The Black Origins of Punk

How did the bands X-Ray Spex, Bad Brains, and Death define Punk on their own terms?

Know (knowledge):

• Identify some of the stylistic characteristics of Punk and write Punk lyrics based upon those characteristics
• Examine the history of Black people in Punk music
• Discuss some of the earliest Black Punk bands of the 1970s and 1980s, and their contributions to Punk music and culture
• Explore the music and biographies of Death, Bad Brains, and X- Ray Spex

Mastery Objective:

• Students will be able to write their own lyrics in the style of Punk by first exploring the history and work of Death, Bad Brains, and X-Ray Spex.

In this lesson, students will explore three pioneering Black Punk bands: X-Ray Spex, Bad Brains, and Death. After listening to each group’s music and examining their history, students will then write their own lyrics in the style of Punk.

Punk…this word alone can bring up feelings of rebellion, loud music, leather jackets, DIY/distressed t-shirts, safety pins, crazy mohawks, and spiked accessories, and an overall attitude of being different.

But when imagining Punk music, who in particular comes to mind? The Sex Pistols? The Ramones? Joan Jett? Green Day? While these are all iconic Punk bands, often forgotten are the Black Punk bands. Groups like Death, X-Ray Spex, and Bad Brains not only helped define the Punk sound, but paved the way for today’s modern Black and Brown Punk bands to flourish. They lived by their own rules, unapologetically. . .which to be very honest, is the most Punk thing to do.

Death is a Detroit-based band of three brothers that refused to change their name to be more palatable to white music executives. The Hackney brothers were inspired to begin playing music after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, and originally started as a R&B/Soul group before pioneering Proto-Punk. The band went dormant for almost 40 years until the sons of original member Bobby Hackney got a hold of their uncles’ and fathers’ music. This rediscovery by the younger Hackneys not only gave the band new breath for a new audience, but even got the original lineup, sans David, back together.

Bad Brains, whose name was inspired by a Ramones song, came out of Washington, D.C. The band mixed Punk and Hardcore, and later some Reggae influences. With a sometimes too-rowdy live show for the D.C. scene, they went to New York City where they were welcomed with open arms, and even released a single called, “Banned in DC.”

English band X-Ray Spex was led by bi-racial, half Somalian frontwoman Poly Styrene, who wrote introspective and honest music without the anger and aggression of her male counterparts, all while facing racist and sexist attacks. The band relied on their wit and mockery to tackle issues like consumerism, and the role of women in a male dominated scene and society.