The arrival of punk within the music industry during the 1970s was explosive. The New York underground echoed with a raw sensibility that felt utterly new and revolutionary. Musicians were ripping up the rock rulebook and writing songs that went against everything that people expected; punk was messy, passionate, ferocious, and politically charged. When it came over to England, with the Sex Pistols leading the charge, punk became an even bigger phenomenon, a subculture that many young people were drawn to.

Yet, before the name of the genre was even coined, The Stooges were making music that many people now consider to be proto-punk, with the band acting as progenitors of a sound and attitude that drastically changed rock music. They were one of the most successful alternative bands to emerge in the ‘60s, their music and performances so primal and distinctly ahead of their time. Often classed as garage rock – a label that wasn’t used until the ‘70s to describe such bands, The Stooges were inspired by psychedelic rock, blues and classic rock and roll, blending these styles to create something that was much more intense and experimental.

Using abrasive guitars, the band’s music harnessed a DIY sensibility while simultaneously demonstrating obvious talent. The textures and riffs that defined their sound were intoxicating, offering a sense of rebellion from the norm. Lyrically, Pop wasn’t afraid to shake things up, either. One of their most well-known songs, ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’, features lyrics about sexual domination, “In my room, I want you here/ And now we’re gonna be face-to-face’, And I’ll lay right down in my favourite place/ And now I wanna be your dog.” Bold and shameless, Pop’s words reflected the era’s gradual transition away from traditionalism, helping to lead the charge from the underground. 

The provocative nature of the band’s music, and their experimentation with tempo, texture, and genre-blending, as well as a lack of inhibition, came to define punk, which would subsequently affect generations of musicians, through the alternative boom of the ‘80s and ‘90s to the post punk revival of the 21st century.

Moreover, live shows became a vital part of punk – and remain so today across all rock subgenres – with musicians typically asserting themselves on stage with an unforgettable presence, not afraid to sing with an unpolished edge or to thrash about uncontrollably. The lines blurred between the band and the audience, with mosh pits, crowd surfing and stage invasions making every punk show a sweaty and sticky experience.

Yet, The Stooges were one of the most prominent pioneers of wild live shows, again acting incredibly ahead of their time. Pop often appeared on stage shirtless, sometimes wearing a spiky dog collar, while allowing himself to run wild. His antics included injuring himself with shards of glass, exposing himself, or just generally creating an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty. You never knew what his next move would be – whether that be entering the audience and leaving everyone soaked in mysterious bodily fluids or causing genuine concern due to his penchant for sharp objects.

Taking inspiration from Jim Morrison of the Doors, Pop cranked up the intensity dial and made an impact on the underground scene with his shocking behaviour. Rock music was moving far away from the clean-cut image of bands in matching suits and mop-tops – even The Rolling Stones looked like saints compared to Pop and his crew. The musician became a vital influence over the punk singers who emerged a few years later. Pop demonstrated that performing was as important as the music being made – live shows were a conduit for releasing energy, rage and passion, bonding with others, revelling in a shared experience, and really experiencing music in its true, unedited form.

Thanks to The Stooges, more and more punk musicians (and even non-punk artists like David Bowie) began acting recklessly on stage, involving the audience in their terrifying world and creating an atmosphere that was addictive, dangerous, and even spiritual. Without The Stooges, it’s hard to imagine what punk would’ve become – or if it would’ve even become such a huge phenomenon in the first place.