Punk in North America and the U.K. – Who was Louder?
/American punk emerged from the garages of aspiring bands, but British punk gave it a signature edgy twist that North Americans adopted. Finding its way over the sea from New York to London and beyond, it reflected a wilder shade of rock than what came before. Being a punk fan, I want to save my thoughts for after my overview. As with anything that goes international, it just needs to be a competition; who did it better?
American punk spilled out of New York and Michigan in the 1970s, exposing the world to bands like the New York Dolls and MC5. Over in London, the Sex Pistols were formed to promote a clothing store. They rose to infamy with tracks like “Anarchy in the U.K.,” and “God Save the Queen.” Other influential U.K. groups like the Clash came together in the mid-70s, inspired by the Sex Pistols’ fresh flavour of rebellion. Britian’s music scene was changed with provocative lyrics and no-holds-barred attitudes.
However, the Sex Pistols broke up. A messy separation and successful bans from the government, mostly because of the anarchic nature of their songs, left a void to be filled. Fortunately, their tours in North America inspired like-minded groups to pick up the pieces. Black Flag formed in 1977 in Los Angeles, renewing the hardcore side of punk with singles like “Nervous Breakdown,” and “Police Story.”
“Sex Pistols in Paradiso.” Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, taken by Koen Suyk.
Ask different punk fans which bands sang better from where, and you’ll get many answers. The British wave of the 70s aimed to be different from the stagnant rock scene of the time. American offerings ranged from well-composed complaints to directionless rambling. Both shared a mutual distaste towards the government. Canadians jumped in with bands like D.O.A. in the late 70s, proving the growing influence of hardcore punk rock. What’s ultimately consistent between the N.A. and the U.K. is the overly political tone, delivered in what I’d call delightfully angsty doses. The answer here is really a matter of opinion.
At its core, punk is all about counterculture. Controversy is fuel for the punk engine. Politics are inseparable from the genre, we can’t deny that. The Sex Pistols angered authorities with lyrics like, “Anarchy for the UK / It’s coming sometime and maybe / I give a wrong time stop at traffic line / Your future dream is a shopping scheme” (Sex Pistols, 1976) to share their frustrations with the turn towards cheap consumer goods. MDC tuned in from San Francisco in the 1980s and expressed far-left political views. Their sound, often rough and unrefined, gave their discography a genuine feel. They blasted American icons, celebrities and businesses alike, targeting American fast food by saying, “Change from your five / Ankles deep in blood / Make it your career / Sell billions every year” (MDC, 1982) in “Corporate Deathburger.” We can see that punk has similar ideas no matter where it comes from. The nature of these ideas isn’t always the same, though. In my opinion, the biggest difference between N.A. and U.K. punk is the sound. When looking purely at the instrumental side of things, British punk tends to sound refined and concise, while American and Canadian punk is rougher around the edges. Of course, there are exceptions to this on both sides.
The punk scene has certainly slowed since the 70s and 80s, but it hasn’t disappeared. MDC, for example, is still around and continues to make politically charged tracks to this day. The internet is a great tool for discovering less mainstream artists, which is how I got into punk.
So, the question remains. North America vs the United Kingdom, who has the best punk music? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for. They both tend to have sarcasm dripping through their lyrics, but the North American stuff can be more satirical at times. Both are genuine and both have deeper motivations. I like almost all of it, but American punk is my favourite. In the end, it’s up to the audience to decide. No matter the answer you, I, or anyone else give, we’re all punks if we want to be.
Hey, it’s Lucas. I’m a student from Canada who’s just a little too into heavy metal and video games. Thankfully, one of those is useful for this blog. I’m an avid fan of cats (yes, I will pet them if I can) and a bird lover, too. I love a good plot twist, so I especially love it when artists take an unexpected turn with their work. You can expect to hear about rock, metal, or punk when you read my posts. Remember: it’s not about the blog, but the blogger behind it.
