Brisbane punk rock
| Brisbane punk rock | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Typical instruments | Electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, vocals |
| Other topics | |
Brisbane punk rock had its main impact between 1975 and 1984 as part of the overall punk rock scene in Australia. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, the Queensland capital provided "some of the most anarchistic bands" of that era whilst it was "arguably the most conservative city" in the country. The development of the local punk movement differed from other cities because of its relative geographic isolation from other similar trends. The Brisbane scene also received a greater scrutiny by local police where early punk bands formed as "an obvious backlash to an oppressed society". This generated antagonistic and individualistic groups or "snot" driven punk bands.
The Brisbane punk rock movement can be divided into four phases. First, there was the pioneering chapter, which lasted from 1975 to 1977. These bands were either innovators or part of the first wave of local punk bands. Foremost of all such groups are the Saints, which are acknowledged as "Aussie punk pioneers". The second phase occurred between 1978 and 1980, which McFarlane described as "the second generation" of punk groups. The next period or "third-generation" spanned from 1981 to 1984 and diverged into two subgenres: hardcore punk and post-punk (or dark punk). Brisbane's dark punk is similar to the subgenres of horror punk and deathrock from the West Coast United States, which started at that time. The fourth period, during 1985 to 1988, developed three styles: Detroit rock (and the closely aligned garage punk), hardcore punk and skate punk – the Brisbane punk rock movement had become alternative rock.
"For many bands Brisbane proved not to be the isolated haven in which they could polish their art, but a repressive, aggressive town, the very personification of the red neck deep South of America."
Brisbane punk rock developed under the state government of Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the Premier of Queensland from 1968 to 1987; his administration was investigated by the Fitzgerald Inquiry (1987–89), which found "long-term, systemic political corruption and abuse of power." Bjelke-Petersen resigned, two of his ministers and the state's police commissioner were jailed for corruption charges. Doug Hutson and Gavin Sawford co-wrote in their book from 1988, Out of the Unknown: Brisbane Bands 1976-1988 that, "Authority's intolerance of anything different, which, to be fair has since considerably diminished, reflects the peculiar suspicious verging on animosity that Queenslanders as a whole hold for anyone who leaves the cultural straight and narrow of beer, beach and burgers."
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