Punk and Situationism in Britain : investigating the ‘secret history’ of punk

Abstract

Greil Marcus’s 1989 book Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century argued that punk was a response to the ‘cultural impulse’ produced by Dadaism, Surrealism, and Situationism. This thesis investigates the role of Situationism in the development of punk in Britain through the music, visual culture, and the conceptual history of punk. It integrates methodologies from cultural history, intellectual history, art history, and sociology. It argues that punk can only be defined within distinct contexts due to the conflicts that surround these definitions, and demonstrates how punk historians have contributed to new generations of Situationist punks by exposing them to Situationism.

The punk scenes in London and Manchester are examined using Nick Crossley’s ‘Music Worlds’ theory to demonstrate how the countercultural spaces in the two locations led to differences in the content and penetration of Situationist influence. In London, Situationist ideas helped to inform the music and behaviour of the Sex Pistols through manager Malcolm McLaren and art director Jamie Reid. Due to the availability of locations for punks to meet and perform, the spread of Situationist ideas was limited. The relative lack of countercultural spaces in Manchester required their creation by figures like Tony Wilson and Richard Boon. As both men were Situationists, this resulted in more prominent Situationist influence in Manchester. The Haçienda is identified as an attempted realisation of Situationist theory.

The thesis considers the visual art of punk, analysing the artists who developed the punk aesthetic. It demonstrates the importance of Situationist techniques to artists including Jamie Reid and Linder Sterling. These techniques are investigated in the wider visual culture of punk, highlighting how they shaped punk fanzines and fashion. This thesis posits that Situationist techniques and ideas shifted as they passed through the punk subculture, often leading to a loss of meaning even when techniques were retained.