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Was just listening to The Skids this morning. What a band! For those of you lucky to be alive when punk rock was in it's prime (sex pistols, the damned etc) I have a couple of questions. Did any of you have any experiences meeting any band members? My Dad had his pint nabbed by Joe Strummer!
Also, what other punk bands were good/big at the time?
Met the Skids backstage after they played Prestonpans town hall back in June 1978. Their latest single had just been played on TOTP that week and it was clear their days playing such small local venues would be numbered. I was only 14 but had already seen them support the Stranglers at a secret gig in Clouds. They were great! . There was an old piano backstage and I remember everyone singing a Mott the Hoople song after the gig. Amazingly loads of bands from that punk/new wave era are still going: Magazine, Pete Murphy (Bauhaus), Damned to name a few.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paloschi
One band in particular I’d recommend is the Pete Perret band (ex The Only Ones). Saw them two weeks ago and they were superb. No idea how Pete Perret is still alive given his heavy addictions back in the day but he’s an amazing talent!
As you say it's remarkable to hear he's still around, let alone performing. Another Girl, Another Planet was one of the greatest songs to come out of that era, or indeed any era.Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Clash
Stood next to Joe Strummer at the urinals when he was playing Edinburgh (Coasters I think) in his post-Clash days with the Latino Rockabilly War !Quote:
Originally Posted by Paloschi
The 'big three' back then were the Sex Pistols, the Clash and the Damned. The Pistols set things ablaze but burned out very quickly, although their classic singles are still as thrilling as the day they were first aired. The Damned were more cartoonish and lacked the depth of the Clash, but they're still going in some format to this day. The Clash had a terrific songwriting duo in Strummer and Mick Jones. When you consider their third album London Calling came out only a couple of years or so after their debut album their musical development as a band was remarkable. Strummer could speak as much nonsense as sense back in the day, but he was a magnetic and much-loved front man, while in bassist Paul Simonon they had a bass player whose good looks and sartorial style influences the wardrobe of a generation of men to this day! When Strummer and Jones buried the hatched a few years after the classic Clash line-up broke up, they collaborated on a few excellent songs for Jones' later band Big Audio Dynamite which hinted at what the Clash could have become had they been able to hold things together.
As good as any of those bands IMHO, though less commercially successful, were Stiff Little Fingers. In their original guise they were simply explosive. Also from Northern Ireland were the Undertones, another great band, who while less 'punk' or political than SLF turned out some terrific singles about everyday life.
Buzzcocks also released some brilliant stuff, while there were stacks of one-hit wonder bands around whose singles defined the era. Check out Sound of the Suburbs by the Members, Gary Gilmore's Eyes by the Adverts and Oh Bondage Up Yours by X-Ray Spex.
Outwith the UK, honourable mention should go to the Ramones, who came out of the same CBGB's stable as Blondie and Talking Heads and were hugely influential.
I was a bit young for the first wave but grew up on 2nd wave bands which were a bit more political and down to earth than the art school types involved in first wave. Met quite a few folk from bands over the years like Mensi from the Angelic Upstartss, Wattie Buchan from the exploited, Gene October from Chelsea, Mad Muffett from Slaughter and the Dogs. and had some great laughs at many, many punk gigs. Also met a few complete bell ends like Nick Cash from 999 and Max Splodge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paloschi
Its such a broad spectrum of music that has diversified and evolved over the years that there are so many bands that are worth listening to.
From the first wave of UK Bands i would suggest listening to:
- Slaughter and the Dogs - "Do it dog style"
- 999 - "999"
- X-Ray spex - "germ free adolescents"
- Vibrators - "pure mania"
- Stiff Little Fingers - "Inflammable Material"
- UK Subs - "another kind of blues"
- Chelsea - "Chelsea"
From American Early Stuff
- Ramones - "Ramones", "Leave Home" adn "Rocket to Russia" are my favourite ones
- Dictators - "Go Girl Crazy"
- Dead Boys - "Young Loud & Snotty"
- Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers - "L.A.M.F."
- Television - "Marquee Moon"
You could listen to some of the bans that were a pre-cursor to the punk scene that started in USA - MC5, The Stooges and The New York Dolls probably the best of those.
There are some good second wave uk bands that came out in the 80's including The Adicts, Angelic Upstarts, The Business, Cock Sparrer, Exploited, The Ejected, Abrasive Wheels, The Threats, Menace, GBH. There was also a lot of generic rubbish under the Oi banner being promoted by Garry Bushell at that time which is well worth avoiding and sometimes a bit right wing for my liking.
There were also some great Anarcho Punk bands around that time like:
- Conflict
- Discharge
- Varukers
- Sub-Humans
- Crass
- Oi Polloi
A lot of great stuff from the early 80's in theamerican hardcore scene with bands like:
- Bad Religion
- Regan Youth
- Adolescents
- Gang green
- Dead kennedys
- DOA
- Misfits
- Circle Jerks
- Black Flag
- Minor Threat
- Bad Brains
- Beastie Boys (from the early 80's)
- Germs
of the above Black Flag and the Dead Kennedy's are the stand outs.
i stopped collecting records as much towards 2000, so i caught a lot of the re-emergence of american punk in the early 90's onwards with bands like Rancid, NOFX, Face to Face, Swinging Utters, The Dwarves, Dropkick Murphys, Screeching Weasel, The Descendents..........
There's a very, very potted history but some stuff in there you might find you like, some you might hate too :greengrin
If you want a whole live experience try The Rebellion Festival in Blackpool in August - it pretty much covers the whole spectrum of punk rock over 3 or 4 days. I've not been for a good few years but used to go religously until old age got the better of me :greengrin
http://www.rebellionfestivals.com/
Punk was new and vibrant back in the day but hasn't aged well imo.
I recall I once had the trio of Punk and Disorderly compilations released in the early 80s. Must have sold them at some stage, but there was a great single on there called No Room For You by Demob that I used to listen to often.Quote:
Originally Posted by degenerated
I think the ‘punk attitude ‘ changed a lot of musical snobbery for good. It blew a hole through the notion you needed to be well educated and a muso to form a band. It kind of reached back to the very formation of rock n’ roll and if you had a talent you could pick up an instrument and let rip. DIY clothing , anti-fashion lasted about two years then punk uniforms were sold to the masses who wanted to buy into the rebellion thing. Even now, hordes of ‘punks’ can be seen herding in the likes of Camden or at some gigs with the standard shop bought gear. It’s good to remember the lasting influence from that time can still be seen in groups today who openly pay homage to the bands from the 1976-1978 era. Some of it was corny, manufactured but the main wave of energy and attitude gave loads of us the confidence to do stuff we’d otherwise never have done!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg
I don't accept that at all :na na:
What was also healthy was the way the early punk era opened up other musical genres and cultures that young British kids might not otherwise have embraced. The social unrest of the time played a part in the coming together of punk and reggae and subsequently a ska revival. The Clash in particular as well as John Lydon were pretty eclectic in their musical influences and I recall listening to a few shows Strummer did for the BBC World Service (basically an opportunity for him to play all his favourite songs) and being struck by how many artists I'd come to enjoy as a result of punk.Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Clash
William Mysterious of the Rezillos peed on my foot in the toilets at Clouds before their gig there back in 78 or whatever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paloschi
Paul and John Mackie of the Scars were 2/3 years below me at school in Currie, great lads.
Knew the lead singer from Oi Polloi, he inspired us to put a punk band together but we were ****ter than **** !!
See and chat to Wattie Buchan from the Exploited now and then.
Knew Stuart Adamson post skids quite well before he tragically took his own life.
William Mysterious (Ali Donaldson) was also from Currie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hiber-nation
He was an architect and turned up unannounced at our office in the mid-late 90s looking for a job, complete with his design for the Scottish Parliament building on a roll of crumpled tracing paper under his arm. The design was well thought out and very interesting but you could tell he had his demons at that time.
I spoke to him a few times later when he was playing in the Oak, Bells and the like and he seemed a lot more settled.
He was also an original member of Silly Wizard but, as he did with other groups, he left at exactly the wrong time.
I don't know if this will mean anything to anyone (it certainly wouldn't have for me if I was still in Scotland), but I know Loran from French punk group Bérurier Noir pretty well.
https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loran_B%C3%A9ru
I could write screeds about him but suffice to say that he's a sponge for knowledge and is one of the brightest, genuine, selfless and most interesting people that I know. Not many, myself included, would get that impression that on first sight.
I remember being taken aback by how upsetting I found the news about Stuart Adamson.Quote:
Originally Posted by MSK
I was at a wedding a few years back and there was a covers band playing called the Honeymoons who were a cut above most such bands. Turned out the lead singer was Stuart's daughter Kirsten. Here she is with a former band the Gillyflowers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ij_CqcRdE
As someone who probably spends more time on music forums than football ones this is fascinating thread.
We can all agree on football. I thought I liked music from that era and without wishing to offend anyone (the ultimate musical fanboy opening line) loads of the stuff listed here is dire.
I know that won't be a popular opinion but sheesh I've just read it again
I remember Kirsten and the Gillyflowers well, some catchy tunes, she is a very unique talent, a former work colleagues Daughter in law was also in the group, think she does a lot of start up bands with the Vaultetts (I think) being a recent project.Quote:
Originally Posted by G B Young
Never heard of them but will check them outQuote:
Originally Posted by Peevemor
Going back about 20 years there was a mental hardcore band called Brezhnev from Holland that crashed at my flat when they played Edinburgh.
I had visions of a trashed gaff but it was quite the opposite, a late night and a lot of drink admittedly. When I said there was only one spare bed they insisted their driver had it. One of them slept in the van to make sure no one nicked their gear and when he came up in the morning he said he'd been woken up by the old woman on the ground floor who took him out a cup of tea [emoji16]
They evem did the dishes and hoovered before they left. :greengrin
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It would be a dull place if we all liked the same thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester B
I'll really put the cat amongst the pigeons and state that the clash only had one great album and London calling is no better than average :stirrer:
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Now I've heard this before, might have been from your good self. I knew he was from Currie, but I never knew him. Yes, a troubled soul for a while, don't know what happened to him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peevemor
That's the cat amongst the pigeons??? Really??What's the only good album then?Quote:
Originally Posted by degenerated
You want the real cat amongst the pigeons, with the exception of X Ray Spex, Ramones and Television your first two lists are terrible
:na na::duck::worms:
The first clash album is the only really good one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester B
I would respectfully suggest that you're talking out your hat as SLF first album is a classic. And furthermore whilst the television album is well worth a listen it isn't a patch on the dead boys album, I'll assume you clearly just haven't listened to it [emoji869][emoji16]
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Cheers! Loads of listening and research to do now!!Quote:
Originally Posted by degenerated
Superb, Utterly insane but superb in its own deranged way.Quote:
Originally Posted by degenerated
So Death or Glory, Bankrobber, I fought the law, straight to hell, train in vain, Tommy Gun are all not really good compared to Protex Blue for example. SLF's lyrics were written by a Daily Express journalist and the music was third rate Clash rip offs.
Slaughter and the Dogs?? I genuinely audibly laughed at that.
You like Pere Ubu, Wire, Magazine, Patti Smith, Suicide, PIL, Richard Hell & the Voidoids or is that stuff too arty?
Good call on Black Flag and Circle Jerks but what about Husker Du, Mission of Burma, Meat Puppets, Minutemen, Fugazi, Replacements, etc?.
Some people believe punk/new wave was just three chord shouty dirges. It wasn't. Or it shouldn't be
Oh please don't. You'll never get that time back :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by Paloschi
Oi Polloi are still going. I know their drummer and know guys who played guitar and bass at various points for them. They've had more members than the Fall!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by MSK
That's a great point. Those bands didn't stay still. Clash turned their hands to loads of styles; they loved rockabilly. reggae, soul, old style R & B, even Jazz. Lydon moved into being influenced by dub and Krautrock (Metal Box- what a record!!) and in 1977 played stuff by Van de Graaf Generator when asked about his favourite music. Was listening to Ghost Town by the Specials today. That's a record that couldn't have happened without punk but it doesn't sound anything like the Clash or the DamnedQuote:
Originally Posted by G B Young
Punk isn’t my thing, and probably more post punk than what the opening post was looking for, but Magazine,The Buzzcocks & Joy Division are about as far as I go with “Punk”.
Edit, can add Patti Smith to my brief list as well after seeing someone else mention her.
Not a big fan of wire but magazine are good. Never really listened much to pere ubu but will have a listen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester B
Patti smith did some amazing stuff.
Most of the US bands you mention there were bands I would listen to. Fugazi are good but I do prefer minor threat, and to a lesser extent the teen idles sole EP.
I wouldn't agree on your view on slaughter and the dogs. I think that album is an excellent piece of work.
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As regards Pere Ubu check out Terminal Tower which is really powerful. They get a bit artier but Modern Dance is great too. The rest less so but stuff like Final Solution, 30 Seconds over Tokyo, Non-Allignment Pact on those albums are great.Quote:
Originally Posted by degenerated
We're not going to agree on it all but hey ho :wink: