There’s nothing that I’d recommend that hasn’t been mentioned, so I’d advise looking into Refused’s The Shape Of Punk To Come, Minor Threat, and Propagandhi’s How To Clean Everything.
Let’s not forget the influential Richard Hell & the Voidoids. “Blank Generation” is, for me, the defining song of 70s punk nilhilism. I also get misty eyed when I think of their touching ballad “Love Comes in Spurts.”
I’ve seen most of those bands live, and hung out with not a few of them. It looks like maybe you got hold of some Dangerhouse compilations… which is not a bad place to start for a good grounding in early L.A. punk. I betcha Rhino has 'em…
-M Otis Beard (the oddest formerly known as Oskar Mire)
You implying that just because i like the bands the only way i know them is from the compilations?
Oh, and since this was bumped back up (and because I’m an attention whore), I figure I ought to welcome Degrassi High Dropout to the board. After all, so far s/he’s only posted to help me find good music, and that’s pretty cool.
You said:
“Some of my faves (in my cd/MP3 collection)”
Seeing as how they’re in your cd/MP3 collection, it’s a pretty reasonable thing to assume. Less likely is that you’re a collector, and you own a couple of real rarities… although, if I recall correctly, some of those bands never put out vinyl of their own, and are ONLY available on compilations. Even less likely is that you were around back then, and you’re still alive, not in prison, and not too debilitated by drug abuse to think.
As I say, a pretty reasonable assumption. All that aside, I wasn’t trying to engage you in a punker-than-thou pissing contest anyway, so kindly remove the stick from your hindquarters. If you WERE around back then, a simple “me too” would have sufficed.
MOB
If you like Rancid, you might want to check out Lars Frederiksen’s side project, Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards.
Saves the Day and Alkaline Trio are very good as far as pop-punk goes; in a similar vein, The Get Up Kids turn out some very good high-energy poppy emo-core.
A few people on this thread have been blasting Bad Religion’s recent output, and while I’ll agree that No Substance and The New America are pretty bad, their latest, The Process of Belief is worth a listen. It’s not up to the standards of their early classics, of course, but Mr. Brett is back in the band, and his songwriting definitely makes this one an improvement over the previous two.
Also, I figure I’ll represent Pittsburgh here and put in a recommendation for Anti-Flag. Their first and third records, Die for the Government and A New Kind of Army are excellent; their others are pretty good as well. A lot of people get annoyed by their political posturing–they’re even more obnoxiously leftist than most punk bands (not that I’m not a leftist myself)–but if that doesn’t bug you, you should check them out.
All the other bands I’d like to recommend (DK, Fugazi, Crass, Misfits…) have already been mentioned.
Just as a random update once again, out of the bands mentioned here, I’ve since picked up:
Bad Religion
Sublime
Thee Michelle Gunn Elephant
Misfits
Reverend Horton Heat
Bad Brains
Rancid
As well as some stuff not mentioned, and a Boomtown Rats/Bob Geldof greatest hits sort of album solely for “I Don’t Like Mondays”, though the rest isn’t bad.
Oh, and the Circle Jerks as well.
This Thread brings to mind a classic by The Tubes: I was a punk before you was a Punk. Go figure…
My €0.02 worth:
The 101ers(proto-Clash): Keys to your heart and Five Star Rock’n’Roll Petrol*
My impression was that the idea about punk, the very punk-ism, if you will, was that attitude and energy make up for ability to play instruments.
Whenever I see a 16 y.o. with an orange punk haircut today and a leatherjacket saying “Dead Kennedy’s” I get a distinct Sha-na-na feeling from the 70’s. Punk died circa 1979 and cannot be revived. It was a product of two things:
- Vivianne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s need to make quick money.
- Frustration with the music industry, symphonic rock bands, and - as always - “Da Establishment.”
- arguably the greatest song title, ever.
Before you go dropping too many more dollars, waterj, you’re welcome to get in touch with me to borrow anything and try it out. I have a tolerable collection.
wire, gang of four, delta 5, television personalities, big in japan, josef k, the mekons, the fall, au pairs, pere ubu, joy division, crass, swell maps, PiL, but all you really need is an album by the fall. like “the wonderful and frightening world of…” or “hip priests and kamerads.”
-fh