Punk Music Producers

When punk rock first emerged it was in reaction to many social and musical conventions of the '70s. Bands such as the Ramones were heavily influenced by the garage bands of the late sixties, in that they produced a stripped down version of rock and roll. As the genre developed and gained more exposure, as much attention began being placed on the musicians' appearance and actions as their music.

Malcolm McLaren--Taking Punk out of the Underground

Raised in England, Malcolm McLaren was in the heart of the punk movement practically at its infancy, as the manager for the New York Dolls. From the beginning, McLaren had a keen sense for publicity. In fact, as the New York Dolls were beginning to fall apart from within due to drugs and alcohol, he devised the now famous series of posters promoting them with the taglines: "What are the politics of boredom? Better red than dead?" Obviously, this overtly communist imagery was designed mostly for shock value and was quite effective for a short period.

McLaren is most famous for his managing of the Sex Pistols. Although stories conflict, the general sense is that he brought many of the band members together and orchestrated much of their rise, including the scandal that accompanied them. He even worked closely with designer Vivienne Westwood, opening the famous shop "Sex" in London, which specialized in punk style clothing.

As much as Malcolm McLaren brought quite a bit of attention to the punk rock movement, some argue that part of it was artificial and took punk away from its anti-commercial roots. Nevertheless, it cannot be argued that the Sex Pistols are an integral part of punk's history, having influenced countless bands since. In that respect, McLaren contributed greatly to the effects music can have socially.