Most Punk Rock Thing I've Ever Heard

[SlumpBuster]

I'm a big fan of pre-British Invasion rock and roll, which is kinda unusual because I was born in 1975. Unfortunately, alot of my generation has heard too many great fifties rock songs used to sell macaroni and cheese. Accordingly, alot of it is ubiquitous to the point of being overlooked. But, if reexamined, much of that music as a whole other life outside of being used over a Robin Williams montage, which leads me to my point...

I got a picked up this over the weekend:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Ritchie_Valens_album_cover2.jpg

Track 3 is a demo of "Come on, Let's Go" that is the most Punk Rock thing I've ever heard. A 17 year old latino kid, that taught himself to play guitar, laying down a song on a two track recorder in some guys living room, that he just made up because he heard a buddy say "Come on, man, let's go." Placed in context of the day, this is just amazing that A) he did it, B) it became a hit. This was before civil rights (Just think of that Dave Chappelle joke "I'll be the first black President, if I get to have a Mexican Vice President... That way no one will shot me." ). Rock and roll was still very very fringe. Valens grew up around latino music, but bucked that trend and gravitated towards rock and roll.

People often argue about what defines "punk." I still don't know the answer to that question, but I do know that this is pretty F---in' punk.

[DariusNYC]

Great post. I like your take on this. And it's a great song.

[nobody]

I love 50s rock and I love punk rock. But, I have to say I think when people call things "punk" I think they get carried away. Anything with a hint of rebellion or individualism is somehow called "punk."

What that Ritchie valens record, and scores of other records from the 50s as well,points out is that rebellion and individuality was always deeply ingrained in rock 'n' roll. Punk was a great reminder of this and took it to extremes that hadn't happened before, but rock was always about rebellion and doing things outside the mainstream in its early days.

If you like raw 50s music, check out some stuff like Charlie Feathers and/or Mac Curtis. Or, for a real wild man, check out Hasil Adkins.

<img src="http://www.hasiladkins.com/pic02_.jpg">

[SlumpBuster]

Hey thanks guys.

Ya know, it wasn't just the rebellion that made it so "punk" for me. It was the whole DIY additute too. Also, Valens was known for making up songs as he went, something he did with "Come On, Let's Go." He would also change lyrics to songs mid performance and improvise new guitar riffs and melodies during performance. He also never wrote down anything he wrote. If he remembered it the next day, the great. If not, he would make up something new. The formality of music was secondary to his performance. Finally, it was only 18 months. 18 months from first recording to his death. Yet we all know La Bamba, the Winter Dance Party, the Coin Flip, and the day the music died. That kid left a mark.