You Yanks & Brits crack me up! Don't you know punk began in Peru!!!
Where did punk begin? A cinema in Peru | Music | guardian.co.uk
Interesting article but Punk began in Britain, at least the punk I like. The hardcore wave of the late 70's early 80's was unquestionally inspired by the Pistols.
If it wasn't for them Jello Biafra would probably be a civic lawyer & Henry Rollins a manager at a mini mart.
There was never a mass wave of bands trying to imitate the Stooges in the early 70's, and not many people were influenced by heroin addicted New York bands like Johnny & the Heartbreakers. However, all the short cropped hair, saftey wearing pinned bands like the Circle Jerks, DK's and Black Flag, were primarily inspired by what was going on in London, not New York, despite the Ramones.
As for Los Saicos, well if they had any influence on Iggy, I guess that would make them the first proto punk band.