Definition:
Beyond all of the Proto-Punk of The Sonics, The Stooges et al, the first recordings that I've got tagged with the new variant of Punk came in 1975 from Neu (“After Eight”) and The Dictators (“California Sun”, “Two Tub Man”, “Master Race Rock” and “Back To Africa”). From what I can hear, the Ramones were playing this “new Punk” live in 1974. I've always thought of it as being a continuation/reinvention of the wilder aspects of 50s Rock n Roll eschewing the rhythm n blues. As Wikipedia puts it, this new style “typically produced short, fast-paced songs with hard-edged melodies and singing styles, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. That'll do!
The Jukebox Pick (of 2,175):
Anarchy In The UK
Sex Pistols
“Utterly perfect” Punk
I started to like some Sex Pistols tunes around 1980 when I was 11. At first it was “Somethin' Else” and “Who Killed Bambi” - catchy, funny, hey, this is kinda cool thought the young me. Fast forward to Christmastime 1982 and I'm listening to John Peel's Festive 50 on my new prized possession - a personal radio. When it came to the #1 being played I was gripped - then it happened. When those big cascading power chords came bursting in and Johnny snarled “Right...now” I nearly wet the bed with excitement (thankfully it never came to that). Suffice to say I felt a super-strong connection right there - this was my DJ, these were my people and I was so proud that the Pistols were #1 in a chart. A lifetime bond and a non-conformist pledge was established. But that's quite enough about me...
The 26th November, 1976, goes down in history as the date of the big bang by which all of music's revolutions must be measured. In mid-70s Britain, a huge number of teenagers were bored with the blandness of the music, were disillusioned with the state of the nation and had worries about their life prospects. Someone had to say bollocks to it, Punk had to happen. Seizing the day, the Sex Pistols released their explosive debut single, declaring themselves to be the anarchic anti-christ. They were sent to destroy Eagles and overthrow Queen - make no mistake, this revolution was cultural and musical. Detonating the bomb were: Johnny Rotten (20, lead vocals), Steve Jones (21, guitar, backing vocals), Glen Matlock (20, bass, backing vocals) and Paul Cook (20, drums). Sure, this “new punk” thing had been bubbling under for a couple of years, but this was the explosion which sent ripples all throughout the UK, energetically bristling with a sociopolitical venom and delivered with an antagonistic seethe. Feel the wrath of the Rotten bombast: “Right...now...hahahahaha! I am an anti-christ-ah and I am an anar-chist-ah” I mean, holy fuck, it's the “devil” on the radio! “How many ways to get what you want, I use the best I use the rest, I use the N.M.E. I use anarchy... Is this the M.P.L.A.? Or is this the U.D.A.? Or is this the I.R.A.? I thought it was the U.K.! Or just another country, another council tenancy... I get pissed! Destroy!”
The explosion may only have been underground initially (the single actually hit #38 in the pop charts), but this was THEE big bang. Scenes and ‘zines burst into life all over the western world; the D.I.Y. ethics of which continue to reverberate in the 21st century. Punk, the fashion statement, soon faded, but the floating nebulae of the explosive victory has never stopped, and can felt to this day in musical sub-genres, fashion and attitude not only in Britain, but in countless cutting-edge music-loving scenes the world over. The Sex Pistols and their-likes were the real Jukebox Rebels, and made things better for you and I today. Nasty nihilism never sounded so appealing, before or after this incendiary behemoth.
Some favourite artists:
Sex Pistols, Ramones, Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks
The Jukebox pick:
Video problem? Please do let me know