![The Stooges [Concert Poster] (1973)](http://img300.echo.cx/img300/4535/stoogesposter3yb.jpg)
![MC5 [Concert Poster]](http://img225.echo.cx/img225/6717/mc5poster28ie.jpg)
Before there was punk, there was proto-punk, an ad-hoc genre designation that has come to represent a small cluster of late 60's/early 70's bands that set the groundwork; bands where energy, speed, noise, and attitude were the primary concerns; things like virtuosity, middle-brow artistic ambition, and pop hooks went flying out the window. These bands were few in number in the 1960's, when the record companies ruled with iron fists. But with each passing year there were more and more, especially during the early 70's, when they achieved enough critical mass to become scene setters. By late 1975 the first bands of the punk movement began forming, bringing an end to the proto-punk era.
![The Dictators [Concert Poster]](http://img225.echo.cx/img225/1589/dictatorsposter1ur.jpg)
It's hard to say where proto punk begins. It may go as far back as 1964, when the sloppy garage band the Barbarians placed "Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl?" on the lower reaches of the charts. Some would say The Seeds, emerging in 1966, were the original proto-punk band; specializing in roughshod two chord stompers delivered with a snarl. The Velvet Underground, whose noise experiments of 1967 stood in direct contrast to gentle hippie sentiment certainly qualify. The 1969 debut of the Stooges is now considered a landmark proto-punk release.
![The Velvet Underground [Concert Poster] (1967)](http://img225.echo.cx/img225/2408/velvetwarhol6es.jpg)
Proto punk was noisy, to be sure, and primitively delivered. But there was also the necessary punk attitude. While many of the bands retroactively tagged proto-punk had different backgrounds, styles, and influences, most also shared a jaded, cynical, anti-Utopianism that served as a turd in the punchbowl of flower power and early 70's domesticism. It was music created by outsiders under no illusion that they'd ever be considered insiders, nor did they want in; most saw the Aquarian trappings of the day as escapist and silly. A few of these bands, including Velvet Underground, had artistic ambitions, but their art was one of confrontation and context, as opposed to overly tricky music. The chords were simple; anyone with a guitar could bang them out.
Article comments
1 - SFC SKI
Another great history lesson.
I never got into the Velvet Underground, but they do have a place in the lineup.
2 - gonzo marx
what?...no Ramones or Motorhead?
ah well..any excuse to listen to Iggy
good list, thanks for the nostalgic read
/golfclap
Excelsior!
3 - mike hollihan
Certainly, glam rock was an important root for British punk. Ultravox! was a glam band from an apocalyptic alternate universe. But I think you're short-changing pub rock. The Jam's later music (and Paul Weller's) show that influence. The Clash began as The 101'ers ("Key to my Heart"). And bands like the The Motors, Nick Lowe, Brinsley Schwarz (sp?) straddled the line between punk and pub rock.
Had history gone just a tiny bit different, pub rock was likely The Next Big Thing in mid-70s England.
Otherwise, an excellent list and primer. As always.
4 - uao
I'm saving glam-rock for its own piece, but very good points, Mike. Thanks!
5 - mpho
"a turd in the punchbowl of flower power"--great turn of phrase. love the column to. i never actually knew what proto-punk is, though i apparently own a lot of it!
6 - Dick Weed
Would you describe the sound that comes from my pee-hole as proto-punk?
7 - DJ
That was a terrific list.
Its hard to find good lists of proto punk, i think all the ones you list are proto punk standards.
8 - thomasM
Don't forget about the Sonics. They have some demo tapes I think that date back to 1961! They were blowing up amps even at that stage in their short career.
Like many loud bands of he early pre-metal and pre-punk in the sixties, their distortion sound came from turning up their amps until the speaker cones crackled. Some of the old Fender amps simply just started distorting once you started turning them up.
Wikepedia has a great list of Protopunk rock bands with a pretty good historical overview of a lot of these bands.