In a year when Covid-19 has swept the world, it is easy to forget what life was like beyond our insular bubbles, let alone imagine being packed into derelict, sticky-carpeted venues sweating with a bunch of strangers while the band on stage contorts, rages and hurls abuse at adoring fans.
American photographer Michael Grecco’s latest book Punk Post Punk New Wave: Onstage, Backstage, In Your Face, 1978-1991 is a visceral reminder of what freedom looks like. It also reminds us of the power of music in lifting a collective finger at authority! As Grecco writes, the punk era was a moment without boundaries – “Wear what you want! Say what you want! Make music however you want!”
