Great 70s Punk – 21: Blondie

The reason I fell in love with pop music and punk rock. Before I heard this song, blasting out my dad’s crackly old transistor one night in ‘78 I didn’t understand the appeal of either (I come from a classical background). This is The Song That Started It All for me.

Great 70s Punk – 20: Orange Juice

To celebrate the fact Edwyn Collins is now following me on Twitter, and to celebrate the fact his partner Grace Maxwell has a new book out, and to celebrate the fact that Orange Juice released one of my favourite debut albums ever… ladies and gentlemen, may I present…

Great 70s Punk – 19: Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers

This is more punk than almost any punk I can think of. Pure anger and bile and frustration and repetition and fuck you attitude – and a killer riff to match. Absolute, absolute genius. Let some Jonathan into your life now! From ‘76, or thereabouts.

Great 70s Punk – 18: Siouxsie And The Banshees

To celebrate the fact I recently met Steve Severin, it’s really time I featured something from this bunch. Kind 0f has to be this one really. (And watch all footage of female – and male – singers aspiring to be even vaguely new wave from British TV around this time. Siouxsie totally started a new dance craze.)

Great 70s Punk – 17: Talking Heads

Some sweet early live footage here. When I was teenage, I figured this to be one of the most chilling punk songs around. I’m still aspiring towards this level of intensity through my current recordings with The Deadnotes. And hell, I just posted a cover of this over here…

Great 70s Punk – 16: X-Ray Spex

Well, duh (again). I used to have whole dance routines worked out to their songs in the Scouts Hall where we hung out in Chelmsford. It was the saxophone… no, fuck that, it was Poly Styrene’s braces that I particularly liked. I had braces too.

Great 70s Punk – 15: The Rezillos

Every five years, I always spend a day or two mainlining The Rezillos. (It happened last week.) Can’t help myself. They’re like The Cramps meet The B-52s meet Thunderbirds. Guess that’s why NME got me to write about so many psychobilly records a few years later… it was in my blood.

Great 70s Punk – 14: The Avengers

No video because the only ones I can find are from some reunion or other. I have nothing against reunions per se – that’s a complete fucking lie – but I do wish there was some way of keeping the fuckers off the Internet. Anyway. This is a killer cover version and my original introduction to the band.

Great 70s Punk – 13: Kleenex/Liliput

Fuck me!

Great 70s Punk – 12: The Jam

Oh fuck. Here goes my credibility down the tube…

Great 70s Punk – 11: The Undertones

Been having an Undertones day. Long overdue.

Great 70s Punk – 10: Buzzcocks

First gig I ever paid to see, front row of Chelmsford Odeon with Subway Sect as support, 1978. I was so naive that I couldn’t understand why I didn’t recognise any of the Buzzcocks’ songs during the first band’s set. Or why everyone was sticking around after they left the stage.

Great 70s Punk – 9: The Only Ones

Another request. Keep ‘em coming! Back in 1980, I saw what was trailed as The Only Ones’ final ever gig (I was there for the opening act, unknown Canadians Martha And The Muffins, and was somewhat appalled by all the guitar solos). Final gig. Yeah, right…

Great 70s Punk – 8: The Slits

Man alive, I’ve written so much about this band now, I hardly want to start adding to it now. Still…

Great 70s Punk – 7: Rachel Sweet

This one isn’t even vaguely 70s punk. It’s Rachel Sweet. But y’know… fuck it.

Great 70s Punk – 6: The Raincoats

I’ve held off long enough. This one’s a request, anyway.

Great 70s Punk – 5: The Mo-Dettes

Hey! Fuck that idea of this series being 10 male followed by 10 female followed by 10 transvestite. I’ve just discovered this…

Great 70s Punk – 4: The Ruts

Was going to post The Raincoats, but got diverted. This remains an incredible single, genuinely chilling. Think I might post 10 male, followed by 10 female. Followed by 10 transvestite.

Great 70s Punk – 3: Ramones

Well, duh. One time in NYC, 1990 or thereabouts, I was recording my Sub Pop single with Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth engineer). Joey Ramone had promised to come down, sing back-up vocals on my a cappella version of ‘Rockaway Beach’.

Great 70s Punk – 2: The Cramps

… and I just can NOT go any further without posting this.

Great 70s Punk – 1: The Saints

Time to start a new blog series, methinks. And what better way than with a righteous blast from 1978? Somebody give me a slap please if I start posting videos only from The Saints… cos I’m sorely tempted.