Abstract
Punk took root in The Netherlands in 1977, with scores of new bands forming through 1978–80. As with elsewhere, punk’s mix of spectacular imagery, nihilism and/or radical politics, shock value and a do-it-yourself approach appealed to young people. Also in the late 1970s, the port city of Rotterdam was undergoing a process of deindustrialisation and automation. It was still being rebuilt, both literally and figuratively, following near-annihilation during the Second World War. The city’s teenagers worked together to create strong subcultural and artistic networks, heavily influenced by left-wing political groups actively vying for attention.