Bad Memories

In May 1977, "God Save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols hit #2 on the U.K. Singles Charts, elevating punk rock from a largely underground sensation to a legitimate music genre. The loud, fast, and intensely abrasive three-cord sound brought raw energy and bad attitude back into rock music- which was becoming tame and pacified during that time. Spearheaded by vanguard groups like The Ramones, Sex Pistols and The Clash, punk became a global phenomenon that influenced the culture, fashion and even the political ideology of youths as far as Tokyo.

Time.com commemorates this milestone in music history with The 30 Year Anniversary of Punk, a multimedia photo essay narrated by Josh Tyrangiel, the editor of the website and a music critic who has worked for Vibe, Rolling Stone and MTV.

Watching the slide show gave me a sudden surge of nostalgia. I remember hanging out with friends after school, drinking beer, passing joints, and The Clash playing loudly off the speakers. “Career Opportunities” was among the frequently played soundtracks of my life as a juvenile delinquent during the early 80’s.

That was a long time ago, and I have already moved on to other forms of music. Punk is not even a genre listed on my iPod. I have also adopted a relatively benign lifestyle, but you can blame The Clash for the occasional streaks of bad behavior that I may still exhibit.