group, described punk as "a major breakthrough" in his art.http://www.artistica.co.uk/2006/01/29/interview-with-charles-thomson-of-the-stuckists DANCE See Also: Punk dance The punk subculture has developed a variety of dancing styles, some which appear chaotic and violent. This has led some punk concerts to look like small-scale Riot s. The dance styles most associated with punk rock are Pogo Dancing and Mosh ing (similar to the Slam Dancing associated with hardcore music). Stage Diving and Crowd Surfing were originally associated with Protopunk bands such as The Stooges , and continued to appear at punk, metal and rock concerts. Ska Punk promoted an updated version of Skanking . Hardcore Dancing is a later development influenced by all of these styles. LITERATURE s, 1994-2004]] See Also: Punk literature Punk has generated a considerable amount of Poetry and Prose . Punk has its own Underground Press in the form of Punk Zine s, which feature news, gossip, cultural criticism, and interviews. Some zines take the form of Perzine s. Important punk zines include '' Maximum RocknRoll '', '' Punk Planet '', and '' Cometbus ''. Several novels, biographies, autobiographies, and comic books have been written about punk. '' Love And Rockets '' is a notable comic with a plot involving the Los Angeles punk scene. Examples of punk poets include: Jim Carroll , Patti Smith , John Cooper Clarke , Seething Wells and Attila The Stockbroker . The Medway Poets performance group included punk musician Billy Childish and had an influence on Tracey Emin . Jim Carroll's autobiographical works are among the first known examples of punk literature. The punk subculture has inspired the Cyberpunk and Steampunk literature genres. FILM cover for ''Jubilee'', featuring Jordan as Amyl Nitrate]] See Also: Punk film Many Punk Films have been made, and punk rock Music Videos and punk Skate Video s are common. The use of Stock Footage typifies punk film. Several famous groups have participated in movies, such as the Ramones in '' Rock 'n' Roll High School '' and the Sex Pistols in '' The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle ''. Some well-known punks have even had Biopic s made about them, such as '' Sid And Nancy '', which tells the story of Sid Vicious (portrayed by Gary Oldman ) and Nancy Spungen (portrayed by Chloe Webb ). Original footage of punk bands is also often used in music documentaries. Recently, numerous documentaries about specific punk bands have been made, such as '' Westway To The World '' about The Clash, by punk filmmaker Don Letts . The seminal punk documentary is '' The Filth And The Fury '', detailing the rise of the Sex Pistols. In addition to the members of that band and its affiliates ( Malcolm McLaren , Vivienne Westwood , Nancy Spungen , etc.) it also features archival footage of Billy Idol , Sting , Shane McGowan , and a young teenaged girl who would grow up to be Siouxsie Sioux , among others. One of the highlights of the movie is footage of the Sex Pistols playing "God Save the Queen" on a barge in the middle of the Thames during the Silver Jubilee Of Elizabeth II , and their subsequent arrest. The No Wave Cinema movement owes much to punk aesthetics. Derek Jarman and Don Letts are notable punk filmmakers. Many other films are associated with punk, such as '' 24 Hour Party People '', which presents the evolution of punk rock into New Wave and Madchester , and '' Threat '', which focuses on militant Straight Edge punks in the New York Hardcore scene. LIFESTYLE punk in 1981]] Punks are genereally people from Working Class , or Underclass backgrounds. Some Homeless punks rely on Squatting , Panhandling , or Dumpster Diving to survive. Gutter Punk s and Squeegee Punk s vary in their direct involvement with the punk subculture. Typically, a punk enters the subculture during the first few years of Secondary School . Many punks continue playing a role in the subculture for several years, and some make their involvement a lifelong commitment. Although adolescents are the main age group in punk, there are many adults who have the punk mentality but do not necessarily dress the part. Although punk generally decries overt Sexism , the subculture is largely male-dominated, with the except of the Riot Grrrl movement. Since its inception, female punks have played important roles in the punk subculture, but numerically speaking, they are vastly underrepresented. Compared to some alternative cultures, punk is much closer to being Gender Equalist in terms of its ideology.7 Although the punk subculture is mostly Anti-racist , it is vastly white (at least in predominantly-white countries). However, members of other groups (such as Blacks , Latino s, and Asians ) have also contributed to the development of the subculture. Substance Abuse has sometimes been a part of the punk scene, with the notable exception of the Straight Edge movement. Violence has also sometime appeared in the punk subculture, but has been opposed by some subsets of the subculture, such as the pacifist strain of Anarcho-punk . COMMUNITY Punks often form a local Scene , which can have as few as half a dozen, or as many as thousands of members. A typical punk scene is made up of Bands , Fans , and Music Venue s, as well as Independent Record Label s, Zine publishers, visual Artist s, and clothing makers. A local scene usually has a small group of dedicated punks surrounded by a more casual periphery. Squatting plays a role in some punk communities, providing shelter and other forms of support. Punk squats and other Punk House s sometimes provide bands a place to stay while on tour. There are some punk Commune s, such as the Dial House . The Internet has been playing an increasingly larger role in punk, specifically in the form of Virtual Communities and File Sharing programs. SUBCULTURES WITHIN PUNK The punk subculture is made up of a diverse assortment of subgroups that distinguish themselves from one another through different attitudes, music, and clothing styles. Some of these groups are antagonistic towards one another, and there is widespread disagreement within punk whether or not some are even part of the larger subculture. An individual punk may identify with several of these factions, or none in particular. SUBCULTURES INFLUENCED BY PUNK Several subcultures started out closely related to the punk subculture but broke away, becoming distinct and separate cultures. Some of these groups have retained friendly and cooperative relations with punks, but others have developed a feeling of mutual animosity. INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER SUBCULTURES The late-1960s Skinhead subculture had largely died out by 1972 but was revived in the late 1970s, partly because of the influence of punk rock. This led to the development of Punk-skinheads and the Working Class -based Oi! movement. Conversely, Soul , Ska and reggae music, popular among traditionalist skinheads, has had an influence on punk music. Punks and skinheads have had both antagonistic and friendly relationships; depending on the social circumstances, time period and geographic location. Punk and Hip Hop emerged around the same time in New York City , and there has been some interaction between the two subcultures. Some of the first hip hop MCs called themselves punk rockers, and some punk fashions have found their way into hip hop dress. Malcolm McLaren played roles in introducing both punk and hip hop to the United Kingdom . More recently, hip hop has influenced some punk and hardcore bands, such as Blaggers I.T.A. , Biohazard , The Transplants and Refused . The punk and the Heavy Metal subcultures have shared similarities since punk's inception, and the early 1970s metal scene was instrumental in the development of Protopunk . Glam Rock ers The New York Dolls were massively influential on early punk fashion and also influenced the look of Glam Metal . Alice Cooper was a forerunner of the fashion and music of both the punk and metal subcultures. Motörhead , since their first album release in 1977, have had continued popularity in the punk scene, and singer Lemmy is a fan of punk rock. Punk subgenres such as Metalcore , Grindcore , Punk Metal and Crossover Thrash were greatly influenced by heavy metal. The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal influenced the UK 82 style, and hardcore punk was a primary influence on Thrash Metal bands such as Metallica and Slayer ; and by proxy, was an influence on Death Metal and Black Metal . The grunge subculture resulted in large part from the fusion of punk and metal styles in the late 1980s. However, there have long been tensions between the two groups. In particular, metal's mainstream incarnations have proven anathema to punk. Hardcore and grunge developed in part as reactions against the metal music popular during the 1980s. The Industrial subculture also has several ties to punk, in terms of music, fashion and attitude. In punk's heyday, punks faced harassment and violent attacks from the general public and from members of other subcultures. It has been reported that in the UK, punks were involved in brawls with Teddy Boys , Greasers and Biker s. There was also considerable enmity between Positive Punk s and the New Romantic s. In the United States, punks sometimes faced abuse from Redneck s and other Right-wing groups such as White Power Skinhead s. In Sweden , the Raggare have sometimes attacked punks. INTERACTIONS WITH POPULAR CULTURE '', an album by The Chipmunks with covers of punk and new wave songs]] In the years following the birth of punk, elements of the subculture have become more socially acceptable (at least in Western-style democratic countries). It many cases, punk was looked at as merely a youthful fashion statement. Some maintain that the punk scene has lost the very heart of its former nature as one of explosive creativity, rebellion, anger, and individualism, and that it has become a mere caricature of what once was. Bryn Chamberlain writes, "By the mid 1980s, the punk became publicly acceptable. The punk became intelligent, artistic and fun. This became the constructed punk: a sterilized figure, a shadow of his mindless adolescent ancestor."8 Punk has influenced, and has been influenced by, popular culture in a number of ways. Since the beginning of the subculture, major label record labels, Haute Couture , and the Mass Media have attempted to use punk for profit. For the most part, punk has met this cultural appropriation with resistance, because of the punk ethic of musical integrity.9 FOOTNOTES REFERENCES
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