Yes, I've heard of The Velvet Underground who I was listening to in 1969, along with local boys The Stooges and The MC 5 - none of whom was called "punk". I know, I know...it's quite popular to now talk about The Stooges as the "first punk band", but I'm talking about pop culture happenings and not the music. (You could call the Flamin Groovies the first "punk rockabilly band" but there ain't no rockabilly 'till it's called that.)
The appearance of New Wave band Devo (like that term better?) on SNL in '77 ('78?) was a moment in pop culture like The Beatles and Elvis appearing on Sullivan. Not as big or far reaching, of course, but still America's first national exposure, as I remember, to the new wave of music coming on the scene. I remember the SNL cast member introducing Devo with an expression on her face of "what or who the hell are these guys???" I also remember me and my friends talking about it the next week.
I think I was behind that trend then since my wife, while still in high school, dressed as a punk rocker (safety pins, chains, and all) for Halloween, 1977. I don't know if the Sex Pistols had even released their only album in the USA by then.
