Southern Michigan, New York City, Boston, LA, and London, all contributed to the birth of punk and punk’s defining moments. In the beginning, it was MC5, Iggy and the Stooges, the Ramones, Patti Smith, Flyboys, Runaways, and dozens of others who reinvented the grit, grind, and rawness of a sound and culture called punk.
Punk was the antithesis and rejection of what was happening. Disco, arena rock and pop were sterilized, punk spit in the eye of conformity with a sound that created a culture. Punk set out to destroy the normalcy that the counterculture had become, the colors of the hippies were painted black.
Gang Green photographed by Michael Grecco.
Throughout history, change is often documented after the fact. Few recognize the importance of the times of their lives and fail to create in the moment records. The age of Punk was not one of those times. The lifeblood, soul and raw creativity of the period transcended to every conceivable art form. Paintings, performance art, poetry, literature, theater, film, graffiti, street performances, photography and lifestyles all embraced punk as it was happening.
Lux Interior Of The Cramps photographed by Michael Grecco.
Michael Grecco a Black and White Punk Photographer
Michael Grecco was a freelance photographer breaking the barriers of photojournalism for Boston Newspapers and music magazines. It was perfect timing. As he was perfecting his art of black and white photography, Michael Grecco was at a time and place where he was able to capture Punk’s defining moments through the lens of his 35MM camera.
Poison Ivy Of The Cramps photographed by Michael Grecco.
Just as Punk was a transformation from the psychedelic colors of the sixties to the stark black and white of the new punk revolution, the pioneers of photography were exploring the same. Photography as an art was taking a step back from the “living” color of the Kodak age to the depths and richness of the shadows and light of black and white photos.
Wendy O. Williams Of The Plasmatics photographed by Michael Grecco.
Black and White photography was the medium that made Punk shine. Michael Grecco was perfectly positioned as a photojournalist who shot black and white for newspapers, an artist exploring the power of shadow and light, and a witness to a music scene that was exploding.
Patti Smith who now wears the moniker, the Godmother of Punk is still writing and performing, the Ramones released a retrospect album and today young fans play The Clash. Old school converse and black tight jeans, as well as black leather and vinyl clothing are still prized by more than one generation. There is no doubt that Punk is alive and well.
Michael Grecco has undertaken the task of curating years of punk photography. As a witness to Punk’s defining moments: Michael Grecco has produced an artistic legacy that captures the essence of the punk era. These rare Punk Fine Art Prints by Michael Grecco can now be purchased online as well in galleries throughout the world.
