ABSTRACT
British and American punk scenes have always influenced one another. The Sex Pistols' music was primarily inspired by American proto-punk bands such as the Stooges and the New York Dolls, for instance. The Ramones' punk pastiche, like that of the Sex Pistols, can be understood as a form of camp. Reagan-era America was the sociopolitical setting from which a new, even more radical, punk movement emerged. In the same way that Thatcherism—a blend of cultural conservatism and economic liberalism—radicalized punks in the UK, the rise of American hardcore was linked to Reagan's presidency and 'Reaganomics.' Many hardcore punks had shaved heads and wore plain clothes rather than the stereotypical, flamboyant punk outfit. The Dead Kennedys, with their political lyrics and fast songs, are widely considered the link between seventies punk rock and eighties hardcore punk, but compared to full-fledged hardcore bands such as Minor Threat or Black Flag, they looked and sounded relatively tame.
