US punk and British punk were different in a few senses. Firstly, the Ramones formed in rebuttal to the progressive bands that focused too much upon lengthy solos and fanciness rather than the heart of rock ‘n’ roll. The Ramones took three chords and catchy lyrics, and created something that was fun to listen to rather than thought provoking. Secondly, from Britain, emerged the Sex Pistols who were created as a glorified marketing strategy. Their music focused on angrily charged political ideas, and their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, has inspired various punks including myself to this very day. A quote by Clinton Heylin, in From the Velvets to the Voidoids: A Pre-Punk History for a Post-Punk World sums …show more content…
The Jam being unapologetically British, seemed to spoil the taste of American listeners. The group revitalized the mod scene, especially in the style of the Who. Both politically charged and romantic songs were were filled with references and British slang in the lyrics, further making their music less understandable and desirable to Americans. However, it is important to note that while their sound was more pop than punk, they never abandoned punk values: sticking to their independent ethics just by refusing to give in to change. In this video you can see their mod style and hear their repetitive yet compelling songwriting skills: