Punk vs. Prog? Which side do you land on, and is it necessary to pick a side? This back-and-forth between the rock subgenres has been around for several decades. At their core, they are complete opposites despite being classified under an umbrella term, and their differences become apparent through their fans or the bands’ relationships with one another. For instance, two acts that clashed because they represented the opposite sides of the spectrum were the Sex Pistols and Genesis.
While punk loves the idea of inventing a new sound that might sound ‘wrong’ and unconventional, prog prioritizes technicality, musical virtuosity, and ambitious experimentation. Although these are polar opposites, the relationship between bands that represent different subgenres depends on how individuals in bands treat other artists who do their own thing in the rock scene, even if it might not be how they would like to sound. Who knows, maybe opposites attract, and perhaps it has!
Genesis frontman Phil Collins recalled in an interview with John Edginton back in 2014 that the first time he saw the Sex Pistols was when he was watching the Manchester TV show ‘So It Goes.’ He said, “‘Wow, what’s that?’ Because I mean the sound of the Sex Pistols, I thought they had a fantastic sound. When you hear the Sex Pistols ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ record, it was very well produced.”
However, shortly after appreciating the band’s sound and musical efforts, something dawned on the musician, and he didn’t know how to react. Collins recalled, “It just sounded so legitimate, so I liked it. And then I realized we were the enemy. We were the people they were trying to get rid of in a way.”
“It was a fashion thing. I thought it should be treated as that. It was obviously out of that kind of noise,” continued Collins explaining his neutral thoughts about punk rock. “However, I don’t think that the Pistols were noisy. As I said, I think the Pistols are a great band.”
Although Collins quickly recognized that as part of a prog band, it was more likely that Sex Pistols were not that fond of them even though he quite liked their music. However, the singer didn’t let their differences get in the way of having an amicable relationship, so he did go up to John Lydon at an award show to introduce himself.
He continued, “I did meet Johnny Lydon at a Mojo awards show. I went up to him and said, ‘I just got to say hello to you because I think you’re great.’ He said, ‘Phil! What a pleasure!’ I don’t think he was taking the piss. I got a picture in my studio at home of him and me together. It’s one of those things where he is a clever guy, you know.”
It probably wasn’t in the cards for the two bands to see completely eye to eye on how they produce their music, but they took a step in the right direction and became friends. Even though these bands should theoretically protest each other, there is always the possibility of having a respectful relationship with one another while continuing to do what they believe is their sound in the rock scene.
