Brisbane punk rock

Brisbane punk rock had its main impact between 1975 and 1984 as part of the overall punk rock scene in Australia. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, the Queensland capital provided "some of the most anarchistic bands" of that era whilst it was "arguably the most conservative city" in the country.^[1] The development of the local punk movement differed from other cities because of its relative geographic isolation from other similar trends. The Brisbane scene also received a greater scrutiny by local police where early punk bands formed as "an obvious backlash to an oppressed society".^[1][2] This generated antagonistic and individualistic groups or "snot" driven punk bands.

The Brisbane punk rock movement can be divided into four phases. First, there was the pioneering chapter, which lasted from 1975 to 1977. These bands were either innovators or part of the first wave of local punk bands. Foremost of all such groups are the Saints, which are acknowledged as "Aussie punk pioneers".^[2][3] The second phase occurred between 1978 and 1980, which McFarlane described as "the second generation" of punk groups. The next period or "third-generation"^[4] spanned from 1981 to 1984 and diverged into two subgenres: hardcore punk and post-punk. The fourth period, during 1985 to 1988, developed three styles: Detroit rock (and the closely aligned garage punk), hardcore punk and skate punk – the Brisbane punk rock movement had become alternative rock.