Magazine’s debut album Real Life is one of the defining moments of post-punk. The original Buzzcocks singer tired quickly of the primitive pop that brought us the brilliant Spiral Scratch EP and went off in search of pastures new as early as February 1977.

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Old soul and New Wave, classic reggae and traditional folk, jazz-funk and French punk, boogie-woogie and a spot of lounge music. All of which should be enough to warm us up in February.

Ruefrex (originally Roofwrecks) were the most musically interesting of the Belfast punk bands. And the most uncompromising, fearlessly ignoring the sectarian divide to take their music to both sides of the divide at the height of the Troubles.

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The hot summer night Pulp and Leftfield played in an outdoor amphitheatre in Barcelona. And I was there.

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Not even hardcore punks from the Class of ’77 are likely to remember Kleenex – Switzerland’s solitary contribution to punk. Or their two singles on Rough Trade that went on to inspire the Riot Grrrl movement.

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There are many contenders for the ultimate driving song – Born To Be Wild, Highway Star, The Chain, Road To Nowhere. But for me there’s only one – Radar Love. (more…)

The inspiration for one of the more regrettable dance crazes, Rock The Boat was also the inspiration for Rock Your Baby, regarded by many as the first disco hit. (more…)

Television: Marquee Moon – 45th Anniversary Reappraisal