What the hell is "SteamPunk"? I don't get it, or the namesake...

OK, so I'm not totally naive about what the reference of steampunk is, I suppose...It's like the old 'contraptions' and inventions during the mid to late 1800's early 1900's, correct? If so, and Fictionally speaking, the TV show "The Wild, Wild, West" would be considered steampunk...Is that also an accurate statement?
If so, where does the "Punk" in Steampunk come from? Shouldn't it have been called "Steam-Mech", or "SteamEra"...? When I first heard this term years ago, I pictured a bunch of skinheads in a hot, seedy club moshpit...You know those old nightclubs that used to run the heater during summer, just to sell more drinks?

''Steampunk: sub-genre of science fiction and speculative fiction, frequently featuring elements of fantasy, that came into prominence (??) during the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era Britain but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles, analog computers, or digital mechanical computers (such as Charles Babbage's Analytical engine).'' [Wikipedia]

It is an interesting design genre indeed. I agree with you on the "punk" reference...weird. It is remotely popular in kitchens and appliances that 7th pic below is actually a fridge. :)

I don't think the suffix "Punk" was any significant meaning with this genre. I think it's just an homage to the term "CyberPunk" which is a slightly earlier Science-Fiction genre. SteamPunk adopted the moniker with "Steam" being the dominant form of technology instead of Cybernetics. Several other science fiction genre's have also used the "Punk" suffix - CyberPunk started it all.

Waayyyy back in the 1980's Cyberpunk authors William Gibson and Bruce Sterling wrote a sorta Sci Fi novel "The Difference Engine" that takes place during Victorian times. My memory is a little fuzzy but the idea was: what if the early Babbage calculating machine were a reality and adopted by the Victorian government. Thus an 1850's London run by steam powered "computers". As I recall, the novel was boring but an ingenious concept. Thus critics quickly dubbed the term Steampunk since it was written by Cyberpunk authors.

So... take any modern technical innovation and put it in a Victorian setting.

The only steampunk I'm interested in is the one making my latte! I find the entire genre more than boring - especially when it comes to jewelry and wearable art. If I have to dig through one more bin of "gears, keys and old-timey watch faces" to get to the REAL jewelry components, I'm gonna scream!

And Atomic Tiki Punk is adding bamboo, thatching, luahala, etc. to resemble things in tiki bars from the Atomic era.

The tern "Steampunk" was coined by James P Blaylock (with tongue firmly in cheek) in reference to the novel "The Anubis Gates" by Tim Powers.
There is a lot of interesting back story to this sub-genre and it has been the subject of at least one one Master's thesis.
Google for more details on your own, I find that when I talk about it in more detail most 'danes eyes glaze over.

[ Edited by: zond2 2010-10-24 21:06 ]

Would this be 1950s Steampunk?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQUa2OKdgb8&feature=player_embedded

Wow...that is a great find. Certainly has steam and punks...LOL

On 2012-04-10 21:09, MadDogMike wrote:
Would this be 1950s Steampunk?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQUa2OKdgb8&feature=player_embedded

great find, Mike.

here is more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyn%C3%A1lez_zk%C3%A1zy

Here is a fully steampunk outfitted apartment...

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/06/18/inside-look-nycs-steampunk-loft-video/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D170884

On 2012-06-19 05:20, VampiressRN wrote:
Here is a fully steampunk outfitted apartment...

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/06/18/inside-look-nycs-steampunk-loft-video/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D170884

That link is now broken. Here's a working link to the same video...
http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/06/19/inside-look-nycs-steampunk-loft-video/