Dang....
Posted on 02/02/2007 8:34:10 AM PST by qam1
2007 marks the 30th anniversary of the emergence of the punk music scene in the mainstream culture. It is strange for many to imagine their parents moshing as they might have 30 years ago during the very beginning of the movement. As the legendary and perhaps the most well-known punk group of the era, The Clash, put it best in their song, “1977”: There were “no Elvis, Beatles, or The Rolling Stones in 1977.” Author Roger Sabin declared 1977 as “year zero” in reference to the rise of punk. In memory of the 30th anniversary of this influential movement, here are ten groups definitely worth checking out (besides the big three of The Ramones, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols) that may pique your interest as much as the best of today’s prototypical pop punk oriented musicians:
- Wire: The release of their debut album, Pink Flag, was seen by many as perhaps one of the best examples of an entire album made up of short, hard hitting songs at or barely over a minute long. Wire re-released their first three albums this past year, while the band has been widely covered or paid homage to by their many followers. Although the group never achieved massive sales success and is often overlooked in favor of the aforementioned big three, the influence of Wire is certainly still prominent today.
- Blondie: Contrary to the belief of many, Blondie was not just another 80’s pop group led by a talentless yet outgoing front woman. The immediately recognizable Debbie Harry was quite the opposite; she and her group helped bring punk to the forefront of the American music scene in New York City during the late 70s. For better or for worse, Blondie fused punk with pop, reggae, and even hip hop with more success than almost any of their punk rock contemporaries.
- The Jam: Unlike many of the other punk bands that arose in 1977, the Jam were heavily influenced by classic rock and roll groups, particularly the Who, the Beatles, and even some early Motown staples. The Jam were unafraid to sing about the working class and their everyday lives, which helped make them a major precursor to the Britpop movement and other prominent punk bands like Green Day.
- Minor Threat: Similarly to Wire, Minor Threat produced short, incredibly rapid, loud music. They are often noted as the definitive hardcore punk band along with their contemporaries in Washington D.C., Black Flag and Bad Brains. Perhaps most interestingly, Minor Threat were leaders of the straight edge movement and took a stance against both alcohol and drugs in their songs. Also, lead singer Ian MacKaye went on to form the band Fugazi following the group’s break up.
- The Minutemen: Named after the colonial militia during the Revolutionary era, the Minutemen released what is considered by critics to be one of the best rock albums of the last thirty years, Double Nickels on the Dime. Featuring an epic 45 songs, the album mixes jazz, funk, and classic rock with punk to create an intelligent, full work.
- Generation X: Prior to Billy Idol’s appearance in The Wedding Singer and his up and down solo career, he actually fronted this often overlooked punk band. Both theatrical and brash, Generation X attempted to break many of the standards of the punk genre, whether it be covering a John Lennon track or releasing more experimental works in the latter stages of their career.
- The Misfits: The Misfits, who were named after a Marilyn Monroe film, based a lot of their lyrics on retro science fiction and horror, while they possessed a sound reminiscent of heavy metal. Possessing a signature hair style known as the “devilock” and known for their chaotic live shows, the Misfits are recognized as the best example of “horror punk” and have achieved a major cult following.
- Television: Another band based out of New York City in the 70s, Television used dueling guitars to create a more sophisticated sound than the typical punk band. They are also credited as playing a major role in a subsection of the genre now thought of as “art punk.” The group’s music was characterized by an unpredictable sound inspired by the Velvet Underground.
- The Slits: Known for having a snotty, avante-garde filled punk sound, The Slits followed other groups of their time by combining punk with reggae. This female punk band was more raw than Blondie and certainly had an impact on its successors like Sonic Youth, Le Tigre, No Doubt and Hole.
- Suicide: Unlike the other bands listed, Suicide used electronics as part of their act. The band’s 1977 self- titled debut was an early appearance for industrial music, the synthesizer and techno. Though only around for a brief period, the group has attracted many fans, among them being Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M.
A "we're getting old" PING!! Yikes! ;)
Check out the documentary "New York Doll" about Arthur "Killer" Kane, the bass player turned Mormon library worker and the first real reunion of the band a few years ago. Great, great stuff.
You should see what she looks like now.
Horrifying the inlaws is a good thing -- especially since mine are laughable 60s throwbacks from Bahstahn. My father in law, bless his heart said, without any trace of irony once: "The world would have been a better place had Dukakis become president..."
I love the Anarchy in the PreK idea. My hubby's best friend sent us a shirt saying, "The Ramones in RocknRoll Preschool!" with a quartet of long haired toddlers in biker jackets, chuck T's and ratty jeans!
Whereabouts in Atlanta are you? I'm in love with Buckhead and that ridiculously large Whole Foods superstore on Paces Ferry.
I saw Gang of Four here (Orange County, CA) in Oct 2005. I agree, they were so good, better than I expected. I saw the Buzzcocks not to long ago, and they were still the same. They're all older, but sill full of piss and vinegar. I've seen Bauhaus twice in the past year or so, and Peter Murphy seems old, and almost a little decrepit, sad to say.
I see Echo and the Bunnymen whenever they play, and Ian McCullogh just doesn't have it in him anymore. He just smokes and sorta leans on the mike stand and sings. But he smokes throughout the whole concert, and it seems like he's just going through the motions.
After reading this thread, when I went out to lunch, I listened to the Buzzocks and The The.
And like your baby will, when my son was little he was always rocking out to X, The Cramps, etc. His babysitter had him singing a song from New Kids on the Block, and I had to tell her "oh no, none of that".
Have you seen the Teddy Bears video with Iggy? Funny.
The Teddybears? You mean the group that does the 'Cobrastyle' song?
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1771818863
Yeah check it out. The Caddy commercial.
Dang....
That's Punky Brewster? Good gosh I am old!
Love it that people's party boy bends over and grabs 'em for the all mighty dollar, though. "This is the day..." heheheh. Guess he's not that righteous afterall.
That's what I'm talkin' bout.
I seem to remember reading some years back that she had had breast reduction surgery at one point.
Heh. That was great!
Johnny is da man! The conservative man behind the Ramones.
I used to hear Cracker's "Sweet Thistle Pie" on TV all the time. That was weird, too.
"The Replacements" first ablbum came out in 1981 but one of my all time favorite punk bands. Plus this list is very NYC centric. The Replacements were from Minniapolis.
um, what about Black Flag?
Best G.O.F. songs were "Anthrax" & "At Home He's a Tourist" in my humble opinion.
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