Richard Hell’s debut single is one of the first examples of New York punk. It also defines the sound of what would later become known as post-punk… even though, strictly speaking, it’s more pre-punk. (more…)

Television produced one of the foundation stones of punk with their debut single Little Johnny Jewel, released in 1976. (more…)

All together now: “Rrrrright…. nowwww… Hahahaaaa!”

One night in late November 1976 I was at the Marquee Club watching a short fat Frenchman called Little Bob who played amphetamine-fuelled RnB when Malcolm McLaren walked in with a bag under his arm.

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No one would pretend Nick Lowe was a punk – he had almost a decade in music behind him by 1976. But he plays a key role in punk pre-history.

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Here’s another of those not-quite-punk-but-nearly records that came out in the musical hinterland between pub rock and punk in 1976.

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(I’m) Stranded is just fantastic. It’s a perfect storm of Ed Kuepper’s buzzsaw guitar and Chris Bailey’s sneering vocal, anchored by the whirlwind of Kym Bradshaw on bass and Ivor Hay’s drums.

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I’m not sure The Runaways were ever really a punk group, but they made their mark at the right time to be part of our world and they were punky enough to play CBGBs alongside Blondie and Television and The Ramones.

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The Modern Lovers’ only album is, for me, one of the greatest albums ever. Roadrunner is pretty much a standard now. (more…)

In early May 1976 I went to see my musical hero David Bowie play live for the first time. It was his Thin White Duke period, promoting Station To Station. 

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