By: Andrew Cheng

The first generation of New York City punk and alternative bands moved on to larger venues and circuits in 1977. Most bands were dropouts and runaways, while others came from the High School of Performing Arts and Murrow. Some members were dropouts and runaways, while others were from the suburbs. Almost all were under the age of 18. The band traveled to many places, such as the Friends Seminary, Walden and Dalton, and Brooklyn Friends.

For the next four years, the bands spent their nights experimenting with creating self-made, intense pop and punk songs on the stage. They presented the performances to their fellow teenagers in places like CBGB, Max’s Kansas City, Hurrah, and TR3.

Several band members have had extraordinary experiences in spearheading punk music. One of them, Eric Hoffert, spent four hours doing homework from school every weekday and then practiced his guitar for four more hours. He joined the band during weekends.

Another punk artist was Arthur Brennan, a 16-year-old boy from Groton, Connecticut. He regularly hitchhiked twenty miles to the only place where he could buy magazines that covered the new music. Soon he renamed himself Darvon Staggard and ran away to New York City to join a band.

Ninth grader Kate Schellenbach started high school with an outfit assembled to express her interest in punk music: overdyed painters’ pants from Unique Clothing Warehouse, white go-go boots from Reminiscence in the West Village, a bowling shirt, and an Elvis Costello pin.

Overall, punk music had a significant impact on high school students in the ‘70s. Although some budding punk artists continued in the scene, others went to college and pursued traditional employment. Yet, one truth remained the same. Their willingness to join the punk music group developed a lasting and influential culture.

Source: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1f0rrpWkXfagM1WwyW8Ev4n3FLc29mK4g