Defining characteristics of synthpunk (also known as synth-punk) bands include

• being founded at the same time (late 1970s) and place (California) as many US punk bands,
• performing with those same punk bands, in those same punk clubs, with records released on those same punk labels,
• preferring electronic instruments such as organs and synthesizers over guitars
• never becoming associated with industrial music or industrial culture.

No band called itself a synthpunk band at the time. Synthpunk as a descriptive term may have multiple points of origin, but one point of origin is the band Occupant.

The Screamers, with their Gary Panter logo, are the best-known synthpunk band. Others include Nervous Gender and The Units.

External link

• http://www.synthpunk.org/
• http://www.tearsinthesahara.com/