Punk blues
Punk blues (or blues punk) is a music genre that mixes elements of punk rock and blues.[1] Punk blues musicians and bands usually incorporate elements of related styles,[2] such as protopunk and blues rock. Its origins lie strongly within the garage rock sound of the 1960s and 1970s.
Punk blues
Early 1980s, United States
Punk blues can be said to favor the common rawness, simplicity and emotion shared between the punk and blues genres.[3] Chet Weise, singer/guitarist of the Immortal Lee County Killers stated, "Punk and blues are both honest reactions to life. It's blues, it's our blues. It's just a bit turned up and a bit faster."[4]
Related bands[edit]
Beginning with their 1988 album Prison Bound, the punk band Social Distortion began incorporating rockabilly, country, and blues influences into their music. In the same time period, Rollins Band performed punk-inflected blues jams.[6] In the early 1990s, British musician PJ Harvey also explored an avant-garde variant of the style.[7]
The Detroit garage rock scene that bore bands such as the White Stripes, inspired by Flat Duo Jets, continues to thrive with punk blues musicians and bands that can be tied to the style, such as the Detroit Cobras, Geraldine, Mystery Girls, Soledad Brothers, the Von Bondies, and many others. The Memphis–Asheville band the Reigning Sound and the Boston band Mr. Airplane Man[8] also plays in this style.
The indie rock bands the Kills,[9] and Deadboy & the Elephantmen,[10] have been associated by the media with a punk/blues sound.