16/10 On This Day in Punk History

Ramones outside CBs

And it was on this maudlin day in 2006 that CBGBs closed down. Opened by Hilly Kristal in December 1973 as CBGB OMFUG (County, Blues and Bluegrass and Other Music For Uplifting Gormadizers) the club was discovered the following year by Television, then looking for a residency in which they could perfect their music. CBGBs became their new home, and soon attracted others band like Patti Smith, Blondie and The Ramones. The centre of the New York Punk scene the club has reached mythological status in Punk history as the Gomorrah of Rock & Roll. Sadly, 8 years ago today Patti Smith gave a fairwell concert to what is not only a dead club, but a symbol of an extinct type of venue, a open, cheap and dirty space for fringe artists for hone their talents. Not glad to see you go.

16 October also saw some great releases. This day in 1979 New Wavers Psychedelic Furs released their debut single ‘We Love You’ (which you can hear them perform above). 1981 was the date The Jam released their hit ‘Absolute Beginners. And in 1978 Stiff Little Fingers released their monumental ‘Alternative Ulster’ – one of the most perfect and pure expressions of Punk:

It was this night in 1992 that Ramones are still getting exposure (and they deserved) – their the featured band on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Meanwhile, across Manhattan at Madison Sqaure Garden it was the 30th anniversary tribute to Dylan. Lou Reed took to the stage and performed a duet with Chrisse Hynde.

Nico with The Velvet Underground

Finally, today is the birthday of Nico, famous for her performance of the first Velvet Underground album and her 1968 proto-Gothic album The Marble Index, born 1938. It’s also the birthday of Red Hot bassist Flea, famous for collaborating with so many great artists I won’t bother listing them, born this day in 1962.

Oi!Oi!Oi!

15/10 On This Day in Punk History

Here’s something I wasn’t sure about posting because I wasn’t sure if it counted as Punk. But looking back over the history of Protopunk I’m confident that this counts. It was this day in 1966 that underground paper International Times started up. To celebrated in style by holding a party featuring performances by such underground acts as Pink Floyd and Soft Machine. International Times, or IT as it became, was a leading voice to counter-culture in 60s London, along with other rags like Oz and Ink. That should make it enough to measure up to Punk, but further, it also set the precedence for all the self-printed fanzines of the Punk epoch. And so, it was this day in PUNK history that IT started.

And people say Punks are ignorant!

Continuing the heartbreak ballad of Sid Vicious, it was on this day in 1978 that his mother Ann Beverley arrives in New York, where he is currently on trail for the murder of Nancy Spungen. She’s sold her side of the sick story of New York Post and made a cool $10,000 off of it. In all his absent tastelessness, McLaren has now, 3 days after Spungen’s death, starting selling t-shirts showing Sid Vicious with dead roses and stating ‘She’s dead, I’m alive, I’m yours’ – I’m not sure if another girlfriend is on Sid’s mind right now. Today Spungen is buried in her parents’ hometown.

This day was also the day in 1975 that The Ramones got signed to Sire. The story goes that A&R man Craig Leon saw them and was converted, brought along his friend Linda Stein and she in turn convinced her husband Seymour Stein who then signed ’em. Stein apparently heard something that was fresh yet familiar, a voice missing from Rock & Roll. He couldn’t have been more right. The band were now fated to record their debut album, and set music on the new course…

The effects of that album can be heard on Germicide a live album by The Germs released this day in 1978. Germicide was recorded June 3 1977 at Kim Fowley’s Punk Rock Festival at The Whisky, at a point when the band we new and inexperienced. That fresh inexperience bleeds through the record which features equal parts music (played with no precision) and equal parts Darby Crash (then called Bobby Pyn) fighting with the audience. The highlight is probably their rendition of Archie theme-song ‘Sugar Sugar’ during which a food fight breaks out. By now you are probably desperate to hear it, well follow this link to a playlist which should cover it.

This day 1978, Swiss Punks Kleenex come down from the Alps to release their debut single. There is nowhere that the slimey alternative tentacles of Punk won’t try and get their degenerative grips on!

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!

13/10 On This Day in Punk History

Punk history was made this day when The Who recorded ‘My Generation’ in 1965. Lester Bangs once said ‘Rock & Roll is an attitude, and if you’ve got the attitude you can do it, no matter what anybody says… whatever anybody ever called it, Punk Rock has been around from the beginning – it’s just Rock honed down to its rawest elements, simple playing with a lot of power… PASSION IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT’. What boasts that spirit attitude better than ‘My Generation’? This song sums up why we have Rock & Roll, why it is so necessary. This day in 1965 The Who made Punk history.

A couple of days ago in 1976 an unsigned Wreckless Eric gave a tape of his material to Stiff Records. Well, this day 76 he’s called back to the label and offered a contract. Eric will become a big name for the label and New Wave music in the UK.

It was also one day ago in 1978 that Nancy Spungen was killed. Today Sid Vicious appears in court, charged with second degree murder. The New York press infest the story, claiming he’s been proven guilty before the trail has even begun. Bail has been set at $50,000 and Vicious is now looking to Malcolm McLaren for help.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, Penetration release their first album, the glow-in-the-dark Moving Targets. Here’s the lead track ‘Future Daze’:

This day 1990, Iggy Pop is in the charts with a duet withB52’s Kate Pierson entitled ‘Candy’. A decade earlier, Jim Carroll, the drug addict-cum-poet-cum-punk release his first album. Jim Carroll is probably most famous for The Basketball Diaries, an autobiographical account of his teenage years of heroin addiction (made into a film with Leonardo DiCaprio). He became a succesful poet in 70s New York and was an early supporter of Patti Smith. She in turn encouraged him to start a band, which he did. It was this day in 1980 that The Jim Carroll Band released their debut album featuring the classic song ‘People Who Died’. Here’s the late Carroll:

12/10 On This Day in Rock History

It was this fateful day in 1978 the Sid Vicious called to front desk of the Chelsea Hotel to say Nancy Spungen had been stabbed. Sid and Nancy were staying in room #100 of the historic New York Hotel when the incident happened but I won’t go into the details of it here. First of all, the story has been told and retold, if you wanna know the gory details look it up Wikipedia. Second, I don’t think we need to discuss and speculate about the tragic death of this lost girl, she died and so did Sid. Anyway, an ambulance arrives with police in tow and Sid Vicious is arrested for her murder, though claims he didn’t do it. During a four day spell at Rikers jail he will attempt suicide twice. Hearing the news, Nils Stevenson wrote in his diary ‘Sid’s gone all the way. He’s been charged with murdering Nancy at the Chelsea Hotel. I feel creepy.’

Goth-Punk Dave Vanian

This day also marks the birth of Dave Vanian (born David Letts) of The Damned in 1956 and Bob Mould from Husker Dü four years later  in 1960. In 1981 Black Flag released an encore rendition of Punk standard ‘Louie Louie’:

11/10 On This Day in Punk History

In October 1976 Sex Pistols sign to EMI and go from an underground group into a major new act. Only two years later and the dream is over. On this day 1978 John Lydon’s new group Public Image Ltd. released their debut single ‘Public Image’. More arty than the Pistols, you can here the hints of Dub influence, but overall this single isn’t far from what Lydon’s achieved already. It’s with later LPs that PiL really shine. First pressings of the single come wrapped in their own newspaper, a two-page parody of The Sun.

This day 1980 the LA Punk scene is getting some much needed attention from No. 1 fan Rodney Bingenheimer who released a Rodney of the ROQ compilation of his favourite tracks. The record of course features The Adolescents ‘Ameoba’ as well as songs by Black Flag, Agent Orange, Circle Jerks and more.

Eric Goulden walked into Stiff Records offices this day in 1976 with a cassette of songs he’d written and gave it straight to Stiff chief Dave Robinson. Two days later Robinson will call him back in an sign him as Wreckless Eric!

Siouxsie by Ian Dickson

In 1978 Siouxsie & the Banshees are beginning their first national tour. They’ve come a long way from Bromley. Just a couple years prior Punk bands couldn’t get gigs for being banned and now a national tour! They’ll be supported be Nico & Human League.

25 years go by and in 2003 Mojo magazine did a poll on most pivotal moments in Rock History. Elvis and Dylan top the list but The Clash releasing ‘White Riot’ is voted number 3.

Oi! Oi! Oi!

10/10 On This Day in Punk History

It was October 1975 that The Sex Pistols are putting in some serious rehersal time. Now with lead singer Johnny Lydon (who they nickname Rotten after his decaying teeth) and manager Malcolm McLaren the group are coming together well. They’re currently doing covers of Small Faces, Count Five, The Who and Dave Berry’s ‘Don’t Give Me No Lip Child’, all Sixties Garage-Punk material.

Of course it will only be a year later that the band are signing to EMI records. The next day (that is, this day 1976) they waste no time and begin recording their single ‘Anarchy in the UK’ at Lansdowne Studios. The following year, Pistols associates Siouxsie & the Banshees have yet to even be signed! And so someone, no one knows who, spray-painted ‘Sign Siouxsie Now’ across record company offices around London. The band of course deny any connection.

And, the last note about signings, The Undertones signed to Sire this day 1978. A good fit, Sire were the label who signed The Ramones, often called America’s version of The Undertones.

This day in 1970 Punk took notes from Heavy Metal when Black Sabbath released their 2nd album Paranoid. This classic record includes the title song as well as ‘Iron Man’ and ‘War Pigs’. ‘Paranoid’ in particular will have a big impact on the developing Punk scene – after all, as the Sixties ended and Rock bands were moving towards lofty Psychedelic experimentation and ‘Progresssive’ Rock here was a band that kept the aggression and noise in their music. The album would also be a huge influence on Grunge acts like Soundgarden (and don’t tell me ‘In Bloom’ doesn’t sound like Sabbath).

This day in 1991 Iggy Pop was finally getting some recognition. He’s inducted into the National Association of Brick Distributers’ Brick Hall of Fame for services to the brick industry for titling his latest album Brick by Brick. He recieved a trophy made of brick.

And finally, this day in 1980 Punk’s resident weirdos The Residents tried to sell out with The Commercial Album. Guests on the album include Fred Frith and Andy Partridge.

09/10 On This Day in Punk History

It was this historic day in 1976 when The Sex Pistols sign to Major label EMI. This brought huge publicity to a band, and movement, which had started out underground. The band sign for £40,000, a huge amount for such an unknown band -McLaren would of course have it no less. EMI A&R man Nick Mobbs is quoted ‘For me the Sex Pistols are a backlash against the ‘nice little band’ syndrome and the general stagnation of the music industry. They’ve got to happen for all our sakes…’ 3 months later EMI will drop the band and delete ‘Anarchy in the UK’ from its catalogue, stating that they are unable to promote such a group. But really, they should have known what they were going in for.

Nils Stevenson wrote in his diary for that day ‘After signing to EMI, we truck down to Louise’s to celebrate… At Louise’s, the dyke club in Soho, the music is all disco… I’ll sneak Siouxsie and guitarist Peter Fenton into the Pistols’ sutdio to rehearse while we’re away on tour.’

5 years later, Malcolm McLaren’s new group Bow Wow Wow release their debut LP. It should have been out much earlier due to the cover art. McLaren, ever trying to be controversial, designed a cover which imitates Manet’s celebrated The Luncheon on the Grass:

The resulting image featured lead singer Annabella Lwin nude, who was only 15 at the time. An alternative cover is used at the time but the original has returned since.

Can you tell which is which?

This day 1977, The Clash become the latest Punk band to find trouble in Sweden. It’s already ruined gigs for The Stranglers, The Jam and Sex Pistols, but this night far-right group Raggare show up again and cause trouble. However, not so easily pushed about, The Clash retaliate, shouting and throwing crap at the mob. They eventually back down and leave.

Also this day 1993 Nirvana’s 3rd album In Utero, with which Kurt Cobain intentionally tries to alienate fans of Nevermind, reaches No. 1 in the US – it seems Cobain wasn’t very succesful, tragically. And in 1958 Eddie Cochran recorded his classic Rock & Roll hit (later a hit for Sex Pistols) ‘C’Mon Everybody’:

 

08/10 On This Day in Punk History

Oi! Oi! Oi!

It was on this day in 1977 that The Clash are spending the afternoon in jail. Their promoter didn’t pay their hotel bill and so they’ve been reprimanded. Their current single ‘Complete Control’, released in September, is currently at No. 28 in the UK charts.

Meanwhile, Buzzcocks sans-Devoto release their first single for UA. It’s the salacious ‘Orgasm Addict’. Of course, with its graphic and inappropriate lyrics (which you can here below) BBC don’t play it and it doesn’t chart, yet it still one of The Buzzcocks most loved songs. The single is also important due to its cover art. The radiator-headed woman picks up traditions from Dada and Pop Art while having the cynical and satirical attitude of this new generation, a crucial document of Punk art.

Two years later, as Punk fades into New Wave, Post-Punk is taking hold of musical innovation. The incredible Gang of Four released their debut album Entertainment in the US this day 1979. The iconic cover art featuring a still from a Western film popular in East Germany shows a critique of not only American foreign attitudes but also Imperialism in general. This album is not only musically shocking but contains some of the greatest political lyrics ever written. 3 minute songs of abbrassive Funk-Punk guitars discuss Politics, History and Philosophy based around the notion that the personal and the political can’t be seperated and the ways in which Capitalism morphs individuals’ lives. This influential record is one of my favourites, honestly one the best albums I’ve heard from Punk and all music. I could explain for much longer why I think this (providing supporting testimonials from Kurt Cobain and Flea) but this isn’t the place. Listen to the album and work out for yourself why it’s so good.

This same day in 1979 the UK sees Post-Punk take a much different form coming out of the US. The Feelies keep the innovations and structures of Punk but slow it down and take out the aggression. What they are left with are beautiful soundscapes of music. Taking blatent influence from Velvet Underground, Television and Talking Heads, they released their debut single ‘Fa Ce La’ today. An important step in the development of Indie and Alternative Rock, listen below:

This day also marks the one year anniversary since the death of Philip Chevron. Chevron was a founder member of Ireland’s first Punk group Radiators from Space. He later joined Shane McGowan’s Pogues. With both bands big parts of Punk history, Chevron will be remembered.

This day in 1948 also marks the birth of the late Johnny Ramone. For a collosal percentage of Punk The Ramones were the band that started it all, and they are built on the chainsaw guitars of Johnny Ramone. It therefore seems almost fated that that day in 48 was the beginning of a sea change across the world. Or maybe I’m overly mythologising the guy. Anyway, 44 years later The Ramones are going strong. This day 1992 their on a US tour with a sellout show at Roseland Theater, Portland supported by Social Distortion.

17/09 On This Day in Punk History

And it was on this day in 1967 that The Doors made their famous performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. In a stunt that can be seen as a precursor to the Pistols-Grundy affair, Jim Morrison was told not the sing ‘we couldn’t get much higher’ during ‘Light My Fire’. Well, I’m sure you can guess what he did:

Speaking of the Sex Pistols – on this day 1976 they performed at Chelmsford Maximum Security Prison for 500 inmates. Whoever thought it was a good idea to have a violent band sing about anarchy in a prison… The gig was recorded and I recommend seeking a copy. It documents the early band with Glen Matlock and features their classic early covers, like ‘Substitute’ and ‘No Fun’ – important for Protopunk historians like us. Find out more here.

That same day that Pistols are in prison, Billy Idol announces to his band Siouxsie & the Banshees that he’s leaving to focus on his new band Chelsea full time. That leaves the newly formed Banshees (previously members of the Bromley Contingent Sex Pistols support team) without a guitarist and a drummer – and their debut gig is only 3 days away!

1956 – the BBC removes Bill Haley’s hit single ‘Rockin’ Through the Rye’ from its playlists on the grounds that it is harmful to British standards. God Save the Queen.

Finally – a few days ago I reported that in 1978 The Clash cancelled a gig at Harlesdon Roxy because BBC weren’t playing their records enough. Well, today in 1978 Topper Headon and Paul Simonon come forward to say the real reason is they never knew there was a gig – Strummer and Jones are currently in USA finishing off an album! Crossed wires it seems – but the band promise they will play for everyone who bought a ticket.

Oi! Oi! Oi!