Post-punk — A Musical Revolution That Continues to Inspire
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The impact of post-punk music has reverberated through the ears of countless listeners, even if they aren’t familiar with the genre by name. Its distinctive sounds and influences have permeated…
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Medium
The impact of post-punk music has reverberated through the ears of countless listeners, even if they aren’t familiar with the genre by name. Its distinctive sounds and influences have permeated various musical realms, leaving an indelible mark on the global music scene. In this article I embark on a journey through the captivating history of post-punk, exploring its profound influence not only within the realm of music but also across broader cultural spheres.

Undoubtedly, this genre originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s when local punk music bands were somewhat bored with the classic punk sounds typical of bands like Sex Pistols or Ramones. Therefore, they started enriching their music with reggae and funk influences. Post-punk complemented this antithesis by drawing inspiration from literature, cinematography, and modernist art, blending them with all the previous subgenres of punk. Similar to punk, post-punk can be considered an umbrella term encompassing other genres such as gothic rock, which I will discuss later, and new wave, which is difficult to distinguish from post-punk.

The year 1977 marked the debut of Wire with their album “Pink Flag,” which is considered the first record in history to feature a post-punk track. That track is called “The Commercial,” and although it never achieved significant sales success, it is regarded as the first instrumental post-punk song. The early years of post-punk certainly belong to bands like Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Chameleons, The Slits, Killing Joke, and many others. However, I want to dedicate the most attention to Joy Division because they are the pioneers of this genre and personally had a profound impact on my life. I could write an entire separate article about this group, but for now, I need to summarize it in a few sentences. It all started on June, 1976, during a concert organized by Buzzcocks in Manchester. Sex Pistols were supposed to perform. The entire event can be considered the most influential performance in history. Among the audience were future members of bands like Joy Division, The Smiths, and The Fall. Sex Pistols inspired many people to form their own bands in the future.

Joy Division did something that other post-punk bands did not do. I’m referring to their focus on not only aggression and anger. Their first album, “Unknown Pleasures,” released in 1979, is considered by many as the best album in history. It is a record full of melancholic and dark sounds that reflect lyrics containing sadness and alienation. The album’s distinctive elements include pulsating basslines, intense drum parts, and the cool, monotonous vocals of their frontman, Ian Curtis. Joy Division strongly emphasized mood, and their expression later had a significant influence on many niche bands. The group released their second and final album, “Closer,” a few weeks before Ian Curtis committed suicide. After he passed away, the band released their iconic single, “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” which became their most recognizable song. Ian Curtis’ wife, Deborah Curtis, wrote a book called “Touching From a Distance,” describing her husband’s story. There was also a biographical film directed by Anton Corbijn, which was an adaptation of that book. After the vocalist’s death, the Joy Division group decided to reorganize under the name New Order, which leaned more towards new wave and synth-pop.

Meanwhile, in America, bands like Television with their album “Marquee Moon” and Talking Heads gained success. The New York club CBGB became an important venue for post-punk bands, where concerts took place, and the scene developed. It was there that Talking Heads, with their distinctive sound and visionary approach. They gained popularity, and their album “Talking Heads: 77” from 1977 became one of the milestones of post-punk in America.

Gothic rock is probably one of the most recognizable genres derived from post-punk. It is known for its dark atmospheric music. This genre is also often used to describe bands that are known for their post-punk sound, such as Siouxsie and The Banshees, Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy, or Magazine. The first gothic song is considered to be “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by the British band Bauhaus, released in 1979. It tells the story of the famous actor Bela Lugosi, who played, among others, in the horror film “Dracula” from 1931. Daniel Ash, the guitarist of Bauhaus, often used the saxophone, which added a characteristic layer of sound to their songs. The saxophone in Bauhaus’ music brought jazz and avant-garde elements to their gothic sound. It is believed that it was this dark atmospheric sound that influenced other bands to adopt a more gothic character. The most recognizable among them is The Cure. Initially, The Cure experimented with punk rock, as evidenced by their debut album “Three Imaginary Boys” from 1979. They then transitioned to a more post-punk sound, and in 1980, they changed their style from raw post-punk to gothic with the release of the album “Seventeen Seconds.” Later, they shifted to new wave, and in 1989, they returned to gothic rock with the album “Disintegration.”

Gothic rock also gave rise to its own punk subgenre called death rock, which combined gothic tones with a hard-punk style. The American band Christian Death initiated this genre with their debut album “Only Theatre of Pain” in 1982. The album is characterized by a dark, experimental sound full of nihilism. The lyrics address topics such as death, loneliness, spiritualism, and psychological suffering.

Although post-punk lost much of its experimentalism and even the popularity it once had, it gave birth to the new pop movement. In the new pop, artists experimented with new technologies like synthesizers, automatic drums , and samples. They combined elements of pop with dance music, soul, funk, and electronica. This openness to musical diversity led to the creation of new sounds and a fresh approach to pop music.

The Smiths heavily drew from post-punk and are considered pioneers of indie rock. They are regarded as one of the most influential British bands of the ’80s after The Beatles. Morrissey’s lyrics, filled with melancholy, irony, often touching on themes of alienation, loneliness, social nonconformity, and sexuality, were as significant as The Smiths’ music. His charismatic vocals and original approach to songwriting attracted many fans and became an inspiration for many subsequent artists. They influenced bands like The Stone Roses and The Killers. Another phenomenal and influential band deriving from post-punk is the Irish band U2.

In the 2000s, post-punk experienced a revival associated with a renewed interest in alternative and indie rock. This post-punk revival brought forth new bands that drew from the spirit and sound of the original post-punk era of the ’70s and ’80s. Many new bands during this period blended elements of post-punk with indie rock. The post-punk revival gave rise to bands such as Interpol, The Strokes, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The post-punk era in the early 2000s was largely dominated by the British music scene, and one of the most important bands of that period was Arctic Monkeys. Their debut album, titled “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not,” was released in January 2006 and immediately gained enormous popularity. It became the fastest-selling debut album in the history of the British music industry and won numerous awards. Arctic Monkeys had and continue to have an influence on the indie rock scene in the UK and beyond.

The current post-punk scene is vibrant and dynamic, bringing forth many interesting bands and artists who continue the tradition and aesthetics of this musical genre. Although it no longer dominates the mainstream, it has a loyal fan base and continues to influence alternative music. Additionally, bands such as The Cure and Wire are still releasing new albums to this day.

It cannot be denied that post-punk is responsible for the creation of genres such as new wave, alternative rock, indie rock, gothic rock, synth-pop, post-hardcore, and many more. Post-punk played an important role in shaping subcultures, attracting people with unconventional styles, views, and musical tastes. Post-punk is not just a handful of “untalented” musicians slamming their instruments and wailing into the microphone. Post-punk is full of artists who try to create art, which is probably why this genre continues to be influential.