14/10 On This Day in Punk History

Punk never went away! It was this day in 2002 that modern Punks The Libertines released their debut album Up the Bracket, produced by Mick Jones on indie label Rough Trade. During the early 2000s it seemed that Punk was being reborn with a wave of new inspired Post-Punk groups like Strokes, Cribs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Fraz Ferdinand. Where did all that energy go to?

In 1976 the album that made it all happen, Never Mind the Bullocks, is struggling to come together. The Sex Pistols are recording for EMI, but unhappy with the sessions they’ve done with Dave Goodman they record another half dozen with Mike Thorne – which still won’t leave them satisfied.

Two years later and Sid Vicious is on trail for the murder of Nancy Spungen two days earlier. On this day 1978 Malcolm McLaren arrives in New York and hires Prior, Cashman, Sherman and Flynn to represent Sid. Sid is currently in the hospital wing of Rikers Jail undergoing heroin detoxification. McLaren is trying to convince Virgin and Warner to pay Sid’s bail, assuring them his next album will make it all back.

Yesterday was the day in 1978 that Durham band Penetration released their first album Moving Targets but one year and one day later the band split. The band have apparently lost sight of their inital goal and are tired of trying to make hit records. They’ll reform in 2001.

Scabous Raticus

It wasn’t long ago that Rat Scabies announced he wouldn’t be drumming for The Damned anymore. Well, today in 1977 they released their single ‘Problem Child’ – inspiration for the track is not confirmed.

And finally, I’ll leave you with a song. It was on this day in 1979 that Talking Heads released their phenomenal single ‘Life During Wartime’; produced by Brian Eno of course.

Oi! Oi! Oi!

02/10 On This Day in Punk History

Today Rebellious Jukebox says Happy Birthday to one of the most inspirational and abrasive voices in Punk history Richard Hell! Without Hell Punk would most definitely be something different. Credited with inventing much of the Punk image (being to first to tear his clothes and spike his hair, which he then taught to Malcolm McLaren), Hell’s cynical but optimistic attitude towards rock and culture solidified an idea that sank into other New York bands and eventually around the world. Hell was a pioneer of Rock revival and so we celebrate – 2nd October 1949 was the day Hell was born.

You Make Me ___

This day 1977 was the official last night for Manchester’s Electric Circus before it shut down. To commemorate this a host of Punk and Post-Punk artists perform. The set opens with Warsaw (soon to be Joy Division), followed by The Perfects and The Worst. The Fall unleash their artistic anarchy and are followed by the newly formed Magazine, featuring ex-Buzzcock Howard Devoto. The Buzzcocks themselves follow and the night is closed by local legend John the Postman jumping to the mike and starting a sing-a-long to ‘Louie Louie’. The Electric Circus provided a place for the sick sounds of Punk to birth in Manchester and it won’t be easily forgotten.

Elsewhere that same night, Damned drummer Rat Scabies quits his band. Disillusioned by a band which he declares to be sell-outs, they’re now left in Europe without a drummer. Scabies says he’s interested in drumming with The Heartbreakers, a gig that just opened up.

One year earlier, 2nd October 1976 the all-girl hard hitters Runaways released their classic single ‘Cherry Bomb’. A Sex Pistols’ favourite, what track better represents the teenage rebellion necessary to Rock & Roll? ‘Hello daddy/Hello mom/ I’m your ch…ch…cherry bomb!’ – It’s sexy, bad and a danger to good, quiet families – exactly what we need.

Paul Cook and Kay at 100 Club – Ray Stevenson

That day in 1976 Siouxsie & the Banshees manager Nils Stevenson described the underground fashion scene in London: ‘Lots of girls… have pulled their old school blazers out of the closet, and are wearing St Trinian’s outfits.’ His brother Ray is their to capture an example from Paul Cook’s girlfriend Kay.

And I’ll end with another birthday. In 1952 John Otway was born. Otway wasn’t really Punk, but his eccentric music place shim beyond the boundaries of any other genre, and when an artist makes music like that Punk is usually a good home for them. Afterall, the real message of Punk is that you can do anything. Here’s Otway with Wild Willy Barratt with the classic ‘Really Free’:

28/09 On This Day in Punk History

This day – 1977 – The Pistols put out ads for their new single ‘Holidays in the Sun’, featuring the classic cartoon cover with lyrics from the song serving as dialogue. A real collector’s item and a great example of Pop Art on Punk Art:

 

One year later Sid Vicious will be on stage in Max’s Kansas City, having been and gone with The Pistols. With him on vocals the band is Arthur Kane and Steve Dior on guitars and Jerry Nolan on drums. They play some Dolls songs, some Stooges songs and the covers Vicious is known for such as ‘Stepping Stone’ and ‘Something Else’ (the man didn’t have a big repetoire).

This day 1981 in NME Neil Norman published a review of trans-star Divine; ‘…the Man-Girl itself… bursts through hastily erected paper screen like Mae West on Steroids… [singing plus] a couple os stories about the making of Pink Flamingoes and that scene’. Divine is not only Protopunk for her trash-glam style, subversive behaviour and appeal to bad tastes, but was also a part of the early New York scene. She was involved with The Ramones, The Heartbreakers and Wayne County and played all the clubs with them. Rebellious Jukebox remembers the gone, and tried-to-be-forgoteen Divine!

And finally, this day 1977 Stiff Records put out Hits Greatest Stiffs, The independent label stopped producing its early singles but the demand didn’t go down, so now record shops are selling 7-inches for extortionate prices. Therefore, Stiff release a compilation of their most desired tracks. To celebrate, I’ve made a youtube playlist recreating the album (except for the Plummet Airlines track which I changed cause I couldn’t find the original) – listen here!

13/09 On This Day in Punk History

On this day 13 September 1976 Dave Vanian quite his day job – which was of course undertaker – to commit himself fully to his band The Damned. A smart move because in a month they’ll release ‘New Rose’ – the first Punk single in the UK, thus cementing their place in music history.

76 was also the year Michael Watts tried to define Punk, starting off with the dictionary definition: ‘of poor quality, worthless’. Ultimately he will define Punks as violent and insesitive – but surely not all of them?

It was on this day 1978 that Ramones released their single ‘Don’t Come Close’, first of the forth – Road to Ruin. This is their first song to feature new drummer Marky Ramone (now the oldest living Ramone!)

In 1980 D.O.A. released their debut Something Better Change a signal of that new form of Punk – Hardcore.

And in 1991 a party is thrown for the launch of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, a song about to change a lot of lives, for better or for worse. However in true Punk fashion Nirvana are kicked out of their own party for starting a food fight!