When, where and how did it start ?

Quite a few people claim to have started the whole thing off, such as M.McLaren, but I'm very sure it would have been, even without them. True, M.McLaren assisted and financed some of the important early concerts, plus his talent in communication could only but spread the word. I also think people such as John Peel, the CGBG club and many others helped in the bringing about something that was already there, but waiting.

The early 70's was a pretty boring place in the UK and I guess so in the US as well. Work was getting hard to find, the music scene was very poor, Thatcher was giving the youth a very poor vision of the future. There were enough ingredients to spark the whole thing off. As the Albertos sung "I don't give a dam, I don't fuckin care, I'm gonna kill my Mum and Dad and pull out my Hair."

The foundations of Punk music scene were laid by the Stooges, MC5 and the New York Dolls in the early 70s, in 75 on both sides of the Atlantic, things were brewing up, in the USA, with the Ramones, Patti Smith, whilst in the UK, groups such as the Clash and the Sex Pistols were playing concerts in London.

Early in 1976, the Sex Pistols begin playing concerts in Clubs, in November they release Anarchy in the UK. Everything seemd to move really fast. The Damned, Clash, Eater, X-Ray Spex and Banshees. There was so much energy, the explosion of 3 chord garage bands, talented small labels such as Rough Trade and Stiff, and small venues and a reason to live. A whole culture grew and spread quickly, with its own politics, art and way of living.

Then suddenly it died... Who was the last real 70s Punk band ? I guess the commercial aspect got hold of it firmly and the money machine began to roll.

The New Wave scene arrived quickly, pushing the Punk music back into the "underground".

The movement seemed to regenerate its original power and reason, as it was no longer in the limelight. Groups such as Crass explored the real roots of Punk music, the culture and taking the political issues one big step forward.

In the 1990's there is a new rebirth and the Hardcore movement becomes strong and pushes out some good music, with bands such as Greenday and Fugazi.

Important dates in Punk History

• 1975 : The start is about here
• 1976 :Anarchy in the UK 45 is released
• 14th January 1978, Sex Pistols last concert, the Winterland in San Francisco
• 1979 : Sid Vicious died
  Crass records set up