[Ads-l] Antedating of "Punk" (Performer or Fan of Punk Rock)

[Ben Zimmer]

I agree with Fred's suggestion. I mentioned the Dec. 1970 Lester Bangs
citation in my 2019 WSJ column on "punk":

https://www.wsj.com/articles/punk-once-meant-a-prostitute-then-a-rock-n-roll-rebel-11552665654?st=5BwHHp&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
archived version: https://archive.is/eb9Kr

Here's an archived link to Bangs' article on Creem's website:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110929000450/http:/www.creemmagazine.com/_site/BeatGoesOn/IggyPop/OfPopAndPiesPt001.html

--bgz


On Thu, Sep 24, 2026 at 7:15 AM Shapiro, Fred <
00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> punk (OED, 5.b., 1976)
>
> The genesis of the musical term "punk" meaning a performer or fan is quite
> complex.  The OED's first use (1976) seems to be much too late, and out of
> sync with their early-1970's citations for "punk rock" and "punk music."
> The complexities are fully discussed in an online article by J. P.
> Robinson, titled "The Rotten Etymology of Punk":
>
> https://jprobinson.medium.com/the-rotten-etymology-of-punk-86db2fcc16f8
>
> I suggest, as the first-use citation for "punk" meaning a performer or
> fan, Lester Bangs's mention of "that Stooge punk" in reference to Iggy
> Pop.  This was published in the magazine Creem in December 1970.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>

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