Frank Zappa rejected the idea that he had invented punk, despite being labelled a precursor to the late-1970s movement. In a 1980 interview, he criticised punk’s emphasis on distinctive clothing and accused Malcolm McLaren of prioritising fashion before music, reflecting his broader dislike of perceived conformity and superficiality.

Zappa’s comments focused particularly on McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s SEX shop, which became closely associated with the Sex Pistols and the British punk scene. Although he was sceptical of punk’s originality, he acknowledged artists including The Slits, Lene Lovich and Gerry & The Holograms as examples of musicians pushing the genre in more adventurous directions.