Alley McSqueal

I wrote this for Pressure Drop, and decided to post it here as well.

STREET PUNK HISTORY!

After the original punk movement's hype had died down, (Or should I say when Sid Vicious 'fell off the perch', hahaha), punk as it was known turned into this new wave, romantic stuff, that most pioneers of the original movement couldnt bare.

All around the UK in the year of 1979 there were punks coming together, forming bands whose sounds were alot more rough and aggressive then the original 77 sound. In Edinborough, Scotland, the Exploited came together, in Nottingham, England, The Varukers came together, Discharge came together, etc etc. It can be said The Exploited, The Varukers and Discharge are the pioneers/ "founders" of street punk, and has influenced to be what we know it as today. The youth of the original punk movement obviously fell inlove with the sound of these aggressive bands.

The punks of the 80's adapted a bit of a new fashion sense then the original punks. Studded/painted jackets, mohawks, bondage pants, doc marten boots. Studded/painted jackets were actually used to advertise youre own band to the rest of the scene, but then more punks took the look on, and most were found with a studded and painted jacket. Doc Martens were worn because they were/are a sturdy work boot. Back in the 80's Doc Martens werent fashionable. The punks are what made Doc Marten's fashionable to the general public. It's the same with piercings. In the 70s punks were wearing safety pins through all parts of their bodies, and in the 80's people discovered that professional piercing could become a business oppurtunity!

These punks were given the name street punks, because they didnt have alot of money, and alot were on the streets/living in squats. They didnt have ripped pants because it was cool, its because they were living in poverty. Bondage pants werent in fashion back then, so they all didnt cost 100+ dollars a pair. It was very different to what it is now.

All through out the 80's in the UK, many street punk bands were popping up all over the place, including, Chaos UK, Chaotic Dischord, Disorder, Anti Pasti, One Way System, The Accursed etc etc etc. Street punk was huge in Britain during the 80's, and of course it wouldnt be to long until it hit America!

In the early 90's, New York didnt have the punk scene it does today. Then came the Casualties. In all seriousness, if it wasnt for them, I dont think the USA would have the street punk scene that it does today. After the Casualties started gigging, street punk basically burst into the USA. In the mid 90's, A Global Threat hit Maine, The Devotchkas hit NYC, NY Rel-x hit NYC, LCB started up in Texas, etc etc etc. Basically in the 90s, street punks popularity exploded. Thank you America....hahahaha

Now-a-days theres street punk scenes all over the world, in most states of the USA, Canada, Australia, ALL over England, Ireland, etc etc.

Street punk started out as a left wing movement, and alot of the bands still are very left wing, but nowadays most people see street punk as chaotic and apathetic, which it has become. Theres still bands like The Varukers, Chaos UK and Disorder, who keep politics in the game though.

Now its time for me to suggest come bands and some songs for you all to check out I spose...

Chaos UK
Album - 100% 2 fingers in the Air Punk Rock, Short Sharp Shock,.
Songs - The Alcoholic, Cider I Up Landlord, Hypocrite, Farm yard Boogie, Little Bastard, Selfish Few, No body Seems To Really Care, Lawless Britain.

The Exploited
Albums - Troops Of Tomorrow, Punks Not Dead
Songs - I Hate Cop Cars, Daily News, Jimy Boyle, War, Sex and Violence, I believe In Anarchy.

Disorder
Album - Sliced Punx On Meat Hooks, Complete Disorder
Songs - Free Society, Boring, 3 Blind Mice, Complete Disorder, Insane War, Therefore we shout.

One Way System
Album - All Systems Go
Songs - Stab The Jugde, Give Us A Future, No Return, Waste Away, One Way System, Forgotten Generation, Victim.

The Devotchkas
Album - Annihilation
Songs - Oi Toy, **** For Dreams, Coppers In Force, Hip Hop Kids, Damaged Goods.

The Varukers
Albums - One Struggle One Fight, Blood Suckers
Songs - Animals An Animal, All Systems Fail, GovernmentsTo Blame, Die For Your Government, Protest To Survive.

More bands to check out - Action, The Filth, Dead By Monday, Hippie War Generals, Charter 77, No Idea, Dead Heroes, A Global Threat, The Havoc, Clit 45, The Unseen, The Virus..

Have fun