cowpunk (1979)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

cowpunk = performer of country/punk fusion

1979 _Washington Post_ 28 Sep. E6/2 She is a daring new kind of rock
singer, one that could be called a Cowpunk.

1984 _Los Angeles Times_ 2 June (San Diego Co. Calendar) V7/2 "We're not
cow punks, like a lot of bands in L.A. that are starting to jump on the
country-roots bandwagon," McLain said.

1985 _Creem_ July (backpages.com) They've been dubbed cowpunks,
revivalists, bastardizers, a novelty act, a bar band.
<http://backpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=7969>


cowpunk = country/punk fusion

1983 _Los Angeles Times_ 27 Nov. (Calendar) 68/1 None of the groups wants
to be called something like "country-punk" or, even worse,"cow-punk."

1984 _NME_ 21 May (backpages.com) Even allowing for the Women's Wear Daily
pop-corn which often passes as critical comparison in rock I can't help
but loathe this catchall term "cowpunk".
<http://backpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=6744>

1984 _NME_ 11 Aug. (backpages.com) To the left towers the post-punk of a
fervent new revival sweeping the combo consciousness of the USA. Some call
it cowpunk, more can see and hear a real return to roots.
<http://backpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=1216>


--Ben Zimmer