To think the 'punk' era of music was essentially over by 1978?

[StirlingWork]

I listened to a track by punk band The Toy Dolls last night - it was their only UK hit - 'Nellie the Elephant' - reached no.4 in the UK charts in December 1984. This is a track that although it reached a high chart position it NEVER seems to get radio airplay - so it was nice to listen to it and replay the associated memories.
In the UK, the peak of the punk era in my opinion was 1977 - with the Silver Jubliee and the Sex Pistols track 'God Save the Queen' and associated controversy. When the Sex Pistols split up in early 1978, being the iconic UK punk group, within a year or so the UK punk scene slowly came to a halt only to be replaced by New Wave, a few years later Ska and the New Romantics.
Whenever, anyone says punk to me - I associate the movement with the year 1977, after which it all seemed to go downhill.

Yes, I agree 1777 was the peak of the punk era in the UK - I see it as being more spread out in the US though.

1977 that should say!

Pelleas - although I know some of the names of the US punk bands - I don''t think I've ever listened to their music and don't know very much about the scene in general.

I'm a fan of the Dead Kennedys and they didn't form till 1978 - I highly recommend their early albums.

Pelleas - I've definitely heard of them - I'll have a listen. I need to broaden my musical tastes!

Circle Jerks, Bad Brains, Minor Threat and Black Flag also worth a listen

I'd start with Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - that was the one that got me hooked. 'Kill the Poor' strikes a topical note at the moment .

Anyone heard of Phlegm? Started in Washington DC in 1984 I think.

Yeah I'd say that, too. Loved punk and loved new wave, too.

"Punk" in that sense did end then but theres a whole host of bands/artists that I associate with punk that didnt come around until the late 80s, early 90s.

Bad Religion and Rancid are probably the first 2 that spring to mind.

HollowTalk - I love looking up some of the band's histories as well.

Funnily enough, on an episode of "Homes Under the Hammer" last week when they played a snippet of music to illustrate amenities in a residential area - they played a song with the lyrics "We're goin' down the pub' - when I googled the lyrics the song was by Sham 69 - this sent me down the internet rabbit hole of researching the various groups - Angelic Upstarts etc.
No Toilenstripes - that name doesn't seem to ring a bell.

MrsMonkeyBear - thing is - do you think by the late 80s /early 90s the 'punk' scene wasn't quite the same? I associate the early 90s with either grunge or lively dance tracks

Oh yes.
The 70s ran until about 78, when the 80s started. The proper 80s lasted until about 86. Then it was the late 80s. They went on until about 89 when we saw the likes of the Stone Roses in the charts.
Then it was the 90s.
After that I lost all interest.

For me, 14 in 1977, yes it peaked really with the Silver Jubilee.
I was more a fan of New Wave (The Jam etc) really.
My DS is a huge fan of many of the bands mentioned- Dead Kennedy’s, Circle Jerks - he even has a Black Flag tattoo.

FlamingoandJohn - I totally agree with the 80s lasting until 86. The 'late 80s - 87/88/89 were shit compared to the period up to and including 1986

I was never a fan of the Manchester scene as such but liked the first Stone Roses album

I was too young to appreciate punk in its own era - I got into it in the early 1990s as a student. At the time I wasn't very keen on the grunge scene, although nowadays I view it with a haze of nostalgia. In my world, music came to an end in about 1997.

I was 4 at the Jubliee time in 1977 and turned 5 in October of that year but can remember being aware of the Sex Pistols but Johnny Rotten is the only singer in the group I would have been aware of back then.

Pelleas - ah - you sound about the same age as me - I was in nursery/reception class at the height of the Punk movement and was vaguely aware of the Sex Pistols / Johnny Rotten. You'd have enjoyed Pick of the Pops on Saturday as they were playing the charts from May 1997 - a lot of the songs I'm ashamed to say I didn't know!!

In my opinion - music peaked from the years 2008 - 2012 inclusive - we could start a thread/debate on this topic haha!!!

PUNX NOT DEAD!!

There are many excellent punk bands who are still active today - there's a massive festival in Blackpool every year which celebrates that - very colourful and sadly cancelled this year.

Try The Subhumans, Rancid, Circle Jerks etc.

Pelleas - Being too young to fully appreciate Punk in it's own era - I've listened to quite a few tracks from Gen X/Generation X - Heaven's Inside is my favourite - but funnily enough they didn't release it as a track. Gen X are one of the most melodic of the punk groups imo.

We must be of a similar age, Stirling. I have memories of attending a street party for the Jubilee and having a very generalised awareness of punk as a phenomenon - things had moved on to the New Romantic era by the time I was of an age to start taping songs off the radio. Like everyone else at the time I used to like Adam and the Ants - I had a radio taping of 'Young Parisians' which I practically wore the tape out rewinding and playing again.

I used to listen to Pick of the Pops in the late 80s with Alan Freeman - often preferring the chosen vintage year to the contemporary offerings!

Thanks LevoMental - I didn't realise there was such a festival!

Punk is not dead!
It’s alive and well
I’ve been to rebellion many times and it’s refreshing to see so many young people there, as well as us oldies