Editing Cowpunk (section)

===1980s===

[[File:X, 1980.jpg|thumb|right|200px| [[X (American band)|X]] in 1980]]

In the early 1980s, punk groups such as L.A. band [[X (American band)|X]],  "...began to lean toward the twangy side, providing a subgenre that became known as cowpunk".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/dwight-yoakam-onhttps://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/dwight-yoakam-on-his-early-cowpunk-years-in-los-angeles |title=Dwight Yoakam on His Early Cowpunk Years in Los Angeles |last=Tewksbury |first=Drew |date=6 August 2015 |website=www.kcet.org |publisher=KCET |access-date=14 April 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The L.A. cowpunk bands like X tended to be as intentionally sloppy, against "slick" production values, and anti-commercial as the punk genre they had "morphed" from, often from "blitzkrieg bands" (for example, [[The Dils]] became cowpunk band [[Rank and File (band)|Rank and File]]).<ref>McLeese, Don. ''Dwight Yoakam: A Thousand Miles from Nowhere''. University of Texas Press, 7 March 2012. p. 59</ref> In the 1980s, Rosie Flores left the Screamers and joined a cowpunk [[all-female band]] called [[Screamin' Sirens]].<ref>Gary Indiana, "Screamin' Sirens," Flipside, whole no. 49 (Summer 1986), pp. 18–19.</ref>

UK groups include the country-tinged pop band [[Boothill Foot Tappers]] and the tongue-in-cheek new wave outfit [[Yip Yip Coyote]].

There are a number of U.S. bands: [[X (American band)|X]], [[the Blasters]], [[Meat Puppets]], [[The Beat Farmers]],<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=THE BEAT FARMERS |url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/beat-farmers/ |work=The San Diego Reader |location=San Diego, CA |date=<!--summary page; no date.--> |access-date=14 October 2019 }}</ref> [[Rubber Rodeo]] (which "juxtaposed countrypolitan elements and more conventional rock postures" in homage to "a pop-culture west rather than a geographic or historic one"), [[Rank and File (band)|Rank and File]] (playing "an updated version of 1960s country-rock"), [[Jason and the Scorchers]] (with "authentically deep country roots"), [[Tex & the Horseheads]], [[Blood on the Saddle]]<ref>Reynolds, Simon. ''Rip it Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984''. Faber & Faber, 2009. Ch. 24.</ref> 1984), [[Dash Rip Rock]], [[Drivin' n Cryin']],  [[Fetchin Bones]] (from North Carolina), [[The Rave-Ups]], [[Concrete Blonde]], [[Great Plains (Tennessee band)|Great Plains]] (from Ohio), and [[Violent Femmes]] (at that time incorporating "mountain banjo, wheezing saxophones, scraping fiddle, twanging jew's harp, and ragged vocal choruses").<ref name=NYT84/>

[[The Del-Lords]] formed in [[New York City]] in 1982,<ref name="time86">Cocks, Jay; L., Elizabeth. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121106093739/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961926-1,00.html Music: Where the Lifeline Is]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. 4 August 1986. Retrieved 9 November 2010</ref> founded by [[The Dictators]]' guitarist [[Scott Kempner]]. The band's cowpunk sound combined elements of 1960s [[garage rock]] with country, blues and folk influences. They were one of the early originators of urban roots-rock. The band members were Scott Kempner, Manny Caiati, [[Eric Ambel]] and [[Frank Funaro]].

[[Nine Pound Hammer]] is an American [[hardcore punk|hardcore]]-cowpunk band formed in 1985 by vocalist Scott Luallen and guitarist Blaine Cartwright in their hometown of [[Owensboro, Kentucky]]. They were one of the first rural hardcore punk bands to incorporate [[rural]] [[blue collar]] motifs into the hardcore sound. Their lyrics (suggestive of [[outlaw country]]) featured themes such as alcoholism, [[rural poverty]], and violence. In contrast, most of the urban, experimental cowpunk bands of 1970s/80s Los Angeles and the UK were [[roots rock]], [[folk rock]] or [[New wave music|New Wave]] bands, and they incorporated [[country music]] instruments and influences as a secondary (sometimes temporary) aspect of their sound.

In [[Social Distortion]]'s album ''[[Prison Bound]]'' (1986–1988), the band makes a notable style change, exploring a [[country music|country/western]] flavor . This record marks the start of the band's entrance into a cowpunk style. Country legend [[Johnny Cash]] and a [[honky tonk]] style became more prominent influences and there are references to Cash.

[[Lone Justice]] is a Los Angeles cowpunk band.<ref>Chrispell, James. "[https://www.allmusic.com/album/shelter-mw0000190713 "Shelter – Lone Justice"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318073411/http://www.allmusic.com/album/shelter-mw0000190713 |date=March 18, 2013 }}", [[AllMusic]], 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.</ref> ''[[Spin (magazine)|SPIN]]'' magazine also named [[Long Ryders]], [[Danny & Dusty]], and [[Mekons]] as from the genre.<ref name="Eddy, Chuck 2010">Eddy, Chuck. After thrashy nihilism flamed out, cowpunk  giddy-upped from the ashes. ''SPIN''. August 2010.</ref>

In Canada, prairies singer [[k.d. lang]] was called a "Canadian Cowpunk" in the 20 June 1985 issue of ''Rolling Stone''.<ref>Adria, Marco. ''Music of Our Times: Eight Canadian Singer-Songwriters''. James Lorimer & Company, 1990. p. 147</ref> In the late 1980s, Edmonton-based [[Jr. Gone Wild]] has been called a "[c]risp, cheerfully honest" example of ,"...that "cowpunk" thing, sure — but really it's just the sugary-yet-direct [[indie rock]] of its time, poppy and looking back more than a little at the [[Gram Parsons]] side of [[the Byrds]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/album-review-jr-gone-wilds-1988-brave-new-waves-session-happily-haunting |title= Album review: Jr. Gone Wild's 1988 Brave New Waves session happily haunting|last=Griwkowsky |first=Fish |date= 13 September 2017|website=edmontonjournal.com  |publisher=Edmonton Journal |access-date= 26 April 2020}}</ref>

In 1987, the [[independent film]] ''[[Border Radio]]'' was associated with the cowpunk scene. The film, which is directed by [[Allison Anders]], [[Dean Lent]] and [[Kurt Voss]], is about two musicians and a roadie who haven't been paid who rob money from a club and one of whom flees to [[Mexico]] leaving his wife and daughter behind.  It features music from [[the Flesh Eaters]], [[Green on Red]], [[John Doe (musician)|John Doe]], the [[Divine Horsemen]], [[X (American band)|X]], and [[the Blasters]].

Cowpunk made its mark on mainstream country radio for a brief period from 1987-1990 with the emergence of super-duo [[Foster & Lloyd]].  The video for their debut single [[Crazy Over You]] received extensive airplay on CMT.  The radio single peaked at #4 on Billboard and #1 on the now defunct Radio & Records chart.

By the late 1980s, high-end firms tried to capitalize on the cowpunk trend by selling expensive country western-themed merchandise. In 1989, ''The Washington Post'' reported that "...the biggest trend, especially at NM [Neimen-Marcus], is [[Madison Avenue]] cowpunk—costumes for trust-fund Cowboy Junkies ranging from hand-stenciled "Indian" deerskin jackets by [[Ralph Lauren]] for her ($2,200) to western-style yoke-front tuxedos ($1,975) that are the visual equivalent of a Lonesome Strangers song. There's a Busch commercial/"Young Riders" yellow duster in lambskin ($1,200) that quite outshines the honest canvas one from J. Peterman ($184)."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1989/10/06/the-mail-of-the-specious/ca3fb3af-c553-476a-9e86-b35475948892/ |title=The Mail of the Species |last=Zibart |first=Eve |date= 6 October 1989|newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=3 May 2020 }}</ref>