Punk Rock
Punk Rock originated in the 1960s with the Velvet Underground but reemerged
strong in the mid 1970s with Iggy Pop and the formation of the Sex Pistols.
The original lineup of the Sex Pistols includes John McLaren (Johnny Rotten)
on vocals, Steve Jones on guitar, Glen Matlock on bass, and Paul Cook playing
drums (Glen Matlock was later replaced by Rottens friend Sid Vicious.)
The Sex Pistols were known to incite violence in the audience at their shows
and allowed their fans to question the disco music scene at the time. Their
first single, Anarchy in The UK reenforced their image of being anti-everything.
Although the band accomplished little musically, they were a large influence
in the rock industry by connecting the fashion-music idea that had been important
in the 1960s by rebelling against the glamour rock look of other 70s
acts.
Iggy Pop also emerged on the punk scene in the late 70s after being rediscovered
by David Bowie in 1977. He is known as the father of punk because of his work
in the band The Stooges in the late 60s into the early 1970s. Pop
was known onstage to flail about on stage so much that he would be dripping
blood at the end of a concert. He changed his name in 1977 and toured with David
Bowie that same year and enjoyed considerable success with the three albums
he recorded in 1978: The Idiot, Lust For life, and TV Eye. These albums met
with critical approval but achieved limited sales. His work with the Stooges
in the late 1960s and early 1970s allowed for the punk scene to
grow in the mid 1970s with bands such as The Ramones and The Sex Pistols.
Disco
The Disco era is characterized by monotous, computerized drum beats and is the
predecessor to Rap in my belief. The Bee Gees symbolize the epitome of the disco
era with their hits "Staying Alive" and "Tragedy". The Bee
Gees included the Gibb brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice at the height of the
disco era with the release of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. The
Bee Gees are regarded as the inventors of the disco boom. Other Bands such as
the Village People contributed to the disco boom of the late 1970s with
hits such as YMCA and Macho Man. The disco era had died out by the early 1980s
(to many peoples delight) and has not reemerged since.