Punk pathetique is a subgenre of British punk rock (principally active circa 1980–1982) that involved humour and working class cultural themes.The name of the genre was coined by then-Sounds journalist Garry Bushell, who actively championed many of its exponents. Punk pathetique was initially an attempt to characterize a group of London bands that embodied Cockney culture with a Dickensian working class attitude. Musically it was related to (and had crossover with) the Oi! subgenre.