Perhaps one of the most controversial genres or sub-genres of music, punk rock has been flowing fresh, hot blood through the veins of teenagers and young adults since its inception in the late 60's and early 70's. Punk rock's "anybody can do this" attitude strikes a resounding chord with a youth culture that is constantly being told what to do by its elders and constantly being berated for being too loud, too uncultured, and too vulgar.
[...] Since for the first time commercially successful popular music was gritty and raw, punk rock found itself in new territory. Bad Religion, while maintaining the speed and ferocity of standard punk rock, used catchy chord progressions, addicting guitar hooks, and soaring, harmonious choruses that have since become iconic, landing the band a major label deal with Atlantic Records. NOFX, on the other hand, shunned any notions of major labels and music videos, making songs with distinctly catchy riffs and hooks, then purposely ruining any commercial appeal the song might have with a nasty sounding out of key chord at the end of a progression. [...]
[...] With internet downloading and digital recording making music more and more personal and accessible, the modern musical environment is one that is ripe for punk rock to thrive in. Socially, war always brings out the idealism of punk rock, and with negative press coverage and a growing disapproval of the war in Iraq, the social landscape is also one in which punk rock seems ready to thrive. Punk rock has proven over the decades that it is a genre which will not go away, and its DIY attitude attracts disenfranchised youths who are constantly being told what they can't do. [...]
[...] However, this only added to the fury of the punk/hardcore movement, and its anti-authority trends would only continue to grow, and punk rocks roots would only continue to sink deeper into the ground. The late eighties through mid-nineties saw another new style of punk emerge. Bands like NOFX and Bad Religion, for the first time, found a way to make punk commercially successful. This was accomplished by the founding of what are now two of the largest independent labels in existence, punk rock or not: Epitaph Records, founded by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz, and Fat Wreck Chords, founded by NOFX bassist/vocalist Fat Mike. [...]
[...] Naturally, massive punk rock scenes began to form in New York and Los Angeles, and punk rock bands like the New York Dolls and the Ramones became staples of soon to be landmark venues such as CBGB. Musically, punk rock in the 70's was a direct response to the infamous disco era. Punk rock in the 70's was characterized by loud guitars, simple, sing-a-long choruses, and faster drum beats than had ever been played before. Punk rock was loud and fast, everything that adults hated and therefore everything that the counter-culture youth loved. [...]
[...] This simply proved, of course, that the punk movement was becoming stronger by the show, and the efforts of local law enforcement agencies only fueled the fire of the punk movement. Commercially, Black Flag never saw any real success, and their career, much like most of the hardcore bands that claim them as an influence, was short-lived and riddled with over a dozen line-up changes. While Black was playing chaotic shows all across the country in the early 80's, another legendary punk band was also playing fast paced, frenzy punk/hardcore music that would eventually spawn a subgenre and entirely new social movement of its own. [...]
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