In the 60s, a musical revolution took place in the USA. For the first time, bands such as The Beatles, The Stooges, Rolling stones, and other similar bands, whose sound is based on only a few chords, appear on the stage. Later, the groups The Ramones and Sex Pistols with their style and appearance finally determined who the punks were.
Initially, punk was born as a musical style. However, this subculture, as we know it now, was created in the 70s as a protest against the too “right” and accurate rock scene. More and more musicians begin to appear with extravagant hairstyles - Iroquois, in leather jackets-jackets, decorated with chains and pins. This appearance protested against the existing structure of society and
popular culture. Often to this day, on the backs of punks you can see the letter "A". It is also one of the attributes of culture, meaning anarchy. Punks do not accept mass society with its political life. The desire for freedom is expressed in their defiant behavior.
It is generally accepted that the integral parts of this subculture are alcohol, smoking and drugs. However, looking at people who consume all of the above and engage in erratic sex, we cannot say for sure who the punks are. There are also such currents as sXe (Straight edge), HC –punks, punks –– vegetarians. Their main idea is self-control and rejection of bad habits. Most of modern society smokes and drinks alcohol, while this branch of punk culture leads a healthy lifestyle, with the help of this, again, expressing protest.
Over time, punk culture went far beyond music. Artist Andy Warhol, with its vibrant colors and unusual shapes, is also considered punk. Ray Stevenson, Alex Levak and several other well-known photographers at one time created a brilliant series of punk rock photos. In the literary works of Jim Carol, John Clark, as well as the poetess called the godmother of punk rock, Patti Smith, we also find ideas of punk culture. In their works, they try to answer questions about who the punks are, what drives them, and many others.
In the USSR, punk culture was inextricably linked with the activities of the underground. In the 70s, the so-called samizdat literature was actively developing, and with it underground concerts - apartment houses. At this time, Andrei "Pig" Panov created the first punk band of Leningrad, "Automatic Satisfactors", which remained the only one until the creation of the legendary "Rock Club". In the early 80s, other similar collectives began to appear, such as the People’s Militia and the Department of Self-Eradication. It was practically impossible to exist such music in the conditions of the then regime, therefore the first punk concerts in Moscow, Leningrad and Siberian cities (these were the main centers of rock culture at that time) were held in cafes, hostels and similar places, which were not intended for performances at all. And every concert meant risk and threat. Who are punks in Russia? These are revolutionaries who tried to break with the existing system in the country. The main idea that drives any punk is the idea of freedom. He is disgusted by a mass society with its mercantile values, so punk seeks to break with it. These ideas are expressed in his clothing, behavior and creativity.