Through the ages there has always been the classic musical fight: which punk band came first? Did the British do it with the Sex Pistols? Or the Americans with the Ramones? My old boss and I used to get in verbal arguments about this with 2 bands in mind, he said Brisbane's own The Saints, I always maintained it was Iggy Pop and the Stooges from Michigan.
Hilary told me she enjoyed my last mix tape, the ones about the 90s, and she asked for one that was a history of punk. So I thought I'd do it scientifically: bands by the order of the year they formed. This should settle the argument once and for all, at least based off my poor internet research. Some of these songs aren't from the early days, but let's face it, how many bands first songs and demos are good? Especially back before there was any cheap way of recording them. So here it is, Chuck's history of punk.
1. ? and the Mysterians - 96 TearsFormed in 1962, 96 Tears came out in 1966. Sure, it's not what we now know as punk, but back then it was new and exciting. It was raw garage rock and nothing like the country music of the time. This music was what your parents back then were never allowed to listen to. And to settle which country came first, they were from Michigan in the USA.
2. MC5 - Kick Out the JamsFormed in 1965 and released in 1968. Their first album of the same name was recorded live. And how do you know it was punk? They were kind of tuning their guitars as this track gets going and then they kick it off with a swear word before unleashing their raw energy. Can you imagine, 45 years ago, an album starting with a swear word? And to settle the argument again, MC5 stands for Motor City Five. The Motor City being Detroit, Michigan. Do you see where I'm going with my punk history? It all started in Michigan.
3. The Stooges - Gimme DangerFormed in 1967, this version is from 1974, the live album Metallic K.O., which was one of (if not) the last shows they performed before breaking up. The Stooges, with Iggy Pop as their frontman, were also from Michigan. I've become obsessed with Iggy since reading his biography and he is who I think took punk from the streets of Michigan to the world. They were like nothing of the time. Not only did they start the music of punk, they started the whole idea of putting on a show. Iggy is still known for his outrageous perfomances behind the microphone.
4. Devo - Uncontrollable UrgeFormed in 1973, this song is from their debut 1978 album Q:Are we Not Men? A: We Are Devo! Most of us know them for their slightly more new wave 80's-ness and their upside down flower pot hats. But they were still punk. But like a lot of early punks, they kept maturing with the times and updated their sounds. I guess that's why they are still alive these days. Also, I dreamt about Devo performing last night. It was weird. But that's because they were in a Futurama episode I saw the other day. And they are from Ohio, USA.
5. The Saints - (I'm) StrandedFormed in 1974, this song blew them up (especially in Britain) in 1976. And the best part? They are from Brisbane! I know this is from Wikipedia, but Bob Geldof has been quoted as saying, "Rock music in the Seventies was changed by three bands — the Sex Pistols, the Ramones and The Saints" (I know it's a wanker saying it, but he speaks the truth).
6. Ramones - Blitzkreig BopFormed in 1974, this song is from 1976. Surely you all know about the Ramones. From New York (where are the Brits on this list?) most people will say they are punk. Anything before them just paved the way for the Ramones.
7. Radio Birdman - Non-Stop GirlsFormed in 1974, this song is from their 1977 album Radios Appear. Another Australian punk band, this time from Sydney, they pioneered indie rock and punk in Australia. To this day they still spontaneously perform, including a Big Day Out appearance a few years ago.
8. Talking Heads - Psycho KillerFormed in 1974, this song is from the 1977 LP. Another early punk band in the style of Devo, who went on to change their style to match the changing times. David Byrne, the main creative output of Talking Heads, slowly went the way of art rock with non-sensical lyrics and put out some amazing LPs, which I still listen to regularly. From New York.
9. Blondie - AtomicFormed in 1974, this song is from their 1979 album, Eat to the Beat, which was their 4th LP. Their early albums were very punk, but they quickly went the way of disco and new wave. Heck, they even had one of the earliest charting rap songs ever in Rapture. Two things you should know about them: Deborah Harry is hot and they are from New York.
10. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the U.K.Formed in 1975, this song is from the timeless album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, released in 1977. Finally! A UK band! We had to wait over a decade, but it was worth the wait. The Sex Pistols were everything that was punk. The lifestyle, the attitude, the music, the middle fingers in the air and the anarchy. Sure, they weren't the first, but they were the biggest, the best and the ones that made punk punk. Pretty much everyone that saw this band play formed a band. And the next few bands were all in attendance at the same concert.
11. The Undertones - Teenage KicksFormed in 1975, this song was a single in 1978. I'll be honest, I know very little about this band. This song was originally in my playlist as a Buzzcocks song, but I was proven incorrect. Apparently they are Irish.
12. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love?Formed in 1976, this song was on their second album Love Bites in 1978. They were the first punk band to come out of Manchester, which over time became one of Britain's hottest area for music from people pissed off at the world. They are most widely known for this song, which is a curse and a blessing. This song is amazing (especially for a break up song) but it also hides the other great songs they have written over the decades.
13. The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I GoFormed in 1976, this song is from the really popular 1982 album Combat Rock. Rumour has it that they met at a Sex Pistols gig, the same gig where most of the crowd went on to form punk bands, most of which formed the basis of British punk. They obviously went on to big, big things, with some of their songs featured on Triple M almost daily. Following their demise, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones went on to make some great music as solo artists too. If you get the chance, get Joe Strummer's album (with the Mescaleros) called Rock Art and the X-Ray Style. It's amazing. RIP Joe.
14. The Damned - Smash It UpFormed in 1976, the song was released as a single in 1979. The Damned were another British band of the original punk scene, they used to play in bands with members of the Clash and Chrissy Hines from the Pretenders. When they first formed, they were even going to audition Sid Vicious for the lead singer position, but he never showed up. Over time they have become more of a rock band, incorporating cabaret and psychedelic rock.
15. Bad Brains - AttitudeFormed in 1977, this song is from the 1982 debut self-titled album. From Washington DC, they pioneered hardcore punk. Originally starting as a jazz fusion band (I shit you not) they are famous for combining reggae, dub, metal, punk and hardcore with their rastafarian religion. As a punk band they went places not many other punk bands went before them: they played faster, they played more technical and they didn't just limit themselves to one style. I was so disappointed when they cancelled their Australian tour earlier in the year.
16. Black Flag - Fix MeFormed in 1977, this song is from their 1978 EP Nervous Breakdown. Probably best known for their lead singer who joined in 1981, Henry Rollins, Black Flag pioneered American hardcore as well as the punk do-it-yourself ethic. Everything they did was on their own label.
17. Dead Kennedys - Too Drunk to FuckFormed in 1978, this song is from the album Holiday In Cambodia from 1980. This song is the reason they didn't get signed to a label at an early age (obviously for it's profanity). From California, they mixed satire, politics and criticisms of life into their songs. For those of you playing at home, you may recognize the lead singer Jello Biafra from his announcements over a lot of the old Offspring albums (think Intermission).
18. Descendents - BikeageFormed in 1978, this song is from their 1982 absolute classic (I have the vinyl and love the shit out of it) album Milo Goes to College. From California, they were one of the first bands to mix hardcore sounds with a bit of melody and lyrics about everyday things. Basically, they invented pop-punk. I am so excited to see them on their first ever Australian tour in a few months!
19. The Exploited - I Hate YouFormed in 1979, this song is from their 1985 album Horror Epics. Formed by an ex-Scottish soldier they were a very political hardcore band. As the band went on, they became a crossover thrash band, showing that the anger never really left. They are still active and putting out music and I would love to see them. Even 31 years after they formed! For those of you playing at home, Lisbeth in the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movies (the Swedish versions of course) wears a shirt bearing their distinctive logo: the skull with a mohawk.
I hope that settles it! Of course it won't, as this is purely my interpretation using my musical tastes and based off the years they formed. I'd like to hear what others think though.
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