PUNK magazine was a fanzine created by cartoonist John Holmstrom, publisher Ged Dunn and "resident punk" Legs McNeil in 1975, and was the first publication in the world to popularize the CBGB scene. Also, its use of "punk rock," coined by writers for Creem magazine a few years earlier, led to the term's worldwide acceptance as the definition for the new bands that were producing a new sound based on the music of The Stooges, the New York Dolls, the MC5, and the Ramones.
Punk published a total of 15 issues between 1976 and 1979, as well as a special issue in 1981 (The D.O.A. Filmbook), and several more issues in the new millennium.
Covers featured such artists as Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and Blondie. Punk magazine was home to many future talents, many of whom were published for the first time in its pages, such as Mary Harron, Roberta Bayley, David Godlis, Robert Romagnoli, Steve Taylor, Lester Bangs, Bob Gruen, Pam Brown, Buz Vaultz, Anya Phillips, and Screaming Mad George. Punk was an early breeding ground for female writers, artists and photographers, who had been shut out of the mostly-male underground publishing scene of the 1960s.
The magazine staff went through many changes during those years, as a result Ged Dunn left in early 1977 and McNeil quit shortly afterwards. Additions to the staff include Bruce Carleton (art director from 1977-1979), Ken Weiner (frequent contributor from 1977-1979), and Elin Wilder, one of the few African Americans to enjoy a role in the early CBGB/punk rock scene.
Punk was a vehicle for discussing and examining the underground music scene in New York, primarily what would be called punk rock. The music was exemplified by bands and performers like The Ramones and The Dictators. The music was played in clubs like CBGB, Zeppz, and Max's Kansas City. It mixed Mad Magazine-style cartooning by the likes of Holstrom and a young Peter Bagge with the more straightforward pop journalism of the kind found in Creem.
In 2001 Punk was re-launched, but the events on 9/11 set back the plans for a relaunch. In 2006 the magazine was revived, and current issues are still being published.
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