Music Sound

Protopunk is a term used to describe a number of performers who were important precursors of punk rock, or who have been cited by early punk rockers as influential.

Most protopunkers are Rock and Roll performers of the 1960s and early-1970s, though some earlier performers have been cited. Garage rock in general has been cited as quite influential in the development of punk rock. Many such garage rock artists can be found on the Nuggets compilations.

Protopunk has been proven difficult to define, and many widely different groups have been so dubbed. Most had a certain attitude or appearance seen as important, and not any specific musical tendencies. Significant examples include The Who (frequently called "The Godfathers of Punk" and influential on protopunk and punk rock artists from the MC5 to Green Day and many in-between), Iggy Pop (Commonly nicknamed "The Grandfather of Punk" and claimed as influential by many early punk artists) and his band The Stooges, Alice Cooper, Pere Ubu, The MC5, The Monks, David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, The Modern Lovers, T. Rex, Link Wray, and the New York Dolls.

Some protopunk bands also fall into the categories of glam rock or UK pub rock. Pere Ubu, remarkably, fall into both the category protopunk and the category post-punk.

Protopunk, combined with garage rock, hard-edged New Wave and the garage rock revival, helped lead the way to the modern garage punk movement.

See also:

• Punk rock

Punk rock
Anarcho-punk - Anti-folk - Crust punk - Garage punk - Hardcore - Post-hardcore - Horror punk - New Wave - No Wave - Noise rock - Oi! - Pop punk - Post-punk - Psychobilly - Deathcountry - Riot grrrl - Ska punk - Streetpunk - Two Tone
Other topics
Protopunk