This song is for my old mate Gavin Martin who died yesterday. My not-so-old mate. He was 60. (more…)

Siouxsie & The Banshees brought punk fire and fury to their cover of Helter Skelter, written by John Lennon for The Beatles. (more…)

Another of the early single releases on Stiff Records came with this “double B-side” from pub rock veteran Sean Tyler and The Tyla Gang. (more…)

Ever since it came out in May 1977 this has been my favourite single. (more…)

It’s March 1977 when The Clash, the second most talked-about band in UK, put out their first single. (more…)

Ian Dury’s debut single is one of the most iconic singles in the pantheon of punk – recorded by a man twice the age of some punks. (more…)

Motörhead were never a punk band. But in terms of velocity and volume, attitude and aggression, they had a lot more to do with punk than many of the chancers who rebranded themselves to cash in on a trend. (more…)

I can vividly remember Less Than Zero, the song that launched Elvis Costello’s career, coming out in March 1977 when I was at college. (more…)

Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric is one of the greatest singles to come out of the punk era. Even if it’s not typically punk. (more…)

Eater might not have left much in the way of a musical legacy but they were one of the first punk bands – and also the youngest. (more…)