Episode 15: Pioneers of Punk The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and the Clash

Songs You Should Know

Punk developed in the early to mid-1970s and was rooted in 1960s garage rock and other forms of what is now known as “proto-punk” music. Punk bands rebelled against what they saw as the “excesses” of mainstream rock at the time, seeking to get back to the raw early roots of rock and roll, sometimes to the point that actually knowing how to play one’s instrument wasn’t that important . . . as long as you had something to say. In Britain, Punk often arose as a reaction to poor economic conditions. In this episode, Jimbo and the Mickster discuss some of the contributions of the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and the Clash . . . each of which helped define the initial era of punk.