The Saving Stroke of Punk Rock

Bad as designer pretentiousness is now, I am remiss to think what lengths it would have gone to if the Disco trend continued on with increasing momentum. Besides horrible abominations in clothing, drug use is a peculiar element of that period which often gets mentioned. No one would deny that the seventies were a period marked with heavy recreational narcotics use. Drug abuse was not something that began with disco however. During the psychedelic era of San Francisco in the middle 60s hallucinogenics (such as LSD, magic mushrooms, and mescalin), were more common than water or appetizers at most social gatherings. Throughout the 1970’s cocaine became the drug of choice for those so inclined to venture in that direction. Coincidentally crack, a highly concentrated and partially synthetic version of cocaine, began to plague New York City by the early to mid 1980s. Another malady that hit the streets of most major cities around the same time was AIDS. These are simply two eerie correlations but had Disco survived crack and AIDS may have been the tip of the iceberg.

At the same time a different following was gaining momentum. What started as a club craze in many of these same cities eventually became a powerful tidal wave, that helped deal Disco its death blow. Most of this new energy originated from the stages (instead of dance floors) of nightclubs anywhere from Los Angeles to London. Unlike its competitor, the music was not heavily synthesized or bubbly in nature. Instead it was played with sharp angst that riled up devoted followers. It took the basic formula of rock and roll, but added an element that made the final sound quicker, crisper, and louder. These punk rockers could whip their loyal supporters into an emotional frenzy by the time they finished a set. It was only natural that these two styles would clash. They were the complete antithesis of one another. Instead of pure glamour and decadence, the punk scene was reared on a diet of raw adrenaline and primal ‘id’ impulses. Many followers were dangerous outcasts and loners that hated disco with an almost religious devotion. Disco preached from a gospel of style, swinging lifestyles, and hedonism. Punk Rock spoke of anarchy and social upheaval. Beyond the screaming and power chords some very good bands emerged from this scene: the Sex Pistols, Clash, and Talking Heads. This cultural war was deeper than just being

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