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Real Punk Rockers: No Leather Jacket or Mohawk Required
- Posted by Spinner
"I'm a different kind of punk," Lady Gaga said when she first hit the radar screen. So was Sly Stone when the reclusive soul legend showed up at the 2006 Grammy Awards sporting a huge blond Mohawk. Punk isn't so much a music style as it is an attitude -- the refusal to do the expected. When they open the Punk Hall of Fame in some dive-bar bathroom, these musicians of varying styles will deserve honorable mention.
Jerry Lee Lewis
Why He's Punk: This bench-kicking, piano-burning, 13-year-old-cousin-marrying rock 'n' roll original known as the Killer doesn't apologize for playing the devil's music. Decades before Johnny Rotten's convulsions, Lewis made sure there was a whole lotta shakin' going on.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Great Balls of Fire'
Watch 'Great Balls of Fire' Live
Björk
Why She's Punk: Though Björk is pretty much in a category of one, the Icelandic pixie was into punk from an early age, naming one of her first bands Spit and Snot. Anyone who looks in the wardrobe on Oscar day and thinks, "Yes, I think I'll go with the swan dress" truly has no concern for the perceptions of other people.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Army of Me'
Watch the 'Army of Me' Video
Frank Sinatra
Why He's Punk: When rock 'n' roll was young, Sinatra ripped it a new one. "The most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression it has been my displeasure to hear," he called it. Yet he plowed through life like a gang leader. The punk generation could relate: Sid Vicious covered 'My Way,' and Bono once introduced him as "the chairman of the bad attitude."
Punkiest Song Title: 'My Way'
Watch 'My Way' Live
Peter Tosh
Why He's Punk: Tall, dreadlocked and flaunting big spliffs, Tosh often rode his unicycle onstage. Bob Marley's onetime partner in the Wailers took his social outrage solo in 1974, declaring himself a 'Steppin' Razor' and skirmishing repeatedly with Jamaican police.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Steppin' Razor'
Watch 'Steppin' Razor' Live
Johnny Cash
Why He's Punk: The Man in Black literally raised his middle finger to the Nashville establishment. In his songs, as in life, Cash identified with the downtrodden -- be they marginalized Native Americans, neglected war veterans or hard-bitten prisoners. And the body count in those songs is high enough to also warrant his inclusion in a Gangsta Rap Hall of Fame.
Punkiest Song Title: 'The Beast in Me'
Watch 'The Beast in Me' Live
Amy Winehouse
Why She's Punk: She knows she's no good. Kicked out of theater school for piercing her nose, Winehouse built the biggest bouffant this side of the B-52s. The drink-and-drug-troubled singer and her on-again, off-again spouse, Blake Fielder-Civil, evidently have a 'Sid and Nancy' thing going on.
Punkiest Song Title: 'You Know I'm No Good'
Watch the 'You Know I'm No Good' Video
Thelonious Monk
Why He's Punk: Sitting in his little red wagon, Monk played piano as if he'd never seen one before. He lived off the largess of a Rothschild heiress and went long stretches without speaking. Every ska punk in history has dressed like Monk, with his sharp suits and tiny hats.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Ugly Beauty'
Watch 'Ugly Beauty' Live
Ashley MacIsaac
Why He's Punk: When MacIsaac appeared on 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien,' his enthusiastic leg kick made it clear what the manic Celtic fiddler from Nova Scotia was wearing underneath his kilt: nothing.
Punkiest Song Title: 'The Devil in the Kitchen'
Watch the 'The Devil in the Kitchen' Video
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Why He's Punk: By the Wu-Tang Clan's second album, their most volatile member was already proving unreliable. For example, ODB's biggest contribution was called 'Dog S---.' A decade before Kanye, he stole the stage from Shawn Colvin at the Grammys, bizarrely insisting that Wu-Tang was "for the children."
Punkiest Song Title: 'Damage'
Watch the 'Damage' Video
The Fugs
Why They're Punk: Named for Norman Mailer's barely euphemistic exclamation used in his debut novel, the Fugs were the original freak-folkers. The long title of their first album promised, among other things, "general dissatisfaction." Founding member Tuli Kupferberg is a patron saint of the squatting set; he's the author of '1001 Ways to Live Without Working.'
Punkiest Song Title: 'Kill for Peace'
Watch the 'Kill for Peace' Video
Cher
Why She's Punk: More than 20 years after she first hit the big-time with old partner Sonny Bono, the former Cherilyn Sarkisian was banned from MTV for her derrière-baring outfit in the video for 'If I Could Turn Back Time.' She's always identified with the gypsies, tramps and thieves anyway. To those who would judge her, she's got four words: "Snap out of it!"
Punkiest Song Title: 'I Paralyze'
Watch 'I Paralyze' Live
Jerry Lee LewisWhy He's Punk: This bench-kicking, piano-burning, 13-year-old-cousin-marrying rock 'n' roll original known as the Killer doesn't apologize for playing the devil's music. Decades before Johnny Rotten's convulsions, Lewis made sure there was a whole lotta shakin' going on.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Great Balls of Fire'
Watch 'Great Balls of Fire' Live
BjörkWhy She's Punk: Though Björk is pretty much in a category of one, the Icelandic pixie was into punk from an early age, naming one of her first bands Spit and Snot. Anyone who looks in the wardrobe on Oscar day and thinks, "Yes, I think I'll go with the swan dress" truly has no concern for the perceptions of other people.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Army of Me'
Watch the 'Army of Me' Video
Frank SinatraWhy He's Punk: When rock 'n' roll was young, Sinatra ripped it a new one. "The most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression it has been my displeasure to hear," he called it. Yet he plowed through life like a gang leader. The punk generation could relate: Sid Vicious covered 'My Way,' and Bono once introduced him as "the chairman of the bad attitude."
Punkiest Song Title: 'My Way'
Watch 'My Way' Live
Peter ToshWhy He's Punk: Tall, dreadlocked and flaunting big spliffs, Tosh often rode his unicycle onstage. Bob Marley's onetime partner in the Wailers took his social outrage solo in 1974, declaring himself a 'Steppin' Razor' and skirmishing repeatedly with Jamaican police.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Steppin' Razor'
Watch 'Steppin' Razor' Live
Johnny CashWhy He's Punk: The Man in Black literally raised his middle finger to the Nashville establishment. In his songs, as in life, Cash identified with the downtrodden -- be they marginalized Native Americans, neglected war veterans or hard-bitten prisoners. And the body count in those songs is high enough to also warrant his inclusion in a Gangsta Rap Hall of Fame.
Punkiest Song Title: 'The Beast in Me'
Watch 'The Beast in Me' Live
Amy WinehouseWhy She's Punk: She knows she's no good. Kicked out of theater school for piercing her nose, Winehouse built the biggest bouffant this side of the B-52s. The drink-and-drug-troubled singer and her on-again, off-again spouse, Blake Fielder-Civil, evidently have a 'Sid and Nancy' thing going on.
Punkiest Song Title: 'You Know I'm No Good'
Watch the 'You Know I'm No Good' Video
Thelonious MonkWhy He's Punk: Sitting in his little red wagon, Monk played piano as if he'd never seen one before. He lived off the largess of a Rothschild heiress and went long stretches without speaking. Every ska punk in history has dressed like Monk, with his sharp suits and tiny hats.
Punkiest Song Title: 'Ugly Beauty'
Watch 'Ugly Beauty' Live
Ashley MacIsaacWhy He's Punk: When MacIsaac appeared on 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien,' his enthusiastic leg kick made it clear what the manic Celtic fiddler from Nova Scotia was wearing underneath his kilt: nothing.
Punkiest Song Title: 'The Devil in the Kitchen'
Watch the 'The Devil in the Kitchen' Video
Ol' Dirty BastardWhy He's Punk: By the Wu-Tang Clan's second album, their most volatile member was already proving unreliable. For example, ODB's biggest contribution was called 'Dog S---.' A decade before Kanye, he stole the stage from Shawn Colvin at the Grammys, bizarrely insisting that Wu-Tang was "for the children."
Punkiest Song Title: 'Damage'
Watch the 'Damage' Video
The FugsWhy They're Punk: Named for Norman Mailer's barely euphemistic exclamation used in his debut novel, the Fugs were the original freak-folkers. The long title of their first album promised, among other things, "general dissatisfaction." Founding member Tuli Kupferberg is a patron saint of the squatting set; he's the author of '1001 Ways to Live Without Working.'
Punkiest Song Title: 'Kill for Peace'
Watch the 'Kill for Peace' Video
CherWhy She's Punk: More than 20 years after she first hit the big-time with old partner Sonny Bono, the former Cherilyn Sarkisian was banned from MTV for her derrière-baring outfit in the video for 'If I Could Turn Back Time.' She's always identified with the gypsies, tramps and thieves anyway. To those who would judge her, she's got four words: "Snap out of it!"
Punkiest Song Title: 'I Paralyze'
Watch 'I Paralyze' Live
- Filed under: The Hit List
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Add a Comment
gareth
this article should be found in the bargain bin.
im 20 years old, possibly too young to know what true punk is, but maybe the person who should top this list is strummer?! im not intoxicated in the slightest and i'm shitting myself seeing cher here!
i'll go for the fugs, maybe bjork, but jerry lee lewis was rock n roll. thats what it was then. surely you cant go back assessing the previous stars of generations and call them 'punk' when the term didnt even exist.
finally, you'll be surprised at how many of my generation listen to and love classic music. im off to see mark knopfler in just under 2 weeks time, ive seen james brown twice, U2, stiff little fingers, and will be seeing the wailers, mark almond, roxy music, and echo and the bunnymen in september. do i qualify as a respectable citizen now?
unknownkadath
gotta side with you bad brains. Now that every other hipster is sporting a fauxhawk, wearing a bondage belt and wearing skinny jeans the term "punk" has ceased to have real meaning. I would like to add Link Wray and Dick Dale to the list of "proto punkers" And sinatra was an asshole..,
May 04 2010 at 12:27 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
normtwenty
Dr Feelgood. End
April 23 2010 at 10:10 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Ringo
Good god... Is this all some cubicle dwelling tool shed from "Spinner" could come up with ? This is pathetic.. to the 26 y/o douche that wrote this drivel : You need to get out more, & clearly you've never been within 500 miles of a real punk gig... See, the entire "movement" ended before you were born, & the bands you like, have done nothing but attempt to water down what was once truly dangerous and important. There was a REASON punk happened in 77' it was more than an ATTITUDE... Cher & Mac Isaak ( whoever he is) & the Fugs & Ol' dirty Bastard wouldn't know what 77' to 81' punk stood for, nor could they play it, if they HAD to... There are 4 people on this list who were true punks, but i'd have listed Billy Riley before i listed the Killer... That you dont know this is friggin' pathetic...
April 13 2010 at 11:53 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Pierre
What about the other Syd? Syd Barrett from The Pink Floyd Sound?
April 13 2010 at 5:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Pierre
What about the other Syd...Syd Barrett from The Pink Floyd Sound?
April 13 2010 at 5:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
kaela
I think they did a good overall summary of "Punks". It was not: "Who is the Punkest of the Punks" or "Who Created Punk" but more; those who totally went against the grain or the accepted norm of their time and had the courage to be different. This is the true punk spirit. Aside from the pretensious crap and the hugeness of some on the list(I.e. Sinatra, Cher), of course.
April 12 2010 at 4:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Tommy
CASH...was and always will be "The Man"!!! R.I.P
April 10 2010 at 10:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
steve
to take lines from David Bowie & John Lennon, "ELVIS was the 1st punk rocker, he had the attitude,lyrics and the wierdest clothes ever worn by a white man"
April 10 2010 at 3:50 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Mark Lewis
Bjork is the only one who belongs here!! What are the yanks thinking of. Attempting to steal or assassinate everything British as their own. Punk was not just about attitude, it was anti fascist, and Anarchic, which is more about belief. GET YER OWN HISTORY!
Signed a punk rocker from the 70's
85 Comments