The origins and history of punk - Punk Britannia

This is a fascinating insight into the origins and history of punk music.

Brilliant docu and captures the pre-curser to punk.. (pub rock.)
Punk got.... and still gets a bad rap.. Listen to Who Are You by The Who (Pete battles with his band fitting into the new 'scene' of 1977.)

Nai Noswad said:

Brilliant docu and captures the pre-curser to punk.. (pub rock.)
Punk got.... and still gets a bad rap.. Listen to Who Are You by The Who (Pete battles with his band fitting into the new 'scene' of 1977.)

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What I read was apparently Pete Townshend of The Who was drinking in a Soho pub in the west end of London back in 1977 when he got chatting to a couple of 'the Pistols' who were also in the pub (possibly Cook and Jones?) who told Pete that they really liked The Who cos Pete was 'having doubts about The Who's own music' at that time anyway Pete got totally p*ssed and after Pete left Cook and Jones Pete 'staggered' back to the Underground station (possibly either Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square?) and ended up in a 'doorway of a shop and was spotted by a 'copper' (policeman) who knew that it was Pete Townshend so the policeman told Pete if he could stand up and walk away he wouldn't 'book him' and he could make his way home (back to Richmond in south west London I believe?) which is what Pete did and that little encounter with 'the copper' was related in the first verse of The Who song Who Are You from 1977.

Rory Gallagher said:

What I read was apparently Pete Townshend of The Who was drinking in a Soho pub in the west end of London back in 1977 when he got chatting to a couple of 'the Pistols' who were also in the pub (possibly Cook and Jones?) who told Pete that they really liked The Who cos Pete was 'having doubts about The Who's own music' at that time anyway Pete got totally p*ssed and after Pete left Cook and Jones Pete 'staggered' back to the Underground station (possibly either Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square?) and ended up in a 'doorway of a shop and was spotted by a 'copper' (policeman) who knew that it was Pete Townshend so the policeman told Pete if he could stand up and walk away he wouldn't 'book him' and he could make his way home (back to Richmond in south west London I believe?) which is what Pete did and that little encounter with 'the copper' was related in the first verse of The Who song Who Are You from 1977.

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Pete Townshend stories are "explosives".
He said once he that he was glad Moon and Entwistle were gone. And then he appeared on Rolling Stone and other places where they fawn on him explaining himself to look good. Pete Townshend never shined like they did. It's more. The Who does not exist without them anymore. Great and legendary drummer Keith Moon,and one of the greatest bass player ever John Entwistle.

I got to see The Who with both drummers, Keith and Kenney. I attended the infamous Charlton Athletic football Ground Concert... Loud wasn't the word!
Maybe the algorithm on here won't permit to tell you how it came about that my Brother took me... (think Dr. Pimple Popper) and treble it!!

Nai Noswad said:

I got to see The Who with both drummers, Keith and Kenney. I attended the infamous Charlton Athletic football Ground Concert... Loud wasn't the word!
Maybe the algorithm on here won't permit to tell you how it came about that my Brother took me... (think Dr. Pimple Popper) and treble it!!

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I believe that was the gig that The Who was officially recorded as the LOUDEST ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD!!. Up until then that 'honour' I believe was held by Deep Purple after being awarded it a couple of years earlier in 1974 I think?.

Old Nick said:

Pete Townshend stories are "explosives".
He said once he that he was glad Moon and Entwistle were gone. And then he appeared on Rolling Stone and other places where they fawn on him explaining himself to look good. Pete Townshend never shined like they did. It's more. The Who does not exist without them anymore. Great and legendary drummer Keith Moon,and one of the greatest bass player ever John Entwistle.

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I heard Pete in a radio interview about 10 years ago saying something to the effect that after John Entwistle (on bass) passed away it at last 'enabled him to play with other bass players' which it came across like he was glad about it?. Also Pete said something about Roger Daltrey something to the effect that from purely a 'musical point of view' Roger was 'the weak link' because with Keith and then John both dying it changed the 'musical sound' of the band although I would have thought Roger was integral to the 'voice' of the band?.

Getting back to British punk I remember watching something about punk on the telly (television) about 25-30 years ago and it was said that the early origins of British punk started around 1974 although most people thought it started in 1976 in the UK cos of the spiky hair, ripped t-shirts, safety pins and bondage trousers!!.

I've been watching the 3 Part series of The origins and history of punk - Punk Britannia.
The interviews with the musicians are brilliant.
They reveal what actually happened on the Punk scene in the 70's.
To this day there are still a lot of myths and distortions and exaggerated stories about The Punk Story.
I think that a percentage of us don't really want to know the real story, because it will destroy the romance.

Some people theorise that Rockabilly was a form of Punk.
Ultra conservative Christians thought that Elvis and Rock n Roll was the Devil's music.
There were Jazz and Blues Artists that revolutionised their genres that shocked people.
There were some radical Classical musicians that were regarded as wild and outside the social norms and boundaries.

I think Punk is an ATTITUDE that challenges the social norms of the day.
Therefore, when it started is a very subjective topic.

In 1974, I was totally into STATUS QUO, SUZI QUATRO, SLADE, SWEET, BTO, PINK FLOYD, DAVID BOWIE, BAD Co., DEEP PURPLE, LED ZEPPELIN, ROXY MUSIC,
BLACK SABBATH, THE STOOGES, ZZ TOP, McCARTNEY & WINGS, BOB MARLEY, 10cc,

That is just a sample of what the 13 yr old me was into in 1974, there were other genres that weren't Rock also.
Luckily, in the next year or so I discovered THE RAMONES, THE SAINTS, RADIO BIRDMAN & then THE *** PISTOLS in 1976.
It was like travelling through a Wormhole to a whole new and exciting Universe of music.

The Australian Punk Scene is a whole other story.
I lived it and loved it.

If you are adventurous, then check out these three LINKS.
They are great Docos about Australian Pub Rock / Outdoor Festivals history in the early to mid 70's & 80's.




It is so great to be an Australian born in 1961!!!!!!