Deep Dive - 1970's and 1980's Afro-Punk Bands
About
The rebel icons who defied cultural stereotypes to kickstart a musical revolutionThe meaning of ‘punk’ is hard to define. Is it an attitude? A genre? A willingness not to conform? Despite such ambiguities, punk is streotypically portrayed as the preserve of white, working-class musicians. Although as Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff pointed out last week, “Punk music is not the sole property of whiteness, even though to people of my generation it may appear that way at first glance,” adding, “Like many facets of pop culture, its historical image has been whitewashed.” To celebrate the true punk rebellion that has always existed in black culture, and continues to exist today, here are just a few punk pioneers that changed the game and made their mark.
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/28419/1/the-black-punk-pioneers-who-made-music-history
Articles and Information
https://www.okayafrica.com/black-punk-bands-iconic-listening/
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/28419/1/the-black-punk-pioneers-who-made-music-history
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/the-story-of-pure-hell-the-first-black-punk-band.html
https://www.altpress.com/early-afro-punk-artists-who-made-huge-contributions-to-alt-rock/
Death
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/arts/music/15rubi.html
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/death-story-most-influential-punk-band/
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/music/sf-death-punk-miami-gramps-20170206-story.html
X- Ray Spex
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/arts/music/poly-styrene-i-am-a-cliche-documentary.html
https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2017/apr/28/my-mum-the-punk-pioneer-poly-styrenes-daughter-remembers-the-x-ray-spex-leader
https://www.vice.com/en/article/4ade5d/the-truth-about-british-punk-legend-and-x-ray-spex-singer-poly-styrene-2021
Bad Brains
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/bad-brains-changed-punk-history/
https://www.loudersound.com/features/punk-purity-and-positive-mental-attitude-the-turbulent-tale-of-bad-brains
https://timeline.com/bad-brains-shattered-stereotypes-about-punk-rock-and-black-music-3659aafcc9cc
Pure Hell
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/40942/1/pure-hell-first-black-american-punk-band-history
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/the-story-of-pure-hell-the-first-black-punk-band.html
https://louderthanwar.com/pure-hell-an-interview-with-the-legendary-us-punks/
Fishbone
https://americansongwriter.com/fishbones-chris-dowd-talks-the-bands-legendary-history/
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/movies/everyday-sunshine-celebrates-ska-punk-rockers-fishbone.html
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/421935/fishbone-the-band-that-nobody-fucked-with/
Don Letts
https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/features/don-letts-rebel-heart-interview-12538/
https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/music-2/don-letts-on-resilience-revolution-and-staying-diy/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2022/11/03/cultural-renaissance-man-don-letts--is-the-subject-of-a-new-documentary/?sh=242c012b2395
Karla Mad Dog (The Controllers)
https://afropunk.com/2016/02/feature-black-punk-history-badass-drummer-karla-maddog/
http://maddogx_78.tripod.com/madbio.html
Really Cool High School Lesson and Lesson Plan on Black Origins of Punk
https://teachrock.org/lesson/black-punk-origins/
https://teachrock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/DLP-The-Black-Origins-of-Punk.pdf
Music Playlist
Vintage Annals Archive 1970's and 1980's Afro-Punk Pioneers Spotify Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LzSw3TwgvhNM81OIge5mq?si=Tg7nZJoKSuuxaB7xhIJzcg
Documentaries and Video Playlist
There are full documentaries and videos in the playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4zYKaPKme7Kd8aUYEYxTgaSbLeueMYd
The rebel icons who defied cultural stereotypes to kickstart a musical revolutionThe meaning of ‘punk’ is hard to define. Is it an attitude? A genre? A willingness not to conform? Despite such ambiguities, punk is streotypically portrayed as the preserve of white, working-class musicians. Although as Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff pointed out last week, “Punk music is not the sole property of whiteness, even though to people of my generation it may appear that way at first glance,” adding, “Like many facets of pop culture, its historical image has been whitewashed.” To celebrate the true punk rebellion that has always existed in black culture, and continues to exist today, here are just a few punk pioneers that changed the game and made their mark.
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/28419/1/the-black-punk-pioneers-who-made-music-history
Articles and Information
https://www.okayafrica.com/black-punk-bands-iconic-listening/
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/28419/1/the-black-punk-pioneers-who-made-music-history
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/the-story-of-pure-hell-the-first-black-punk-band.html
https://www.altpress.com/early-afro-punk-artists-who-made-huge-contributions-to-alt-rock/
Death
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/arts/music/15rubi.html
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/death-story-most-influential-punk-band/
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/music/sf-death-punk-miami-gramps-20170206-story.html
X- Ray Spex
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/arts/music/poly-styrene-i-am-a-cliche-documentary.html
https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2017/apr/28/my-mum-the-punk-pioneer-poly-styrenes-daughter-remembers-the-x-ray-spex-leader
https://www.vice.com/en/article/4ade5d/the-truth-about-british-punk-legend-and-x-ray-spex-singer-poly-styrene-2021
Bad Brains
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/bad-brains-changed-punk-history/
https://www.loudersound.com/features/punk-purity-and-positive-mental-attitude-the-turbulent-tale-of-bad-brains
https://timeline.com/bad-brains-shattered-stereotypes-about-punk-rock-and-black-music-3659aafcc9cc
Pure Hell
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/40942/1/pure-hell-first-black-american-punk-band-history
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/the-story-of-pure-hell-the-first-black-punk-band.html
https://louderthanwar.com/pure-hell-an-interview-with-the-legendary-us-punks/
Fishbone
https://americansongwriter.com/fishbones-chris-dowd-talks-the-bands-legendary-history/
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/movies/everyday-sunshine-celebrates-ska-punk-rockers-fishbone.html
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/421935/fishbone-the-band-that-nobody-fucked-with/
Don Letts
https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/features/don-letts-rebel-heart-interview-12538/
https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/music-2/don-letts-on-resilience-revolution-and-staying-diy/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2022/11/03/cultural-renaissance-man-don-letts--is-the-subject-of-a-new-documentary/?sh=242c012b2395
Karla Mad Dog (The Controllers)
https://afropunk.com/2016/02/feature-black-punk-history-badass-drummer-karla-maddog/
http://maddogx_78.tripod.com/madbio.html
Really Cool High School Lesson and Lesson Plan on Black Origins of Punk
https://teachrock.org/lesson/black-punk-origins/
https://teachrock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/DLP-The-Black-Origins-of-Punk.pdf
Music Playlist
Vintage Annals Archive 1970's and 1980's Afro-Punk Pioneers Spotify Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LzSw3TwgvhNM81OIge5mq?si=Tg7nZJoKSuuxaB7xhIJzcg
Documentaries and Video Playlist
There are full documentaries and videos in the playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4zYKaPKme7Kd8aUYEYxTgaSbLeueMYd