The difference, by ear
Protopunk is the same instincts before there was a name, a scene or an audience for them. These bands were commercial failures at the time.
Punk rock is shouted where proto-punk is sung cleanly, and a little faster: 160 to 200 bpm against 140 to 180. Songs run longer in proto-punk: usually 2½ to 6 minutes, against 2 to 3 minutes in punk rock. To hear the difference, play The Stooges next to Ramones. They share a root in rock, and proto-punk came first, by seven years. New York appears in the origins of both.
In figures
Proto-punk
Where it sits
Rock › Rock and roll › Garage rock › Proto-punk
In short
Garage rock turned hostile and repetitive, with noise and nihilism. Nobody called it punk yet, but everyone at CBGB copied from it.
How it sounds
- A repetitive, near-hypnotic riff held without development - the opposite of blues rock soloing.
- Spoken or shouted vocals delivered with calculated contempt.
- Noise, feedback and lyrics about boredom, drugs and urban alienation.
Key acts
- The Stooges
- MC5
- The Velvet Underground
- New York Dolls
Start here
The pickThe Stooges - Fun House. The sound of a band self-destructing in real time.
Full page →Punk rock
Where it sits
In short
Three chords, two minutes and zero patience for solos. A full reset of rock, and the second major source of extreme metal.
How it sounds
- Three or four chords, open position or power chords, strummed in eighths.
- Songs of ninety seconds to two and a half minutes, with no long intro and no guitar solo.
- Fast, cheap production with the vocals up front and simple drums on two and four.
Key acts
- Ramones
- Sex Pistols
- The Clash
- Buzzcocks
Start here
The pickRamones - Ramones. Fourteen songs in twenty-nine minutes, not a wasted note.
Full page →