Protopunk

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Protopunk is a term used to describe a number of performers who were important precursors of punk rock, or who have been cited by early punk rockers as influential. Often, protopunk bands were not considered punk themselves.

Most protopunkers are rock and roll performers of the 1960s and early-1970s, though some earlier performers have been cited. Garage rock in general has been cited as quite influential in the development of punk rock. Many such garage rock artists can be found on the Nuggets compilations.

Protopunk has proven difficult to define, and many widely different groups have been so dubbed. Most had a certain attitude or appearance seen as important, as opposed to any specific musical tendencies. Significant examples include The Who (frequently called "The Grandfathers of Punk"), Iggy Pop (Commonly nicknamed "The Godfather of Punk" and claimed as influential by many early punk artists) and his band The Stooges, The Sonics, Alice Cooper, Pere Ubu, The MC5, The Monks, David Bowie, The Doors, The Velvet Underground, The Modern Lovers, Doctors of Madness, T. Rex, Link Wray, The Kinks, and the New York Dolls. Also important is Patti Smith, who humourously is sometimes called "The Godmother of Punk".

Some protopunk bands also fall into the categories of glam rock or UK pub rock. Remarkably, Pere Ubu falls into both the protopunk and post-punk categories, but their experimental, idiosyncratic music has rarely (if ever) been classified as "regulation" punk.

Protopunk, combined with garage rock, hard-edged New Wave and the garage rock revival, helped lead the way to the modern garage punk movement.

[edit] See also

Punk rock
2 Tone - Anarcho-punk - Anti-folk - Art punk - Celtic punk - Cowpunk - Crust punk - Dance-punk - Deathcountry - Death pop - Deathrock - Digital hardcore - Electro rock - Emo - Folk punk - Gaelic punk - Garage punk - Glam punk - Gothabilly - Hardcore punk - Post-hardcore - Horror punk - Jazz punk - Mod revival - Nazi punk - New Wave - No Wave - Noise rock - Oi! - Pop punk - Post-punk - Protopunk - Psychobilly - Punk blues - Punk Pathetique - Queercore - Riot grrrl - Scum punk - Ska punk - Skate punk - Streetpunk - Synthpunk - Taqwacore
Other topics
DIY ethic - Forerunners of punk music - First wave punk musicians - Second wave punk musicians - Punk subculture - Punk movies - Punk fashion - Punk ideology - Punk visual art - Punk dance - Punk literature - Punk zine - Rock Against Communism - Straight edge