HW: punk?

[Chris Bates]

Paul wrote:

> think the "punk" tag comes from certain aspects often ascribed to punk
> (but which I don't think are in the sole domain of punk), e.g., the
> generally anti-establishment sentiment, and the idea that it is music "by
> the people, for the people,"

Totally agree! The anti-establishment/rebellion thing is, in a sense,
what rock has always been about. Rock and roll, skiffle, metal, punk,
rap, acid house  - whatever you want to name is a rebellion against the
past. All of these things eventually become the establishment against
which they initially rebelled. Anyone who was old/young enough to notice
what happenend in '76/'77 will remember that punk was rebellion for about
6 months before it became the establishment and a fashion statement.

The one thing we can say with certainty about HW is that they have NEVER
become establishment. they are probbaly the only band in the world that
could contain Ginger Baker and yet not have nice things said about 'em
by the middle of the road press :-)

> i.e. the fact that you didn't need to have years of music theory
> behind you and have to know millions of chords, scales, and tunings
> to be able to get a band together with your mates and play down the
> local pub.  Both these themes are common to Hawkwind.
> Certainly, in the beginning, Hawkwind often harped on about not being able
> to play their instruments very well... :-)

Of course you really never did need loads of music theory. The history
of popular music in the 20th century has two periods where theory was
king - jazz/be-bop and prog-rock. For the rest (country, blues, rock and
roll etc) most people got by with as little knowledge as they could manage.
Theory matters but a good ear and loads of self-belief are more important.


Chris