It’s November 1977 and there’s a new female voice in punk when Penetration release their debut single with singer Pauline Murray. (more…)

At the start of 1977 the US punk scene was almost exclusively centred on the East Coast in general, and New York in particular. But things were slowly beginning to stir on the West Coast. (more…)

The Now were Peterborough’s first punk group. They didn’t make much of an impact but they did make this brilliant debut single. Released on the Ultimatum label in November 1977, it captures the spirit of punk perfectly without resorting to the mindless thrash of so many others jumping on the bandwagon. I’d go so far as to call it a lost classic.
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Of all the bands in that Class of ’77 the one whose gigs I never missed were The Heartbreakers. The thrill of seeing two of the New York Dolls – a band I’d been too young to see before they broke up – was enough in itself. (more…)

Definitely my favourite Buzzcocks single; definitely one of the best punk singles of all time. I always thought Buzzcocks were the most ‘poppy’ of the punk bands, and in my naivety I imagined they would go on to top the charts for years. (more…)

The Desperate Bicycles are the quintessential example of punk’s DIY ethos, in which anyone could go out and form a band. (more…)

TRIGGER WARNING: If you think you’re immune to cheap sentimentality this may make you reconsider. Eleven-year-old Björk Guðmundsdóttir’s debut is so cute that even the hardest heart will melt. (more…)

Celia & the Mutations only ever released two singles, and those four tracks featured the mysterious Celia backed by three different bands. (more…)

Over the years I’ve occasionally heard musicians on the end of scathing reviews express the idea that these critiques are motivated by jealousy. Some of them seem to think music journalists are all frustrated musicians. (more…)

Johnny & The Self-Abusers had the perfect punk trajectory, releasing one single in their eight-month career. Then they became Simple Minds.
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