Please Kill Me by ISBN: 9780140266900Publication Date: 1997-09-01The first oral history of the nihilistic punk rock movement from the States to the United Kingdom. A groundbreaking collection of interviews with bands like The Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop, and The Ramones. Explores the social context which birthed the movement, paying homage to New York City, the iconic music venue CBGBs, which saw the first punk shows ever, and artistic pioneers like Andy Warhol who helped shape the movement.
McNeil, L., & McCain, G. (1997). Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk. Grove/Atlantic, Inc. https://search.worldcat.org/title/955634990
Punk Rock by ISBN: 9781604860054Publication Date: 2012-07-17John Robb speaks to the pioneers of the UK punk rock movement, including John Lydon, Siouxsie Sioux, Mick Jones, Chrissie Hynde, Malcolm McLaren, Henry Rollins, and Glen Matlock, creating a raw oral account of the late 70s in Britain. From the Sex Pistols, to the Banshees, to the Clash, this oral history is unique in that it explores the intersection of societal discontent in the UK, fashion, and music to paint a picture for how groundbreaking this era of music was.
Robb, J. (2012). Punk Rock: An Oral History. PM Press. https://search.worldcat.org/title/801388488
No Future by ISBN: 9781316625606Publication Date: 2017-09-21Set against the backdrop of the late 70s, characterized by violence, social fragmentation, and class unrest, the punk movement rejuvenated British youth and gave them something to believe in during a period of uncertainty. Worley discusses the political movements tied to punk bands, including Rock Against Racism and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and the intersectionality between the music and politics.
Worley, M. (2017). No Future: Punk, Politics and British Youth Culture, 1976-1984. Cambridge University Press. https://search.worldcat.org/title/991755605
Lonely Boy: Tales From a Sex Pistol by ISBN: 9780099510536Publication Date: 2017-10-5Steve Jones, guitarist and founding member of the notorious punk group, Sex Pistols, recounts the short-lived experience of being a Pistol. He was but one of many youth dreaming to join a band to escape the waking horrors of being a working class citizen in 70s England. He was soon taken under the wings of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood who made his dream come true. However, fame comes with a price, as he would soon come to learn.
Jones, S. (2017). Lonely Boy: Tales From a Sex Pistol. Da Capo Press. https://search.worldcat.org/title/967589025
England's Dreaming, Revised Edition by ISBN: 9780312288228Publication Date: 2002-01-18England's Dreaming is the ultimate book on punk, its progenitors, the Sex Pistols, and the moment they defined for music fans in England and the United States. Savage brings to life the sensational story of the meteoric rise and rapid implosion of the Pistols through layers of rich detail, exclusive interviews, and rare photographs. This fully revised and updated edition of the book covers the legacy of punk twenty-five years later and provides an account of the Pistols' 1996 reunion as well as a freshly updated discography and a completely new introduction.
Savage, J. (2002). England's Dreaming, Revised Edition: Anarchy, Sex Pistols, Punk Rock, and Beyond. St. Martin's Griffin. https://search.worldcat.org/title/47844566
Subculture by ISBN: 9780415039499Publication Date: 1981-03-10Analyzes the unusual evolution of punk fashion, from tidy teddy boys to skinheads and punks. Hebdige offers a clear intellectual reason for this evolution, citing postwar UK and the rapid socioeconomic changes, leaving British youth feeling lost and disillusioned. The chaos of punk fashion and music made people feel in control of their otherwise disorderly lives. This book was written directly after the explosion of punk in 1981, giving readers over 40 years later an insight to that exciting era.
Hebdige, D. (2012). Subculture: The Meaning of Style. Routledge. https://search.worldcat.org/title/6196234
Punk by ISBN: 9780300191851Publication Date: 2013-05-15Looks at the influences of the punk aesthetic on high fashion. The book includes contributions by punk singer Richard Hell and Sex Pistols lead singer, John Lydon, both of whom were essential in shaping punk fashion. The collection was published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art following the Fashion Institutes annual Met Gala and 2013 exhibit.
Bolton, A., Hell, R., Savage, J., & Lydon, J. (2013). Punk: Chaos to Couture. Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://search.worldcat.org/title/844976188
Vivienne Westwood by ISBN: 9780300258912Publication Date: 2021-06-30A definite collection of 40 years worth of Vivienne Westwood designs on the runway. This book includes a great portion about her early design work in the 70s and her involvement in shaping punk fashion and aesthetic. There are several images to provide visual context to the text in the book.
Fury, A. (2021). Vivienne Westwood: The Complete Collection (Catwalk).Yale University Press. https://search.worldcat.org/title/1198556568
Digital
Punk as anti-fashion; with the summer of love over and done with, the 1970s were a harsh reminder that not all things are bright and blissful. Fashion during this decade, with its tattered fabrics and safety-pinned garments was a direct reflection of the economic crisis many faced in England at the time. Steele provides an insightful analysis on the intersectionality between politics and clothing.
Steele, V., (1997). Anti-Fashion: The 1970s. Fashion Theory, 1(3), 279–295. https://doi.org/10.2752/136270497779640134
Worley discusses the political response to the punk movement in 1970s UK, and how both right and left wing adults sought to understand punk in relation to their own political beliefs. Despite punks undisputed political ties, it also inherently defies the confines of political factions. Punk was the antithesis of societal reason and norms, hence why the movement scared so many adults.
Worley, M. (2012). Shot By Both Sides: Punk, Politics and the End of ‘Consensus.’ Contemporary British History, 26(3), 333–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2012.703013
Garland et al. (2012) discuss historians propensity towards neglecting youth movements and their impact on history. The authors make the argument that youth and youth culture studies divulge important aspects of social and political change, be that through their fashion and consumption habits, popular music, and construction of identity. This piece was both interesting and empowering to read the ways in which youth of the late 70s demanded power during a time where the wealthy hoarded it.
Garland, J., Gildart, K., Gough-Yates, A., Hodkinson, P., Osgerby, B., Robinson, L., Worley, M. (2012). Youth Culture, Popular Music and the End of ‘Consensus’ in Post-War Britain. Contemporary British History, 26(3), 265–271. https://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2012.703002
With the Union Jack Flag set as the backdrop to their music videos, and their t-shirts with printed images of Queen Elizabeth, Adams analyzes just how English the members of the Sex Pistols were. This article is insightful in providing context to the Sex Pistols' often confusing facade; to the unsuspecting eye, the Sex Pistols appear to be proud Brits. Analyze the lyrics, and one will find their rebellious distaste for everything Union Jack.
Adams, R. (2008). The Englishness of English Punk: Sex Pistols, Subcultures, and Nostalgia. Popular Music and Society, 31(4), 469–488. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007760802053104
Jukebox History. (2023, January 18). The History of 1970's Punk [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jajd57laQgM
This video excellently provides a primer on 1970s punk, from its roots in the United States to the explosion it caused in the UK. The creator of the video briefly discusses New York City and CBGBs as the birthplace of punk, and dives into the impact of bands like Sex Pistols and Ramones on the music and fashion sphere. The video ends with the genres that devolved from the "end" of punk.
Footage of the infamous televised interview with Paul Grundy and the Sex Pistols, in which members John Lydon and Steve Jones curse on camera. This interview shocked the nation, as thousands were tuned in to the 5pm show to see what this new phenomenon of "punk" was. Newspaper headlines like "The Filth and the Fury" was stamped on every front page in England the next morning. The show aired in 1976, but the video was re-uploaded recently to Youtube.
Jadson Jr. (2013, February 7). Sex Pistols: The Grundy Show incident 1/12/1976. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XGe_hncsiM&t=1s
- Vivienne Westwood inside Seditionaries
Vivienne Westwood talks about a visit from the ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev who bought her "Anarchy" shirt; Steve Jones, guitarist of the Sex Pistols, stands beside her. The video is short, but depicts Vivienne in one of her fetish costumes sold at the store - the arms and legs of the ensemble are bound together by a piece of fabric. The anarchy shirt is a classic depiction of the DIY aesthetics of punk.
BBC. (2022, October 17). CU of Vivienne Westwood Inside Her Shop; 1977 [Video]. BBC Editorial. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/of-vivienne-westwood-with-bleached-blonde-hair-and-news-footage/1434121319?adppopup=true - Young people discuss punk
Young people discuss why they are drawn to punk music. One young man states that it punk makes him feel as though he can let go. Punk music was liberating for young people during a time of social and class unrest.
BBC. (2017, May 8). Sequence featuring young people talking about why they like punk music [Video]. BBC Editorial. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/sequence-featuring-young-people-talking-about-why-they-news-footage/680516028?adppopup=true - Various punks enter CBGBs
Young punks enter CBGBs in New York City. CBGBs, which stands for "Country, Bluegrass, and Blues," morphed into a punk club, where bands like Patti Smith & Group, No Doubt, Television, and Talking Heads came to fame. This video shows young people, dressed in leather jackets and spiky hair enter the venue to see a concert.
MTV. (2017, March 15). Various punks enter CBGBs [Video]. MTV B-roll. Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/various-punks-entering-cbgbs-news-footage/645155488?adppopup=true