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:

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!

03/10 On This Day in Punk History

Oi! Oi! Oi! Today begins with a death and a birth.

Today was the day when in 1967 that folk legend Woody Guthrie died. Now I know it may not at first seem that Guthrie is important to Punk history, but you must consider two things. First his general importance in rock history as a major influence, particularly on Dylan. Second, he famously wrote ‘This Machine Killds Fascists’ on his guitar, and associated with leftist groups in the age when Senator McCarthy was trying to make any opposing politics sin – if that isn’t Punk then I don’t know what is. Guthrie had the spirit of rebellion and he deserves to be remembered by the Punks!

However, it was also on this day in 1938 that Rock & Roll legend Eddie Cochran was born. Of all the early Rock & Roll stars Cochran is probably most deserving of the label ‘Punk’, and it shows in the number of times he’s been covered, most famously by Sex Pistols and Sid Vicious. His rolling rhythms and soft-rebel lyrics helped form Rock music and left us with songs that you can’t help dance to. Here’s my favourite ‘C’Mon Everbody’:

This day 1979 Malcolm McLaren became manager of New Wave band Adam & the Ants. He brings along former Pistols entourage member Jordan for backing vocals and the band’s debut album Dirk Wears White Sox is released. Apparently the title refers Dirk Bogarde.

Dirk Bogarde (sox not visible)

UK Punker Spizz has teamed up with Pete Petrol to form Spizz Oil (get it?) and today in 78 released their single ‘6,000 Crazy’. Spizz is most famous as the face of Spizzenergi who became a one-hit wonder with the excellent ‘Where’s Captain Kirk?’. However Spizz is still playing today and producing music which ain’t half bad.

And finally, in 1977 the Stiff’s Greatest Stiffs Live Tour began. Meant to resemble a 50s roadshow it featured multiple acts playing short sets. On the bill you could see Ian Dury (with The Blockheads) whose performing for the first time since leaving Pub Rockers Kilburn & the Highroads due to health concerns. Following him is Elvis Costello now with his band The Attractions as well as Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric. This collection does feel a lot like Protopunk Pub Rock groups who’ve been rebirthed by Punk as New Wave pop acts, which is great.

Famously all the Stiff bands got together on stage to perform ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’, which you can see here if you don’t mind the quality: