Rezillos, Gang of Four, Joy Division, Devo, Wire, Siouxie & the Banshees, The Lurkers, Generation X, Dead Boys Some of these are 2nd wave, but are still iconic. What would be cool is to do a second wave of best punk bands, bands like Dead Kennedys, UK Subs, Black Flag. I think it's funny to put The Crack(Ruts), or Stranglers IV (Rattus Norvegicus), how tame they are now, but then, so angry with angst. Love your views, keep it up.
I really like machine gun etiquette think it could be my all time fave but it's really difficult to say coz love damned damned damned also,love the damned,pistols,stranglers,UK subs.
Rattus was almost bridging punk & prog in a way; very melodic, densely layered keyboards, and sometimes sprawling guitar solos - especially with 'Down In The Sewer'; a masterpiece! However, even the more 'punk' tracks were still very melodic: 'Ugly', 'Sometimes', London Lady', 'Peaches', and so on.... A brilliant album, as were all their first few albums where they still had that 'fire'!
@@stevesstuff1450 Yes, extremely musically talented and highly educated. Some great and on point lyrics. Saw them a few times, brilliant live. My favourite Prog Punk band of that time…… Bring on the nubiles was the most sexist track they recorded, but I believed it at the time to be an ironic pastiche on the typical life of rock stars and their groupies. I think this is maybe the track David had in mind….
Well contextualised David. Thanks for this - a great watch.. Yep, I was there too. Saw many punk gigs at the Glasgow Apollo between '77 and '79. The 70's was astonishing, eh - heavy rock, glam, space rock, prog, disco punk, funk, reggae, heavy dub, the ska revival, early industrial - all within that 10 years and even overlap within some of those.. A hugely interesting time to live through and witness as a teenager. And so much food for thought in it all - kaleidoscopic, and teeming with social relevance with some of it. P.s. I always rated Dub Housing by left-fielders Pere Ubu. They never bettered that one: messy, cryptic, unintentional high art and full of surprises.
Looking at the music scene over the last twenty years, the 70s look even better than they felt at the time. Although today you can find great music in a multitude of genres, in the 70s (and 80s too) bands went from nothing to stars in no time. Perhaps harder to break through these days.
Some great choices. As has already been mentioned , the Ramones ‘ Rocket to Russia would be on my list . I would replace the Police album with the Clash’s Give ‘Em Enough Rope . It was great to see the Stranglers on the list . I saw them in 1987 when they were touring around the Dreamtime album , and they were great . They played all of the old classics with a lot of fire . The Boomtown Rats debut album would be higher up on my list . Great video !
i reckon the polices album is one of the best choices on the list - I've never understood why it's NOT on peoples lists! never liked the clash for some reason?
Ok, my final comment: Bollocks is easily one of the greatest albums of all time, no matter the genre. Every song is insanely good! I was gonna say only London Calling came close, but that was before I knew you chose it as #1. Besides, it's not really a punk album, it's an album made by a punk band. My buddy called me one morning at about 9am raving about London Calling, I immediately went over to his place and we burned a couple of J's and listened to it. Great memories!
Just found your channel. Enjoyed that. Like the way you tell it from your experience of the time. There are a few comments on here that make judgements from today's perspective rather than knowing what it was like at the time pre Internet and limited access to music. I remember my mate telling me that Clash story the day after it happened and missing out. I remember The Station too. Used to practise there. Best lp or me though has to be SLF Infalmmable Material. Still got my copy from when I bought it.
Alright, you saved it towards the end. Thanks for reminding me of The Ruts. I would have included Death. People can argue it's not punk, they're wrong. The whole "f**k it, I'll do it myself" attitude is punk to it's core.
Hi David, I too like both prog rock (and classic rock) and punk (and its variants post punk and new wave). I like how different subgenres of rock and pop capture different moods and attitudes, which is why I can't listen to only one style/period of rock. PS: your mention of "Bodies" by the Sex Pistols reminded me of when I was in a Christian rock bank in the early 80s and I got my friend Jamie (who unlike me was a Christian) to play "Bodies" during our practices.
Oh dear Marc. A Christian rock band practising 'Bodies'. Blimey. Regarding musical tastes, I find it a little daft that some people never explore the boundaries of their primary interest. Given a bit of concentration, and an open mind, one can appreciate all kinds of music. I've new stopped exploring, and it's helped me uncover some fantastic music.
Actually I like the US version of the Clash’s first album more than the British if only because it includes White Man in Hammersmith Palais. To me their best songs are that, Janie Jones, London’s burning, I’m so bored with the USA and Police and Thieves. They’re all there. Loved the Ruts too. That’s a great #2 choice. After that just going through that late 70’s period I’d have SLF’s Inflammable Material, Wire’s Pink Flag, The Fall’s Live at the Witch Trials just for three more. The Stranglers were great too.
Great list. Excellent that you included the stranglers, police and the Jam. Some people would be too sniffy to put those in but they totally qualify in my opinion
I like both prog and punk bands. Love Genesis and Yes. Love Ramones, The Clash and the Sex Pistols. I don't buy into the notion that one cannot like both. I've never viewed The Police and The Jam as punk, even though they had that background. That said, both great albums and great picks.
Couldn't agree more with you regarding The Ruts - their first album, The Crack, was my all-time favorite punk LP and Malcolm Owen (with all due respect to Mr. Lydon) was the real deal - the ultimate "punk" front man. No one was better than him. Loved your list but would have included the first Generation X LP. I realize that most purists felt that they were too "pop" and not really punk at the time; however, Idol and Co. had the look, image and the songs. Plus, they were an amazing bank and Derwood was a phenomenal guitarist. That first album featured some amazing songs. Plus, 999 - the first LP and "Separates" (Homicide, Tulse Hill Night, etc. - great songs), The Vibrators (one of the first punk bands to get signed) should get honorable mention as well.
IMO only the first two Penetration singles and the demo side of Race Against Time are punk. By the time of Coming Up For Air they had left punk behind.
That's true where prog rock was concerned, but I remember how that got distorted into an equally dishonest pose that the great first wave punk scene didn't have its own virtuosos. Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd (Television) Billy Zoom (X) Robert Quine (Voidoids) Jet Black (Stranglers) James Williamson (Stooges) Nick Lowe/Graham Parker/Brinsley Schwarz/Dave Edmunds (Brinsley, Rockpile, The Rumour) And the reality is that THOSE are the people whose work - and not their haircuts - who have left the most enduring, defining mark on the genre. Verlaine (and Quine) in particular never gave a damn about hiding their admiration for the influence of the Byrds, Quicksilver and Moby Grape - as much as their affinity for Albert Ayler and free jazz. I think that second wave punk suffered immeasurably the minute they started becoming as rigid in their primitivism as ELP had become about their relentless esoteric noodling. I blame the Pistols for A LOT of this year zero purity test stupidity, actually. Even the people to whom they practically owed their entire career - Pete Townshend and Ray Davies - were cynically lambasted by them and their fans for the apparent crime of turning 30 by the time the smoke cleared. All for the sake of playing to a perpetually scandalized press. Shameful.
@@klausrain111 Yep - but the 'what he does' part became the big limiting factor that many Pistols fans wanted to impose on the rest of us about what constituted punk. In the case of Television, they were suddenly seen as too hippie psychedelic - even though the indie primitivism of 'Little Johnny Jewel,' their early residency at CB's, and Verlaine and Hell's caterwauling vocals and ragged fashion sense was what would practically come to define UK scene 3 years later In the case of LA's X - they were suddenly disqualified by their affection for Billy Zoom's scorching virtuoso Rockabiily licks and Doe's appreciation of the Bakersfield sound. Suicide had all that synth baggage... Even the Clash was roundly mocked for the dance mix of 'Rock The Casbah' And so on. It's a shame - the very people who spent their teenage years bemoaning the uniform of tired hippie conformity instantly felt the need to annoint THEMSELVES the new culture cops when their turn came. And Lydon was right at the head of the line in much of this demogoguery.
Thanks Dave, Nice review I too remember buying rod Stewart and the pistols at the same time, my punk mates didnt get it!!, same with gigs, zep at knebworth followed by the Ramones at the university! I agree with your rationale over the need for punk director the dire charts at the time.. I remember hearing an interview with lydon on radio Luxembourg? I believe where he slated the state of the music scene ' the carpenters/ captain and tensile...' all very tame stuff..I too remember the absolute excitement of the clash gigs etc..
I was around as a youngster then too and like you got into Prog and then New Wave music. In my case I settled into Post-Punk more comfortably than most initial Punk but certainly dug quite a bit of it. There were a lot of progressive elements in Post-Punk. They are evident in the early PIL (I consider 'Second Edition' a masterpiece), Wire, Joy Division and quite a few other bands and artists. I also found most 'old wave' music after 1974/75 dull and MOR. Cheers.
Some outstanding bands and albums were indeed created in the post-punk era. Love Joy Division, The Cure, PIL, The Bunnymen, and many others. So many to choose from. I might have a go at picking-out the best ones.
My first ever gig was The Ruts at Eric's in Liverpool. They changed everything for the 14 year old me. All the bands I've ever been to see get compared to that gig, which is a little unfair to most of them because The Ruts were just so good. They were so loud, so punk, so dub and just so talented. That album is a monster. I can hear hardcore and even thrash bubbling away and like you say I think they were the best of the reggae influenced punk bands, even The Clash. They only burnt for a short while and some of their post Crack stuff like Staring At The Rude Boys hinted at what they might have gone on to be. All these years later I can still remember hearing about Malcolm's death listening to John Peel. Agree with a lot of your other choices and opinions. All Mod Cons is the best Jam LP and The Stranglers were only out menaced by, maybe, and I know they're not a punk band, Dr Feelgood. Then again were The Stranglers really a punk band? Back then I thought that The Ramones had long hair and sounded crap. Some of the 'fellow travellers' like The Police and The Boomtown Rats were, and still are, worth a listen. Great clip. Thanks.
*Subscribed* I really appreciate this story of Sting beating up that prick in the audience, The Police were my favorite band here in New York in the late 70's...and you also saw my favorite reggae band in 1981 UB40, including the late greats Brian Travers on sax + Astro on trumpet, I'll be watching all your videos for more stories because you were right there in the UK during the Golden Era
Never thought of the Jam, Police or Rats as punk bands or thought I had any punk records until I saw this video. I saw the Who in Sheffield who were supported by Joe Strummer and was very impressed by him. I need to get that Clash album.
@@davidatkinson-lifematters4826 not me. However I do have everything done by Mike Oldfield, ABBA inc solo stuff , Queen, Neil Diamond, Genesis (thanks to your video), Led Zeppelin + individual members releases, Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, Carpenters, Wings, Simon and Garfunkel, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Clannad. I can discuss their records at length as these have been my favourites for the past 50 years. I am in the process of collecting Pink Floyd, Springsteen, Jethro Tull, Yes and Bowie, acts that I have liked for years and I have many more favourites that I have several albums of but not full sets. I love videos such as yours as I find them an invaluable guide to putting a collection together and also discovering stuff that has passed me by in my 50 years of music collecting. I like to make wants lists and like to buy things in order off them, normally 15 or so albums a month then 5 or so random things. This way I am expanding my musical genres, my random things this month have been Blues from Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Muddy Waters and early Eric Clapton. Next month will be Howling Wolf and more Beatles. My collection is no way near as big as yours but quite large. I buy mainly CD’s as they are the cheapest at the moment but do have excellent record playing equipment and perhaps a thousand or so vinyls. In the past I gave away a lot of records or traded things in for CD’s which in hindsight was stupid. I wish that I had bought more vinyl 10 years ago when people were almost giving them away and find the asking price now extreme but you simply can’t get everything on CD or download so sometimes it’s the only option. Outstanding channel and you have very good musical taste so I value your opinion very highly. I look forward to watching more. Thank you.
I totally agree with most of your choices and your no 1 choice definitely.i Wouldn't have put the Rats; the police ; or the jam in the top 10. more deserving I think would have been SLF , the Undertones ,X ray specs
That's a great shout! Not a duff track on that album. Opens with the incendetary riff of Up Against the Wall and ends with the seminal title track. Brilliant piece of work.
2 albums that deserve a shout is Real life by Magazine ( shot by both sides ) what a tune that and secondly Dirk wears white sox by Adam and the Ants. Great punk album that and they influenced so many of the early punk bands. Car trouble is my fav track
Never thought of either of those as punk albums. A&A did drop some excellent punk tracks but those are demos. Try the demos Beat My Guest and Puerto Rican, for two ace punkers from Adam.
I hear what you say but in the early years of punk 76 77 etc these bands came under that banner and if you ever went to see these bands at that time . They were deffo carrying the flag of punk and hence the new wave movement to follow. Adam ant gigs was just crazy as they had their own cult following . As for magazine, I only got to see them play live once back in the day and they played their set brilliantly and although much different in music to some of the more aggressive punk rock bands of the day they certainly added their style to make punk a more diverse sound . Attitude to its full and Howard was so menacing on stage . Punk was so much more than the pistols and damned and X-ray specs . Just played in diff ways, attitude and expression and something to say .
TheJAM/in the city', and 'this is the Modern World' talk about aggression and energy, they owed a lot to TheWHO, but who's complaining? TheCLASH 'give 'em enough rope', DEAD boys 'we've come for your children'. ANY of the first 4 RAMONES LP's, X 'More fun in the New world'. these are my personal favorites, as you can probably tell, but great video here, Dave.
honorable mention Dave ,the single 'News of the World'. theJAM smoothed out their sound just enough to still be Bad asses ,but able to play well. overlooked classic. play it loud.
You do seem to know your music but I do have to question any 70s punk top 10 list that includes The Police at the expense of The Ramones or Buzzcocks or even The Saints
Great video. I agree completely with your punk v prog sentiments. I enjoy both, and in my opinion the two genres have more in common than we're often lead to believe. Prog wasn't commercial and pushed the boundaries. Punk was all about rebellion and attitude. And consequently both styles rejected the safe bland beige pop fodder of the day. As you stated, Peter Hammill could sing like a punk. My top 10 would be a little different, i would probably have Crass and Stiff Little Fingers in there. And maybe Peter and the Test Tube Babies.
The first Clash album is "tinny", as you say, due to the number of tracks on each side of the vinyl. To get bass the needle needs to move from side to side more so the higher number of tracks the less ability to have the space on the vinyl for the needle to move
The first British pressing sounds great to me on a good playback system. If anyone is looking for more bass, try the reissue on Drastic Plastic. They boosted the bass slightly, at the expense of the guitar.
THE STRANGLERS FIRST 2 ALBUMS ARE FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT MUSICIANSHIP, STILL GOIN STRONG NEW ALBUM OUT NOW ITS THEIR LAST, BUT WHAT A BODY OF WORK,THERES ONLY 2 TYPES OF MUSIC FOR ME GOOD AND BAD WHATEVER THE GENRE
I like them. I was playing'Real Life' last week, and I love 'Shot by Both Sides' but I decided not to include them as they were already morphing into 'New Wave'. Devoto always seemed more adventurous than the average punk!
Quite a number of people have commented that I haven't placed The Ramones amongst my favourite punk albums. It's a fair question, but from this perspective of a U.K. music fan, who was as excited about punk in '77 and '78 as anyone (caveat: punk was never the ONLY music I fancied), you have realise that The Ramones barely registered in the charts or on the nationwide gig circuit. Their first 'hit' didn't come along until 1980 and even that was a cover of The Ronettes. They just weren't on the radar of most punk fans until later, when punk had already morphed into 'New Wave', bar a handful of hold-outs. I'm not presenting a punk history lesson here, merely the bands and albums that mattered in the U.K., even though there are a couple of bands who some dispute were even punk after all. Hey ho.
??? The Ramones recorded their It's Alive double live album at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1977 - they also played the UK in 1976. And instead of saying The Ramones weren't punk, I believe more would say it was actually The Ramones that bought the punk sound to the UK during their first tour. They were most certainly on the radar of the first UK punk bands to emerge after 1976. Are there any proper UK punk recordings that predate the Ramones' 1976 debut? Nope - The Damned's New Rose was the first, and that came out around six months after The Ramones' first UK shows
@@adamwright4135 yeah the rainbow haha couldn't remember the name the crowd was great too, don't forget the saints from Australia were very early too but I'm convinced they were trying to be like the stooges
@@leahflower9924 I think 'liar' is a bit harsh. I try to make sense of my Ramones blind spot in another video. Here: ua-cam.com/video/fGdhaZaJ8rs/v-deo.html
Punk was not just to destroy progressive rock....it was as much to destroy Disco. The charts were awful and it was so boring. If you listened to the top 40 selling singles......you may pick out 3 or 4 that were different and original sounding. Punk gave the music industry a good kick in the balls and gave young musicians a licence to experiment with sound and aggressive lyrics that may not be about love....but a crappy life and your environment around you.
Also, Public Image were one of the greatest bands ever! Johnny playing along with the shy uñsung genius Keith Levene, I mean, Annalisa still blows my mind after all this time. And PopTones on the next album is a work of collective genius, including certified Nutter Jah Wobble.
I saw the Stranglers in Austin in 78 or sometime, I still had long hair. Got it cut the very next day, Hugh Cornwell blew everyone's circuits. He came up to the mic and screamed "All right everybody get up off your asses! What the fuck is this, a convention for qualude users?" When I heard that I surmised: There's change in the air, nothing will ever be the same again! - And I was right! And Hugh's been a hero to me, ever since!
CORRECTION! - I saw the Stranglers in Chicago in 78, not Austin! Saw Gang of Four in Chicago also, couple of years later. Both concerts were fantastic. Austin wasn't quite ready for either of those bands in 1978. Can't remember the name of the Gang of Four singer, oh yeah, Jon King! and he was great! BTW Chicago had a amazing local punk scene! $2.00 cover, 20 degrees outside, 20 people in the audience was par for the course. Local bands like Skafish ,ua-cam.com/video/974DvCkUtEQ/v-deo.html, Immune System, and the best of the lot, Desmond
The Clash were an amazing band! I have also that album but I like and love also their Sandinista album( 3 lp's). I saw that Ruts album already come by on the internet. And I checked their music, really good band! The Stranglers "IV"(Rattus Norvegicus)" was their fantastic debut album! I have it also and I have also of course The Sex Pistols album. In my former hometown where I grew up, Denderleeuw, here in Belgium, you had a great punkband War Risk Three(WR3).They had some tracks on a compilation album "Alle 24 goed". They continued making music in this new millenium with younger forces in the band. They have videos on UA-cam. Check them certainly out! You can also check me and my wife out, but we make more electronic trancy music ( JASON BASSON AND LADY NATHALIE) Cheers from Tienen,the sugar city of the world, Belgium.
hey Dave, have you checked out Viagra Boys yet? ... you really should ....liked your almost top choice of the Ruts as your no 2 pick, pity grin and bear it wasn't a fully realised album, west one is one of the best singles of that period ..... spot on with london calling as no 1 btw... but is it punk? i think that was part of the intention at the time, making you think
I went to see The Ocean recently and i noticed some crazy dressed people going down some stairs in the corner. I was curious so i went down there and there was a punk concert going on. After like 5 seconds i was like “yikes” and went back to The Ocean concert XD
Paul Weller is brilliant. I love the way he has evolved across the decades. Reminiscent of Bowie in the sense that he reinvented his look and sound every few years. That “Modfather” thing is simply a lazy tag invented by the media. Paul turned 64 in 2022 and still makes good music. He has surpassed all of his peers from the punk era.
Weller was always right up there in my punk pantheon, but the idea that he surpassed all of his peers from that First Wave era? Tom Verlaine? Peter Case? John Doe? Dave Alvin? Los Lobos? Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Graham Parker/Elvis Costello? These legends have all STILL been at the top of their game anytime over the last 10 years that I've had the great fortune to catch them.
rest his soul, Tom Verlaine was an inventive, never dull, guitarist. saw Dave Edmund's travelling R&R Review w/ Dion and Graham Parker. all 3 played Telecasters that night. glad I attended.
Demis Roussos in Aphrodite's Child was incredible and also on his own he did make the fantastic disco track 'I Dig You'. Whenever I hear his name I think of Abigail's Party. The Dead Boys LP is one of my favourite punk records
@@craigburgess7105 I hear that constant refrain in relation to Television too - ignoring the fact that Legs McNeil and Dave Marsh - the two men variously credited with giving the movement its name - had THAT VERY BAND in mind in their early praise of the scene. Oh, and then there's the minor detail that they personally BUILT the stage at CBGB in order to get their first gig there. Pretty sure if you happen to be Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Richard Hell, Billy Ficca or Fred Smith you're probably quite content to stand back and let everybody who came after argue about their supposed credentials. And that CERTAINLY includes Mr. Lydon.
I was thinking that myself. Lydon had already made his punk mark. though, the 'Holiday in the sun' guitar riff is taken straight from 'In the City'. just slowed down a bit.@@craigburgess7105
David, i just stumbled upon you and your channel today. And I have to admit: though there might be a language barrier (I'm from upper Bavaria and my English is sub-standard) and though I don't dig all of your heroes (Yes? ELP? I can't stand more than 20 seconds ...), you are obviously a great guy and I'd love to spend two or three nights with you talking about our favorites and why or why not they deserve to enter the hall of fame. But: Barclay James Harvest and the Pistols in one shopping bag? Armageddon!
It was a rail against prog in a way. Because if was about having a go yourself and not having to be classically trained or be mega talented and well practicsed to enable to make music or express yourself. Like buying a cheap moog synthesiser.
Hi David ! Your channel background looks a lot like another channel i follow too, called "Vinyl Richie", it's very similar the background, the shelf with the records , it's amazing, please take a look there, and see, he also collects lp's !! Take care man !! ,
The Ramones brought punk to England. They were cartoonish though... agreed. The first time I saw them at a club at Rockaway Beach, I felt like it was all a con. I still liked the music though.
See my reply to Peter Smith re. Iggy and The Ramones. In my view, they weren't driving forces in the punk movement (at least in the UK) and gained a lot of credibility with a wider public only later when their influence became recognised.
Whilst some punk albums did not date well a surprising number have. Some did not transfer well to digital but still retain their raw power on vinyl. But back in the day my whole system probably cost less than my needle in my current system. But back then most of the punks I knew had little money and what they had was spent on clothes and going to concerts. I was one of the lucky few, I had enough money cos I was able to work as well as get on at school and even find time for girlfriends, it was a busy complicated time in my life. Yeah its called, GROWING UP. I was lucky enough to have lived through Punk 1980-82 aged 16-18 and collected quite a decent vinyl collection albums 12" and singles, but I was lucky I worked as a DJ and it paid for most of them the clothes and concerts. But going back to where I started, Punk music wasn't about the quality of the music it was about the tunes the message the spirit of being who you were and going with your mates to see bands play live. Then ages 19 in 1983 I want out with this lass (couldn't help it she was absolutely beautiful which might be a little unfair on others cos they to were knockouts) who was into serious music, Floyd Zep Harper Rush Tull and I started to appreciate the musicians not just the tunes and I started to actually take the music seriously and started to played both keyboard and guitar, she taught me. So from then on I bought a new genre of vinyl another addition to my already half decent collection and Punk had passed or I just GREW UP. I still love those Punk songs those albums and especially the memories they hold. Yeah especially going to concerts on a Thursday night missing last bus kipping out in some students digs and falling asleep the next day in class cos I got the first bus in the morning home and been up most of the night, well I didn't go there to sleep did I?
Great video! Love the Clash story. Very UK based though... Ramones were HUGELY influential, as was Iggy, New York Dolls. and can't see how you can say Buzzcocks were too poppy yet include The Police (NOT punk!!) And you might have put Siouxsie in there to get some diversity or even the Slits... I agree with much of the list though but I'm going to dig out my vinyl to see if there is anything I have forgotten. One forgotten band is Eddie and the Hot Rods - the Get Out of Denver EP was very influential too in 76 (the year I went to Uni), the bridge between pub rock (Dr Feelgood, Brinsley Schwarz etc) and punk... Oh yes, some recent Paul Weller albums are really good, think you are being overly harsh on the man! He was genuine "working class", Woking comprehensive school, invited my mate to be the keyboard player in his band at age16 but my mate wanted to be Keith Emerson so said no ...
Lots to reflect on there. I included The Police over The Buzzcocks mainly because of my Frejus experience. Kudos to Sting for giving as good as he got. And besides, they were really brash, and that's another qualifier for my list. It is definitely UK-centric, as that was my experience. At the time, Iggy and The Ramones were really fringe, the former collaborating with Bowie during the period (and much less punky than he had been with The Stooges), and the latter (like Iggy) gained more traction with the UK audience in retrospect. I also left out pub rock deliberately - the good/great bands you mention - they and early Graham Parker might have made an appearance in a more liberal approach to the list. Similarly, the art-rock stylings of Siouxsie, Television, Suicide, Wire, Pere Ubu, kept them out of the list too. Not aggressive enough, by my reckoning. I like Weller, and kudos for his productivity. I enjoyed early Style Council and several of his solo albums are very good. But, man, that 'Modfather' thing. 😂 Thanks for commenting though!
Nic e list; shame there was no 'Siouxsie & The Banshees' though; their debut "The Scream" was rather 'arty' in a way, but Very 'punk' and, rather disturbing too! Mind you, I've loved all their albums across the years; have them all, and would never get rid of them....
What happened to Wire, their Pink Flag LP was revolutionary and took punk to newer heights. Ii also miss The Buzzcocks, The Vibrators and 999. I do like your choices. If you include USA bands you missed The Heartbreakers LAMF with Dolls members Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan. There are many more American groups that started the pre punk scene like The MC5 . And The Stooges are a must they were the first to jump into audiences and disregard rules of security. Also where are The Saints from Australia, they smoked the London scene with their "Stranded " single . Incomplete but a solid list.
@@leahflower9924 "Won't you be my girl, you eyes are so pretty " Kick ass song by The Vibrators . . ....also "I always flirt with death, I look cute but I don't care about it. I can't face your treats and stand up straight and tall and shout about it. I think I'm on another world with you another planet with you. Another girl, another planet". Simply the best song about the love of a needle and the possibility of being elsewhere.....The Only Ones.
I don't disagree with many of your choices. There's too much crap on London's Calling for my taste. Lover's Rock, being a prime example. But I'd have to include Inflammable Material, Machine Gun Etiquette, Germ Free Adolescents, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and Give 'em Enough Rope. And possibly Dirk wears white sox.
Loved the video...liked and subscribed 👍👍👍 Don't agree with All Mod Cons and I just dont get what folk see in the London Calling LP but hey,were all entitled to our opinions 👍👍👍 Babylons Burning....a must have punk classic !!! What about The Exploited, Anti nowhere league,GBH,UK Subs ??? Me and my daughter are Seeing UK Subs supported by Peter & The Testube Babies later this year .
Thanks Nick. As for The Exploited, ANL, etc...by the time they came to some prominence, I'd moved on to a more New Wave palette. There was so much interesting new music coming thick and fast, the purist punk bands seemed (to me at the time) not worth my time. I'm sure I missed-out, but don't we all.
David, you didn’t mention them but they were formed in 1976 and done all their albums through the punk era. Wikipedia called them “ a power pop band” which I think is ridiculous. They were easily as punk as say The Boomtown Rats , The Police, The Clash after first two albums and that’s The Only Ones. Check out “ Lovers of Today” or “Another Planet” or “ Out there in the Night”. Catchy tunes with plenty of drive. To me one of the best bands to emerge in that era. 👍
Nothing like a punk album list that failed to include punk music and exclude American bands such as Ramones, Dead Boys and Richard Hell that started the punk scene.
Hello! London Calling, punk? Really? The first album is punk, this one is an imposture, a shit! Not punk in any way (personally, I hate it). The Police? Punk? Hum..., not really, almost as we can say, borderline I think... All Mods Cons punk? No, definitely not a punk album. A good and great album, yes, for sure, and I love it, but not a punk album...! Bravo for The Crack, a great unrecognised punk album! (And, for me, Renaissance, is absolutely not a prog band- for me, to be precise). Anyway, good work, amicable congratulations...
Thanks! Punk and Prog are both genres where the edges are soft. It's tricky to know what to include and what to leave out. Regarding this video, I went for energy and confrontation as the key indicators.
Agree with most of what you say, but have you ever heard a first CBS British pressing of London Calling? . The sound is fantastic, completely blows away the US Epic version. The first two Jam albums are punk but you're right about All Mod Cons. Check out the Ruts Complete Peel Sessions LP. It's even better than The Crack!! The Police were a punk band, in their dreams.
Oooh, some controversial opinions on show here and all the better for it. I think that the further away from the year zero of punk the more people see it the way some of us did at the time, another great genre to listen to alongside the others. Great Clash story, that was the only time I ever saw them.
Hell Punk was definitely partially about the excesses of prog rock. In my house the worse four letter word you can say is Topographic oceans. Of course it was also against bad popular music.I bought the first Damned album and in front of me there were three people all buying "Rumours"
Don't you agree that punk was mostly a singles phenomenon? In my view, it didn't really compete with the album-oriented artists, and didn't produce that many great albums. Prog was running out of steam by the late 70s, not least as bands like Yes and Genesis decided to reduce song lengths and release more singles, in the process becoming less interesting.
@@davidatkinson-lifematters4826 I agree, singles all the way and many of the best came from lots of new indie labels. As i listen today to "White Riot" and "Anarchy" in 24/96 hi-definition, it reminds me of the thunderous sound and driving impact of those early singles, and why I quit my office job to work in a London record shop. For me all the best albums 76 to 78 came from new artists like Ian Dury, Graham Parker and early Costello. Still I felt it was unacceptable to listen to new prog rock from bands you mentioned; and rock died when the Pistols broke up. That's when i gravitated to American Jazz and later Classical music where i realized Beethovens Eroica symphony was the "bollocks" of its time.
@@adrianmills7729 Dury, Parker, and Costello were/are right up there. Saw Parker for the first time since the 80s only a couple of years ago. Still an agitated old soul. 😂 Like how your tastes branched out. Mine did too. So much to explore and enjoy.
Rezillos, Gang of Four, Joy Division, Devo, Wire, Siouxie & the Banshees, The Lurkers, Generation X, Dead Boys
Some of these are 2nd wave, but are still iconic. What would be cool is to do a second wave of best punk bands, bands like Dead Kennedys, UK Subs, Black Flag.
I think it's funny to put The Crack(Ruts), or Stranglers IV (Rattus Norvegicus), how tame they are now, but then, so angry with angst.
Love your views, keep it up.
SLF Bauhaus Sham69, Mac Lads, Crass. The second gen was cos some of us were getting old enough to enjoy what we had been to young to appreciate.
There's lots of adjectives to describe The Crack or Rattus but 'tame' definitely wouldn't be one of them!
I always feel that one band seems to escape most people choices and they are 999 . Awesome band and some “crazy” tunes
The Saints - I'm Stranded
Radio Birdman - Radios Appear
Ok Aussie lol 🦘
new christs are better than birdman
and X - X-aspirations
Ramones's "Rocket to Russia" needed to be on the list.
One of the 15 greatest punk albums IMO
Or leave home
Personal favorite punk album : Machine Gun Etiquette by the Damned. I wouldn't say Rattus Norvegicus is a punk album, sound wise. Spirit wise, maybe.
Love this album - good call
at the time as a kid there seemed to be just 2 important punk bands - The Sex Pistols and The Stranglers
I really like machine gun etiquette think it could be my all time fave but it's really difficult to say coz love damned damned damned also,love the damned,pistols,stranglers,UK subs.
Rattus was almost bridging punk & prog in a way; very melodic, densely layered keyboards, and sometimes sprawling guitar solos - especially with 'Down In The Sewer'; a masterpiece! However, even the more 'punk' tracks were still very melodic: 'Ugly', 'Sometimes', London Lady', 'Peaches', and so on....
A brilliant album, as were all their first few albums where they still had that 'fire'!
@@stevesstuff1450 Yes, extremely musically talented and highly educated. Some great and on point lyrics. Saw them a few times, brilliant live. My favourite Prog Punk band of that time……
Bring on the nubiles was the most sexist track they recorded, but I believed it at the time to be an ironic pastiche on the typical life of rock stars and their groupies. I think this is maybe the track David had in mind….
Only band missing for me is Stiff Little Fingers. The Belfast Clash. Still going strong today!
Going strong a nonsense band cliched crap 3 wave
Well contextualised David. Thanks for this - a great watch.. Yep, I was there too. Saw many punk gigs at the Glasgow Apollo between '77 and '79. The 70's was astonishing, eh - heavy rock, glam, space rock, prog, disco punk, funk, reggae, heavy dub, the ska revival, early industrial - all within that 10 years and even overlap within some of those.. A hugely interesting time to live through and witness as a teenager. And so much food for thought in it all - kaleidoscopic, and teeming with social relevance with some of it. P.s. I always rated Dub Housing by left-fielders Pere Ubu. They never bettered that one: messy, cryptic, unintentional high art and full of surprises.
Looking at the music scene over the last twenty years, the 70s look even better than they felt at the time. Although today you can find great music in a multitude of genres, in the 70s (and 80s too) bands went from nothing to stars in no time. Perhaps harder to break through these days.
Another great video....I've probably heard those albums a 100 times through the wall
Some great choices. As has already been mentioned , the Ramones ‘ Rocket to Russia would be on my list . I would replace the Police album with the Clash’s Give ‘Em Enough Rope . It was great to see the Stranglers on the list . I saw them in 1987 when they were touring around the Dreamtime album , and they were great . They played all of the old classics with a lot of fire . The Boomtown Rats debut album would be higher up on my list . Great video !
i reckon the polices album is one of the best choices on the list - I've never understood why it's NOT on peoples lists! never liked the clash for some reason?
Ok, my final comment: Bollocks is easily one of the greatest albums of all time, no matter the genre. Every song is insanely good! I was gonna say only London Calling came close, but that was before I knew you chose it as #1. Besides, it's not really a punk album, it's an album made by a punk band. My buddy called me one morning at about 9am raving about London Calling, I immediately went over to his place and we burned a couple of J's and listened to it. Great memories!
Just found your channel. Enjoyed that. Like the way you tell it from your experience of the time. There are a few comments on here that make judgements from today's perspective rather than knowing what it was like at the time pre Internet and limited access to music. I remember my mate telling me that Clash story the day after it happened and missing out. I remember The Station too. Used to practise there. Best lp or me though has to be SLF Infalmmable Material. Still got my copy from when I bought it.
Alright, you saved it towards the end. Thanks for reminding me of The Ruts. I would have included Death. People can argue it's not punk, they're wrong. The whole "f**k it, I'll do it myself" attitude is punk to it's core.
Wire were/are awesome. Pink flag and chairs missing👍
Excellent band. Missed my cut as I've long thought them more 'art-rock' than punk. A bit like Television, Patti Smith, Suicide, and the like.
I think the biggest and most attratcive thing about Punk was the DIY attitude , that music could be made by anyone
Hi David, I too like both prog rock (and classic rock) and punk (and its variants post punk and new wave). I like how different subgenres of rock and pop capture different moods and attitudes, which is why I can't listen to only one style/period of rock.
PS: your mention of "Bodies" by the Sex Pistols reminded me of when I was in a Christian rock bank in the early 80s and I got my friend Jamie (who unlike me was a Christian) to play "Bodies" during our practices.
Oh dear Marc. A Christian rock band practising 'Bodies'. Blimey. Regarding musical tastes, I find it a little daft that some people never explore the boundaries of their primary interest. Given a bit of concentration, and an open mind, one can appreciate all kinds of music. I've new stopped exploring, and it's helped me uncover some fantastic music.
Punishment of Luxury - Laughing Academy. Brilliant album
The band are also from Geordieland....reasonably unheard of but loved by those that know
Cool LP collection . Classy Bro! Yea.
Good list! Missed "Stranded" by The Saints. Remember "I'm Stranded" came out just before the Damned and the Pistols singles.
Actually I like the US version of the Clash’s first album more than the British if only because it includes White Man in Hammersmith Palais. To me their best songs are that, Janie Jones, London’s burning, I’m so bored with the USA and Police and Thieves. They’re all there.
Loved the Ruts too. That’s a great #2 choice. After that just going through that late 70’s period I’d have SLF’s Inflammable Material, Wire’s Pink Flag, The Fall’s Live at the Witch Trials just for three more. The Stranglers were great too.
Great list. Excellent that you included the stranglers, police and the Jam. Some people would be too sniffy to put those in but they totally qualify in my opinion
I like both prog and punk bands. Love Genesis and Yes. Love Ramones, The Clash and the Sex Pistols. I don't buy into the notion that one cannot like both. I've never viewed The Police and The Jam as punk, even though they had that background. That said, both great albums and great picks.
Couldn't agree more with you regarding The Ruts - their first album, The Crack, was my all-time favorite punk LP and Malcolm Owen (with all due respect to Mr. Lydon) was the real deal - the ultimate "punk" front man. No one was better than him. Loved your list but would have included the first Generation X LP. I realize that most purists felt that they were too "pop" and not really punk at the time; however, Idol and Co. had the look, image and the songs. Plus, they were an amazing bank and Derwood was a phenomenal guitarist. That first album featured some amazing songs. Plus, 999 - the first LP and "Separates" (Homicide, Tulse Hill Night, etc. - great songs), The Vibrators (one of the first punk bands to get signed) should get honorable mention as well.
One of my favourite punk records from the 70s was from the band penetration coming up for air
IMO only the first two Penetration singles and the demo side of Race Against Time are punk. By the time of Coming Up For Air they had left punk behind.
@@willieluncheonette5843 I’ve got that to and moving target
I recall hostility to the excesses of prog rock certainly was a feature of the punk movement. It was at its very heart.
That's true where prog rock was concerned, but I remember how that got distorted into an equally dishonest pose that the great first wave punk scene didn't have its own virtuosos.
Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd (Television)
Billy Zoom (X)
Robert Quine (Voidoids)
Jet Black (Stranglers)
James Williamson (Stooges)
Nick Lowe/Graham Parker/Brinsley Schwarz/Dave Edmunds (Brinsley, Rockpile, The Rumour)
And the reality is that THOSE are the people whose work - and not their haircuts - who have left the most enduring, defining mark on the genre.
Verlaine (and Quine) in particular never gave a damn about hiding their admiration for the influence of the Byrds, Quicksilver and Moby Grape - as much as their affinity for Albert Ayler and free jazz.
I think that second wave punk suffered immeasurably the minute they started becoming as rigid in their primitivism as ELP had become about their relentless esoteric noodling.
I blame the Pistols for A LOT of this year zero purity test stupidity, actually.
Even the people to whom they practically owed their entire career - Pete Townshend and Ray Davies - were cynically lambasted by them and their fans for the apparent crime of turning 30 by the time the smoke cleared.
All for the sake of playing to a perpetually scandalized press.
Shameful.
@@chriscoughlin9289 Well, Steve Jones may be the actual antithesis of Prog, but he's def a virtuoso at what he does!
@@klausrain111 Yep - but the 'what he does' part became the big limiting factor that many Pistols fans wanted to impose on the rest of us about what constituted punk.
In the case of Television, they were suddenly seen as too hippie psychedelic - even though the indie primitivism of 'Little Johnny Jewel,' their early residency at CB's,
and Verlaine and Hell's caterwauling vocals and ragged fashion sense was what would practically come to define UK scene 3 years later
In the case of LA's X - they were suddenly disqualified by their affection for Billy Zoom's scorching virtuoso Rockabiily licks and Doe's appreciation of the Bakersfield sound.
Suicide had all that synth baggage...
Even the Clash was roundly mocked for the dance mix of 'Rock The Casbah'
And so on.
It's a shame - the very people who spent their teenage years bemoaning the uniform of tired hippie conformity instantly felt the need to annoint THEMSELVES the new culture cops when their turn came.
And Lydon was right at the head of the line in much of this demogoguery.
Thanks Dave, Nice review I too remember buying rod Stewart and the pistols at the same time, my punk mates didnt get it!!, same with gigs, zep at knebworth followed by the Ramones at the university! I agree with your rationale over the need for punk director the dire charts at the time.. I remember hearing an interview with lydon on radio Luxembourg? I believe where he slated the state of the music scene ' the carpenters/ captain and tensile...' all very tame stuff..I too remember the absolute excitement of the clash gigs etc..
I was around as a youngster then too and like you got into Prog and then New Wave music. In my case I settled into Post-Punk more comfortably than most initial Punk but certainly dug quite a bit of it. There were a lot of progressive elements in Post-Punk. They are evident in the early PIL (I consider 'Second Edition' a masterpiece), Wire, Joy Division and quite a few other bands and artists. I also found most 'old wave' music after 1974/75 dull and MOR. Cheers.
Some outstanding bands and albums were indeed created in the post-punk era. Love Joy Division, The Cure, PIL, The Bunnymen, and many others. So many to choose from. I might have a go at picking-out the best ones.
My first ever gig was The Ruts at Eric's in Liverpool. They changed everything for the 14 year old me. All the bands I've ever been to see get compared to that gig, which is a little unfair to most of them because The Ruts were just so good. They were so loud, so punk, so dub and just so talented. That album is a monster. I can hear hardcore and even thrash bubbling away and like you say I think they were the best of the reggae influenced punk bands, even The Clash. They only burnt for a short while and some of their post Crack stuff like Staring At The Rude Boys hinted at what they might have gone on to be. All these years later I can still remember hearing about Malcolm's death listening to John Peel. Agree with a lot of your other choices and opinions. All Mod Cons is the best Jam LP and The Stranglers were only out menaced by, maybe, and I know they're not a punk band, Dr Feelgood. Then again were The Stranglers really a punk band? Back then I thought that The Ramones had long hair and sounded crap. Some of the 'fellow travellers' like The Police and The Boomtown Rats were, and still are, worth a listen. Great clip. Thanks.
1. Sex Pistols-Never Mind The Bollocks
*Subscribed* I really appreciate this story of Sting beating up that prick in the audience, The Police were my favorite band here in New York in the late 70's...and you also saw my favorite reggae band in 1981 UB40, including the late greats Brian Travers on sax + Astro on trumpet, I'll be watching all your videos for more stories because you were right there in the UK during the Golden Era
Good selection. Everybody has their own definition of what "punk" is and you've taken a wider view, which is fine.
Thanks Marc. Trying to tie down a definition of 'punk' has attracted a lot of comment!
I love Comfort to me. Amyl and the sniffers.
Never thought of the Jam, Police or Rats as punk bands or thought I had any punk records until I saw this video. I saw the Who in Sheffield who were supported by Joe Strummer and was very impressed by him. I need to get that Clash album.
Doesn't everyone already have it?!! 😁
@@davidatkinson-lifematters4826 not me. However I do have everything done by Mike Oldfield, ABBA inc solo stuff , Queen, Neil Diamond, Genesis (thanks to your video), Led Zeppelin + individual members releases, Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, Carpenters, Wings, Simon and Garfunkel, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Clannad. I can discuss their records at length as these have been my favourites for the past 50 years.
I am in the process of collecting Pink Floyd, Springsteen, Jethro Tull, Yes and Bowie, acts that I have liked for years and I have many more favourites that I have several albums of but not full sets.
I love videos such as yours as I find them an invaluable guide to putting a collection together and also discovering stuff that has passed me by in my 50 years of music collecting.
I like to make wants lists and like to buy things in order off them, normally 15 or so albums a month then 5 or so random things. This way I am expanding my musical genres, my random things this month have been Blues from Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Muddy Waters and early Eric Clapton. Next month will be Howling Wolf and more Beatles.
My collection is no way near as big as yours but quite large.
I buy mainly CD’s as they are the cheapest at the moment but do have excellent record playing equipment and perhaps a thousand or so vinyls. In the past I gave away a lot of records or traded things in for CD’s which in hindsight was stupid.
I wish that I had bought more vinyl 10 years ago when people were almost giving them away and find the asking price now extreme but you simply can’t get everything on CD or download so sometimes it’s the only option.
Outstanding channel and you have very good musical taste so I value your opinion very highly. I look forward to watching more. Thank you.
I totally agree with most of your choices and your no 1 choice definitely.i Wouldn't have put the Rats; the police ; or the jam in the top 10. more deserving I think would have been SLF , the Undertones ,X ray specs
One of my favourite albums from that time has to be the incredible 'Power in the Darkness' by The Tom Robinson Band.
Great album, and live act. I liked Tom for years, well into his solo career.
That's a great shout! Not a duff track on that album. Opens with the incendetary riff of Up Against the Wall and ends with the seminal title track. Brilliant piece of work.
2 albums that deserve a shout is Real life by Magazine ( shot by both sides ) what a tune that and secondly Dirk wears white sox by Adam and the Ants. Great punk album that and they influenced so many of the early punk bands. Car trouble is my fav track
Never thought of either of those as punk albums. A&A did drop some excellent punk tracks but those are demos. Try the demos Beat My Guest and Puerto Rican, for two ace punkers from Adam.
both of these are genius albums - good choices!
I hear what you say but in the early years of punk 76 77 etc these bands came under that banner and if you ever went to see these bands at that time . They were deffo carrying the flag of punk and hence the new wave movement to follow. Adam ant gigs was just crazy as they had their own cult following . As for magazine, I only got to see them play live once back in the day and they played their set brilliantly and although much different in music to some of the more aggressive punk rock bands of the day they certainly added their style to make punk a more diverse sound . Attitude to its full and Howard was so menacing on stage . Punk was so much more than the pistols and damned and X-ray specs . Just played in diff ways, attitude and expression and something to say .
Thanks for the great video the stranglers song off the 2nd album you were thinking of is bring on the nubiles lol
Certainly was! 😂
TheJAM/in the city', and 'this is the Modern World' talk about aggression and energy, they owed a lot to TheWHO, but who's complaining? TheCLASH 'give 'em enough rope', DEAD boys 'we've come for your children'. ANY of the first 4 RAMONES LP's, X 'More fun in the New world'. these are my personal favorites, as you can probably tell, but great video here, Dave.
honorable mention Dave ,the single 'News of the World'. theJAM smoothed out their sound just enough to still be Bad asses ,but able to play well. overlooked classic. play it loud.
You do seem to know your music but I do have to question any 70s punk top 10 list that includes The Police at the expense of The Ramones or Buzzcocks or even The Saints
yup....In their dreams the Police were punk....lol
Great video. I agree completely with your punk v prog sentiments. I enjoy both, and in my opinion the two genres have more in common than we're often lead to believe. Prog wasn't commercial and pushed the boundaries. Punk was all about rebellion and attitude. And consequently both styles rejected the safe bland beige pop fodder of the day. As you stated, Peter Hammill could sing like a punk. My top 10 would be a little different, i would probably have Crass and Stiff Little Fingers in there. And maybe Peter and the Test Tube Babies.
First Issue is more Post-Punk in my opinion and if you're gonna include that then Metal Box is way better, great pick though!
The first Clash album is "tinny", as you say, due to the number of tracks on each side of the vinyl. To get bass the needle needs to move from side to side more so the higher number of tracks the less ability to have the space on the vinyl for the needle to move
The first British pressing sounds great to me on a good playback system. If anyone is looking for more bass, try the reissue on Drastic Plastic. They boosted the bass slightly, at the expense of the guitar.
THE STRANGLERS FIRST 2 ALBUMS ARE FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT MUSICIANSHIP, STILL GOIN STRONG NEW ALBUM OUT NOW ITS THEIR LAST, BUT WHAT A BODY OF WORK,THERES ONLY 2 TYPES OF MUSIC FOR ME GOOD AND BAD WHATEVER THE GENRE
You want prog/punk get cardiacs. Songs for ships and irons
Stoneage Dinosaur
I missed Punks first wave unfortunately, but first punk CD 💿 I got was Rancids Let's go.
That's a whole lot of new albums for me to go and explore! Any thoughts on Magazine?
I like them. I was playing'Real Life' last week, and I love 'Shot by Both Sides' but I decided not to include them as they were already morphing into 'New Wave'. Devoto always seemed more adventurous than the average punk!
Don't you think that 'Lipstick' from The Buzzcocks sounds very similar to 'Shot from both sides' by Magazine?
Whenever I watch these YT lists I always hope that Magazine’s Real Life and Gang of Four’s Entertainment! are included.
Quite a number of people have commented that I haven't placed The Ramones amongst my favourite punk albums. It's a fair question, but from this perspective of a U.K. music fan, who was as excited about punk in '77 and '78 as anyone (caveat: punk was never the ONLY music I fancied), you have realise that The Ramones barely registered in the charts or on the nationwide gig circuit. Their first 'hit' didn't come along until 1980 and even that was a cover of The Ronettes. They just weren't on the radar of most punk fans until later, when punk had already morphed into 'New Wave', bar a handful of hold-outs.
I'm not presenting a punk history lesson here, merely the bands and albums that mattered in the U.K., even though there are a couple of bands who some dispute were even punk after all. Hey ho.
??? The Ramones recorded their It's Alive double live album at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1977 - they also played the UK in 1976. And instead of saying The Ramones weren't punk, I believe more would say it was actually The Ramones that bought the punk sound to the UK during their first tour. They were most certainly on the radar of the first UK punk bands to emerge after 1976. Are there any proper UK punk recordings that predate the Ramones' 1976 debut? Nope - The Damned's New Rose was the first, and that came out around six months after The Ramones' first UK shows
Liar what about their epic show in UK in the 70s lol
@@adamwright4135 yeah the rainbow haha couldn't remember the name the crowd was great too, don't forget the saints from Australia were very early too but I'm convinced they were trying to be like the stooges
@@leahflower9924 I think 'liar' is a bit harsh. I try to make sense of my Ramones blind spot in another video. Here: ua-cam.com/video/fGdhaZaJ8rs/v-deo.html
Absolutely agree on London Calling!
Are you familiar with Burning Ambitions: A History of Punk?
The Damded were the best ever. I grew up with it.
My list would have to include Fear- "The Record", anything by the Dead Kennedys, and at least one of the first three albums by The Stooges.
Another brilliant video and I 100% agree on the number one choice 👍
Ta!
Spot on sir 👊
Punk was not just to destroy progressive rock....it was as much to destroy Disco. The charts were awful and it was so boring.
If you listened to the top 40 selling singles......you may pick out 3 or 4 that were different and original sounding. Punk gave the music industry a good kick in the balls and gave young musicians a licence to experiment with sound and aggressive lyrics that may not be about love....but a crappy life and your environment around you.
Also, Public Image were one of the greatest bands ever! Johnny playing along with the shy uñsung genius Keith Levene, I mean, Annalisa still blows my mind after all this time. And PopTones on the next album is a work of collective genius, including certified Nutter Jah Wobble.
I saw the Stranglers in Austin in 78 or sometime, I still had long hair. Got it cut the very next day, Hugh Cornwell blew everyone's circuits. He came up to the mic and screamed "All right everybody get up off your asses! What the fuck is this, a convention for qualude users?" When I heard that I surmised: There's change in the air, nothing will ever be the same again! - And I was right! And Hugh's been a hero to me, ever since!
CORRECTION! - I saw the Stranglers in Chicago in 78, not Austin! Saw Gang of Four in Chicago also, couple of years later. Both concerts were fantastic. Austin wasn't quite ready for either of those bands in 1978. Can't remember the name of the Gang of Four singer, oh yeah, Jon King! and he was great! BTW Chicago had a amazing local punk scene! $2.00 cover, 20 degrees outside, 20 people in the audience was par for the course. Local bands like Skafish ,ua-cam.com/video/974DvCkUtEQ/v-deo.html, Immune System, and the best of the lot, Desmond
You didn't mention Curved Air in either of you Prog videos. They were petty good.
Yes, they were.
The Lurkers could have made the list thanks to Ain't Got A Clue, the rawest punk song ever
The Clash were an amazing band! I have also that album but I like and love also their Sandinista album( 3 lp's). I saw that Ruts album already come by on the internet. And I checked their music, really good band! The Stranglers "IV"(Rattus Norvegicus)" was their fantastic debut album! I have it also and I have also of course The Sex Pistols album. In my former hometown where I grew up, Denderleeuw, here in Belgium, you had a great punkband War Risk Three(WR3).They had some tracks on a compilation album "Alle 24 goed". They continued making music in this new millenium with younger forces in the band. They have videos on UA-cam. Check them certainly out! You can also check me and my wife out, but we make more electronic trancy music ( JASON BASSON AND LADY NATHALIE) Cheers from Tienen,the sugar city of the world, Belgium.
hey Dave, have you checked out Viagra Boys yet? ... you really should ....liked your almost top choice of the Ruts as your no 2 pick, pity grin and bear it wasn't a fully realised album, west one is one of the best singles of that period ..... spot on with london calling as no 1 btw... but is it punk? i think that was part of the intention at the time, making you think
Damned^3 is the greatest ( from the '76-'77 era)
I'm a new York girl and when I heard your London boy voice I was bracing myself lol
I went to see The Ocean recently and i noticed some crazy dressed people going down some stairs in the corner. I was curious so i went down there and there was a punk concert going on. After like 5 seconds i was like “yikes” and went back to The Ocean concert XD
Oh boy here it goes growing up my true loves was British Punk a d Kraut Rock
Paul Weller is brilliant. I love the way he has evolved across the decades. Reminiscent of Bowie in the sense that he reinvented his look and sound every few years. That “Modfather” thing is simply a lazy tag invented by the media. Paul turned 64 in 2022 and still makes good music. He has surpassed all of his peers from the punk era.
Weller was always right up there in my punk pantheon, but the idea that he surpassed all of his peers from that First Wave era?
Tom Verlaine?
Peter Case?
John Doe?
Dave Alvin?
Los Lobos?
Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Graham Parker/Elvis Costello?
These legends have all STILL been at the top of their game anytime over the last 10 years that I've had the great fortune to catch them.
@@chriscoughlin9289 just never liked weller or the jam for some reason!?
rest his soul, Tom Verlaine was an inventive, never dull, guitarist. saw Dave Edmund's travelling R&R Review w/ Dion and Graham Parker. all 3 played Telecasters that night. glad I attended.
Yea, man...
W/ Undertones,
X-Ray Specs,
Venus and the Razorblades,
The Vapors,
Jhonny Cash.
Peace on earth.
Demis Roussos in Aphrodite's Child was incredible and also on his own he did make the fantastic disco track 'I Dig You'. Whenever I hear his name I think of Abigail's Party. The Dead Boys LP is one of my favourite punk records
wouldn't put PiL in as 'punk'
@@craigburgess7105 I hear that constant refrain in relation to Television too -
ignoring the fact that Legs McNeil and Dave Marsh - the two men variously credited with giving the movement its name - had THAT VERY BAND in mind in their early praise of the scene.
Oh, and then there's the minor detail that they personally BUILT the stage at CBGB in order to get their first gig there.
Pretty sure if you happen to be Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Richard Hell, Billy Ficca or Fred Smith you're probably quite content to stand back and let everybody who came after argue about their supposed credentials.
And that CERTAINLY includes Mr. Lydon.
@@craigburgess7105 post punk
I was thinking that myself. Lydon had already made his punk mark. though, the 'Holiday in the sun' guitar riff is taken straight from 'In the City'. just slowed down a bit.@@craigburgess7105
David, i just stumbled upon you and your channel today. And I have to admit: though there might be a language barrier (I'm from upper Bavaria and my English is sub-standard) and though I don't dig all of your heroes (Yes? ELP? I can't stand more than 20 seconds ...), you are obviously a great guy and I'd love to spend two or three nights with you talking about our favorites and why or why not they deserve to enter the hall of fame. But: Barclay James Harvest and the Pistols in one shopping bag? Armageddon!
😂👍🏻
Throw in Stiff Little Fingers- "Inflammable Material" and you've got a sale.
No mention of Wire - Pink Flag?
Most punk album for me is The Germs GI which came around a bit later.
A GREAT album for sure. Mandatory for any punk collection.
It was a rail against prog in a way. Because if was about having a go yourself and not having to be classically trained or be mega talented and well practicsed to enable to make music or express yourself. Like buying a cheap moog synthesiser.
Hi David ! Your channel background looks a lot like another channel i follow too, called "Vinyl Richie", it's very similar the background, the shelf with the records , it's amazing, please take a look there, and see, he also collects lp's !! Take care man !!
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Yes, I recently found Richie's channel. He's much more in love with punk than I am. He's a funny guy.
@@davidatkinson-lifematters4826 Yes, he's american, and you look like you're from the UK, maybe from somewhere in England !
The Ramones brought punk to England. They were cartoonish though... agreed. The first time I saw them at a club at Rockaway Beach, I felt like it was all a con. I still liked the music though.
How can you leave out X-Ray Spex
What about Iggy Pop and The Ramones? That said, you had a fantastic ranking and I completely agree with your number one pick
See my reply to Peter Smith re. Iggy and The Ramones. In my view, they weren't driving forces in the punk movement (at least in the UK) and gained a lot of credibility with a wider public only later when their influence became recognised.
Punk was originally a kick back at long hair, flares and 20 minute guitar solos.
Whilst some punk albums did not date well a surprising number have. Some did not transfer well to digital but still retain their raw power on vinyl. But back in the day my whole system probably cost less than my needle in my current system. But back then most of the punks I knew had little money and what they had was spent on clothes and going to concerts. I was one of the lucky few, I had enough money cos I was able to work as well as get on at school and even find time for girlfriends, it was a busy complicated time in my life. Yeah its called, GROWING UP. I was lucky enough to have lived through Punk 1980-82 aged 16-18 and collected quite a decent vinyl collection albums 12" and singles, but I was lucky I worked as a DJ and it paid for most of them the clothes and concerts. But going back to where I started, Punk music wasn't about the quality of the music it was about the tunes the message the spirit of being who you were and going with your mates to see bands play live. Then ages 19 in 1983 I want out with this lass (couldn't help it she was absolutely beautiful which might be a little unfair on others cos they to were knockouts) who was into serious music, Floyd Zep Harper Rush Tull and I started to appreciate the musicians not just the tunes and I started to actually take the music seriously and started to played both keyboard and guitar, she taught me. So from then on I bought a new genre of vinyl another addition to my already half decent collection and Punk had passed or I just GREW UP. I still love those Punk songs those albums and especially the memories they hold. Yeah especially going to concerts on a Thursday night missing last bus kipping out in some students digs and falling asleep the next day in class cos I got the first bus in the morning home and been up most of the night, well I didn't go there to sleep did I?
Nothing beats the sound of a first pressing punk LP on a good playback system.
Great video! Love the Clash story. Very UK based though... Ramones were HUGELY influential, as was Iggy, New York Dolls. and can't see how you can say Buzzcocks were too poppy yet include The Police (NOT punk!!) And you might have put Siouxsie in there to get some diversity or even the Slits... I agree with much of the list though but I'm going to dig out my vinyl to see if there is anything I have forgotten. One forgotten band is Eddie and the Hot Rods - the Get Out of Denver EP was very influential too in 76 (the year I went to Uni), the bridge between pub rock (Dr Feelgood, Brinsley Schwarz etc) and punk... Oh yes, some recent Paul Weller albums are really good, think you are being overly harsh on the man! He was genuine "working class", Woking comprehensive school, invited my mate to be the keyboard player in his band at age16 but my mate wanted to be Keith Emerson so said no ...
Lots to reflect on there. I included The Police over The Buzzcocks mainly because of my Frejus experience. Kudos to Sting for giving as good as he got. And besides, they were really brash, and that's another qualifier for my list.
It is definitely UK-centric, as that was my experience. At the time, Iggy and The Ramones were really fringe, the former collaborating with Bowie during the period (and much less punky than he had been with The Stooges), and the latter (like Iggy) gained more traction with the UK audience in retrospect.
I also left out pub rock deliberately - the good/great bands you mention - they and early Graham Parker might have made an appearance in a more liberal approach to the list. Similarly, the art-rock stylings of Siouxsie, Television, Suicide, Wire, Pere Ubu, kept them out of the list too. Not aggressive enough, by my reckoning.
I like Weller, and kudos for his productivity. I enjoyed early Style Council and several of his solo albums are very good. But, man, that 'Modfather' thing. 😂
Thanks for commenting though!
Nic e list; shame there was no 'Siouxsie & The Banshees' though; their debut "The Scream" was rather 'arty' in a way, but Very 'punk' and, rather disturbing too!
Mind you, I've loved all their albums across the years; have them all, and would never get rid of them....
What happened to Wire, their Pink Flag LP was revolutionary and took punk to newer heights. Ii also miss The Buzzcocks, The Vibrators and 999. I do like your choices. If you include USA bands you missed The Heartbreakers LAMF with Dolls members Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan. There are many more American groups that started the pre punk scene like The MC5 . And The Stooges are a must they were the first to jump into audiences and disregard rules of security. Also where are The Saints from Australia, they smoked the London scene with their "Stranded " single . Incomplete but a solid list.
I'm goin baby baby baby
@@leahflower9924 "Won't you be my girl, you eyes are so pretty " Kick ass song by The Vibrators . . ....also "I always flirt with death, I look cute but I don't care about it. I can't face your treats and stand up straight and tall and shout about it. I think I'm on another world with you another planet with you. Another girl, another planet". Simply the best song about the love of a needle and the possibility of being elsewhere.....The Only Ones.
Ramones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't disagree with many of your choices. There's too much crap on London's Calling for my taste. Lover's Rock, being a prime example. But I'd have to include Inflammable Material, Machine Gun Etiquette, Germ Free Adolescents, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and Give 'em Enough Rope. And possibly Dirk wears white sox.
Loved the video...liked and subscribed 👍👍👍
Don't agree with All Mod Cons and I just dont get what folk see in the London Calling LP but hey,were all entitled to our opinions 👍👍👍
Babylons Burning....a must have punk classic !!!
What about The Exploited, Anti nowhere league,GBH,UK Subs ???
Me and my daughter are Seeing UK Subs supported by Peter & The Testube Babies later this year .
Thanks Nick. As for The Exploited, ANL, etc...by the time they came to some prominence, I'd moved on to a more New Wave palette. There was so much interesting new music coming thick and fast, the purist punk bands seemed (to me at the time) not worth my time. I'm sure I missed-out, but don't we all.
If you are not 60, don’t comment.
I believe the Stranglers song whose name you couldn't remember is 'Bring on the Nubiles'
😁 Yep.
David, you didn’t mention them but they were formed in 1976 and done all their albums through the punk era. Wikipedia called them “ a power pop band” which I think is ridiculous. They were easily as punk as say The Boomtown Rats , The Police, The Clash after first two albums and that’s The Only Ones. Check out “ Lovers of Today” or “Another Planet” or “ Out there in the Night”. Catchy tunes with plenty of drive. To me one of the best bands to emerge in that era. 👍
Still have Out there in the Night on original 12” blue vinyl. Treasured…..
Have the Peel sessions CD as well. Worth grabbing if you are a fan.
Another planet is such a good song I think blink 182 covered it lol the singer peter something played with johnny thunders too
London Calling is a bit bloated. Cut down to around ten tracks it would have been perfect.
The Police instead of Wire's Pink Flag?
'Pink Flag' is great. Just didn't make the cut (at least my cut).
Greatest punk albums? Almost everything done by Crass and Conflict. The 70s was the top of the pops era. Very few bands got me interested.
On Wheels
Mod and punk rules 👍
Nothing like a punk album list that failed to include punk music and exclude American bands such as Ramones, Dead Boys and Richard Hell that started the punk scene.
I'm from NYC my heart hurts lol
I am going to let you off for having The Police and The Jam on your list of punk bands just because you have The Ruts 🤣
Brilliant I would have 999 in there 👍
Good band.
only their first two singles are punk, and very good punk. After that, it's rock or new wave, whatever you want to call it.
Hello! London Calling, punk? Really? The first album is punk, this one is an imposture, a shit! Not punk in any way (personally, I hate it).
The Police? Punk? Hum..., not really, almost as we can say, borderline I think...
All Mods Cons punk? No, definitely not a punk album. A good and great album, yes, for sure, and I love it, but not a punk album...!
Bravo for The Crack, a great unrecognised punk album!
(And, for me, Renaissance, is absolutely not a prog band- for me, to be precise).
Anyway, good work, amicable congratulations...
Thanks! Punk and Prog are both genres where the edges are soft. It's tricky to know what to include and what to leave out. Regarding this video, I went for energy and confrontation as the key indicators.
Agree with most of what you say, but have you ever heard a first CBS British pressing of London Calling? . The sound is fantastic, completely blows away the US Epic version. The first two Jam albums are punk but you're right about All Mod Cons. Check out the Ruts Complete Peel Sessions LP. It's even better than The Crack!! The Police were a punk band, in their dreams.
SKREWDRIVER?
Oooh, some controversial opinions on show here and all the better for it.
I think that the further away from the year zero of punk the more people see it the way some of us did at the time, another great genre to listen to alongside the others.
Great Clash story, that was the only time I ever saw them.
Yes. It's remarkable how many people stick so rigidly to one genre or another. It's only aural stimulation after all.
The Heartbreakers blew them all off the stage. Not exactly punk but neither are several albums on this list.
Yes LAMF!
Crass were the only real punk band .
Hell Punk was definitely partially about the excesses of prog rock. In my house the worse four letter word you can say is Topographic oceans. Of course it was also against bad popular music.I bought the first Damned album and in front of me there were three people all buying "Rumours"
Don't you agree that punk was mostly a singles phenomenon? In my view, it didn't really compete with the album-oriented artists, and didn't produce that many great albums. Prog was running out of steam by the late 70s, not least as bands like Yes and Genesis decided to reduce song lengths and release more singles, in the process becoming less interesting.
@@davidatkinson-lifematters4826 I agree, singles all the way and many of the best came from lots of new indie labels. As i listen today to "White Riot" and "Anarchy" in 24/96 hi-definition, it reminds me of the thunderous sound and driving impact of those early singles, and why I quit my office job to work in a London record shop. For me all the best albums 76 to 78 came from new artists like Ian Dury, Graham Parker and early Costello. Still I felt it was unacceptable to listen to new prog rock from bands you mentioned; and rock died when the Pistols broke up. That's when i gravitated to American Jazz and later Classical music where i realized Beethovens Eroica symphony was the "bollocks" of its time.
@@adrianmills7729 Dury, Parker, and Costello were/are right up there. Saw Parker for the first time since the 80s only a couple of years ago. Still an agitated old soul. 😂
Like how your tastes branched out. Mine did too. So much to explore and enjoy.
Needs to be retitled "My Favourite U.K. Punk Albums". An incredibly subjective and eclectic top ten for "Greatest Punk Albums". The Police? Wot?
I would barely say that The Police were even new wave more pop but not imo punk - they made good songs however
The Jam were never a punk band. If you want punk bands go Sex Pistols. The Damded. The Clash. The Slits. The Stranglers. Sham 69 Gen X