(ThyBlackMan.com) If you’re familiar with Green Day, Blink 182, and Nirvana, you may have noticed that all of them are white people. Discrimination is inevitable but it didn’t hinder some black punk rock bands to make a name in the music industry. These people proved that music has no color. And like how the King of Pop Michael Jackson dealt with stereotypes by creating such great music and made himself legendary, here are some black punk rock bands who shared a name in the music industry:
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Death
Death has been one of the most iconic punk rock bands who started their music career in 1971. The three original members are brothers Bobby, David, and Dannis Hackney. Inspired by The Who, this trio transitioned from funk to punk rock and popularized the songs “Where Do We Go from Here”, “Politicians in my Eyes”, and “Keep on Knocking”. They eventually disbanded in 1977 but reformed in 2009 under the Drag City label.
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Bad Brains
Started with the name Mind Power, Bad Brains took a transition from reggae and funk to punk rock inspired by legendary musicians Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and Black Sabbath. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1982 after being banned in their hometown in 1979. Their relocation to New York City opened new doors for their band and created the best tracks like “Attitude”, “The Youth Are Getting Restless”, and “Banned in DC”.
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Black Pantera
Founded in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, this Brazilian black punk rock band named Black Pantera paved its way in the music industry in 2014. Inspired by artists like Bad Brain, Tupac, and Metallica, this band was formed to express their thoughts about politics, discrimination, and racism through lyrics and compositions. Their self-titled album came out in 2015 and wrote a song in June 2020 entitled “I Can’t Breathe” to call attention to the killing of George Floyd.
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Fishbone
Fishbone brothers Philip and John Norwood, together with their friends Angelo Moore, Walter A. Kibby II, Christopher Dowd, and Kendall Jones, formed a band in Los Angeles, California way back in 1979 when they were still in junior high school. Their first album entitled “In Your Face” was released in 1986, followed by “Truth & Soul” in 1988. Some of their original songs were “Fight the Youth”, “Black Flowers”, and “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
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Pure Hell
Another punk rock band that paved its way in the music industry in the 70s, Pure Hell, started their journey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their original members were Kenny “Stinker” Gordon as the lead vocalist and bass, Michael “Spider” Sanders on the percussion, Lenny “Steal” Boles on the bass, and Preston “Chipper” Morris on the guitar. The band claimed to be the first black punk band in the world but didn’t receive any credit for it. However, according to Kenny Gordon, “I don’t want to be remembered just because we were black. I want to be remembered for being a part of the first tier of punk in the 70s”. In 2006, Pure Hell released their album “Noise Addiction” with tracks including “No Rules”, “Courageous Cat”, and “The Girl With the Hungry Eyes”.
Staff Writer; Ellie Carter
