Rock & Pop: What are your thoughts on post-punk?

Question

Rock & Pop, what do you think about the genre of post-punk? Personally, I think that post-punk is a fantastic genre of music. I love how post-punk essentially took the energy and aesthetics of punk, and turned in into something that was completely different from regular punk. You have jagged, angular and oddly funky post-punk such as The Fall & Gang of Four, very experimental stuff such as Pere Ubu, This Heat & Public Image Ltd., as well as dark, ominous gothic rock/post-punk such as The Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Echo and The Bunnymen and The Chameleons. For me, at least, post-punk is an amazing and highly innovative genre that truly shows how great punk could be. Post-punk showed that you did not have to be a great musician to make compelling music, and it really expanded where punk could go. In conclusion, post-punk is awesome.

BQ: What are your thoughts on how post-punk was influential in the development of indie/alternative music?
BQ2: Would you consider the following bands to be post-punk: R.E.M., The Smiths, The Jesus and Mary Chain and the Minutemen.
BQ3: If you had to pick 5-10 albums that defined the genre of post-punk, which albums would you pick, and why?
BQ4: Do you hear any similarities between post-punk & shoegaze?

Answer 1

I like post-punk pretty well, though admittedly I'm definitely not into as much as I should be. Part of that comes with my infatuation to post-hardcore, and I definitely know my way around that genre. I have listened to fairly enough to have an opinion though, and it's a good one. I think post-punk is great for the same reasons every punk genre is great. It's honestmusicians doing what they can to make do with what little they know about playing it. As a result, they make some really amazing stuff. Stuff that changes people's opinions and sets forth ideas not once deemed acceptable. Musically, it opens up tons of barriers. Now, I don't care that most punk can get formulated, because as much as it's used it rarely becomes stale. Post-punk adds more experimenting and creativity to this, which is great in it's own right. Jeez, I don't know how to put it into words, how great is punk? And all music culture as a whole? I love the people involved and their ideals.



BQ1: Post-punk was very influentual due to it's experimental/pushing the envelope nature. Indie and Alternative (the real ones) are definitely not cookie cutter genres. The bands strive to get out of musical trends amd have some artistic merit. That's where the indie spirit comes from. In that sense, my friend and I agree that Indie is punk.



BQ2: Definitely. Some see Minutemen as more post-hardcore, but with the dance-punk elements I could see why they could be both. The reat are kinda post-punk by definition if not so much sound. Since indie is part of post-punk, all the first wave bands are seen as both.



BQ3:



Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures

The Pop Group- Y

Minutemen- Paranoid Time

The Gun Club- Fire of Love

Sonic Youth- Confusion is Sex

Wipers- Youth of America

Flipper- Gone Fishin'

My Bloody Valentine- Loveless

Saccharine Trust- Paganicons

MX-80 Sound- Hard Attack

(I forgot Dead Can Dance's debut. That album is sex)



Good albums... classified as post-punk. Don't have much else for ya.



BQ4: I actually consider shoegaze as a big part of post-punk, and especially with it's roots in goth rock and noise rock I don't see why others shouldn't too.

Answer 2

Hiya Brandon



Post-punk is definitely my favorite genre. Its driving bass, dark lyrics/atmosphere, and interesting guitar work really go together, and craft musical gold. Not only is post-punk itself amazing, but many other magnificent genres spawned from it, like industrial, dark wave, and gothic rock. Post-punk was also interesting, in the sense that it practically took punk, and added a ton of other elements to it. You know, since there aren't many recognizable influences in plain punk (I hope that makes sense). But yeah, post-punk is freaking amazing.



I should also mention, that the current underground post-punk scene is really good. Just thought I'd throw that in.



BQ: It surely did rock music a favor. I love alternative and indie music, so what do I have to not appreciate?



BQ2: I think that R.E.M. were quite post-punkish on "Murmur". Maybe they lost if after that, but it was in their roots. The Smiths definitely had some post-punk elements, even if they may not have been primarily classified as a post-punk band. Can't say for the latter two, as I've never listened to them.



BQ3: Here are just some good ones. It's surely not a definite list:



Protomartyr - "Under Color of Official Right"

The Bellicose Minds - "The Buzz or Howl Sessions"

The Cure - "Pornography"

The Cure - "Faith"

Bauhaus - "Mask"

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "The Scream"

Joy Division - "Unknown Pleasures"

The Doors - "The Doors" (yes, I consider them an early post-punk influence)

Depeche Mode - "Some Great Reward"

The Soft Moon - "Zeroes"



BQ4: Haven't really listened to shoegaze, but I know that they're both linked to alternative music, so maybe.

Answer 3

I feel weird about it, because I can't really get into the original wave from the 80s, but I do like some of the revival bands, like The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and Franz Ferdinand. I might try post punk again though someday.

Answer 4

Sup Brandon



Post-punk is easily one of my favorite genres, maybe tied with hardcore for my favorite form of punk. It proves that punk wasnt just about 3 chords and 2 minute songs although some post-punk still retains a strong traditional punk sound. I tend to gravitate towards the more atmospheric and dark side of post-punk, bands like Joy Division, Killing Joke and early Swans. It was a very important movement for punk in order to make sure the genre didnt stagnate. I also think that when it comes to great basslines, post-punk leads the way.



BA: It helped pave the way for indie for sure, especially the more melodic post-punk bands, Television being the main example with their guitar work. You can hear a lot of it in almost any alternative rock band from the past decade and even further back than that.



BA2: Aside from Minutemen no. The others all have punk influences for sure but its not as pronounced. I'd consider them alternative/indie.



BA3: Wire - Pink Flag (The most traditional punk sounding post-punk album and it shows the link between punk and post-punk)



Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (Perfectly represents the more atmospheric side of the genre that would later develop into gothic rock)



Television - Marquee Moon (Guitar driven post-punk with a more melodic touch than most of their contemporaries)



Wipers - Youth of America (The perfect post-punk album in terms of the balance between experimentation and still keeping that punk vibe. Also has a strong noise rock sound to it)



Killing Joke - Killing Joke (Dark post-punk with a heavy metallic guitar sound that would inspire industrial metal)



Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (The most eclectic post-punk album)



Swans - Children of God (dark, noisy, heavy, brooding. This is post-punk taken to its limit both physically and emotionally)



BA4: Not really, although I havent heard a whole lot of shoegaze aside from the obvious bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. I guess theres a shoegaze vibe in some of the gothic rock end of post-punk in the hazy atmosphere.

Answer 5

I call all of that stuff either new wave or alternative.But that's just me.The term "post punk" is alien to me.But whatever you call it I like it.

Answer 6

man, i love the stuff.



2:

no new york- various artists

Q: are we not men? - devo

marquee moon- television

talking heads 77- talking heads

modern dance- pere ubu

contort yourself- james chance and the contortions

the raincoats- self titled

double nickles on the dime- the minutemen

cut- the slits



oh, and i have to do an "early adapter" pick, since ryan included the doors

plastic ono band- yoko ono