Why the genre-bending bassist sees punk as a vital force in today’s cultural landscape
Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner has spent more than two decades forging a unique path through music, moving effortlessly between genres and scenes while maintaining a deeply personal artistic vision.
In a recent cover interview, he reflected on how his lifelong engagement with music (from early jazz beginnings with Kamasi Washington to a stint in the iconic underground band Suicidal Tendencies) has shaped not just his sound, but his perspective on the wider musical landscape.
One of the most striking parts of Thundercat’s conversation was his viewpoint on the cultural importance of punk and thrash rock.
While he is best known for his virtuosic bass playing, lush falsetto and genre-bending solo work, he emphasised that hardcore and punk-adjacent styles are vital threads in the broader cultural story.
As he put it plainly, “things like punk and thrash are important for our culture…it’s part of our story, just like jazz is.”
By drawing a direct line between punk and jazz, Thundercat highlights how seemingly distant styles contribute to the same creative ecosystem, fueling innovation, energy and expression across generations.
His own musical journey embodies that connective thread: an aficionado of jazz, a collaborator with forward-thinking producers like Flying Lotus, and at one time a member of a seminal underground punk/thrash band.
This eclectic background isn’t just a list of credits, it’s evidence of Thundercat’s belief that genres aren’t isolated.
For Thundercat, appreciating punk isn’t merely about liking loud guitars or fast tempos, it’s about recognising the attitude that punk represents raw expression, defiance and community.
These elements, he suggests, are just as relevant as the technical virtuosity of jazz or the introspective layers of contemporary experimental music.
His open-minded outlook offers a reminder that, in music and culture alike, boundaries are meant to be explored and not enforced.
Listen to Thundercat’s eclectic catalogue on all major streaming platforms and keep up to date with what’s going on by following his socials.
