The best 70s punk albums you’ve never heard of
While every respectable music aficionado owns copies of the Sex Pistols’ “Nevermind the Bollocks,” and The Clash’s “London Calling” albums (you have them, don’t you?), not every great punk band from the 70s has received its due. To correct this gross injustice, I now present “the best 70s punk albums you haven’t heard of.
While every respectable music aficionado owns copies of the Sex Pistols’ “Nevermind the Bollocks,” and The Clash’s “London Calling” albums (you have them, don’t you?), not every great punk band from the 70s has received its due. To correct this gross injustice, I now present “the best 70s punk albums you haven’t heard of.”
‘Blank Generation’ – Richard Hell and
The Voidoids
The certified genius of the punk scene, Richard Hell created the spiked hair, ripped clothing and safety pin look that Johnny Rotten and everyone else would emulate from then onward. This group was the perfect marriage of Hell’s snotty and literate lyrics and Robert Quine’s innovative guitar work. Quine is still the only tax-lawyer-turned-punk-guitarist known to this author. A classic first-wave punk album.
Essential Tracks: “Blank Generation,” “Love Comes In Spurts,” “I’m Your Man”
‘New York Dolls’ – New York Dolls
Known as the band of transvestites that would beat the hell out of you if you looked at them the wrong way, the Dolls were often referred to as “a poor man’s Rolling Stones.” This was where hard rock and glam rock met, and the result was an essential album for anyone claiming to be a punk connoisseur. They were campy, but dangerous and sexy at the same time. After a mess of drugs, death and future Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren jerking them around, The Dolls broke up in 1975, with frontman David Johansen reinventing himself as “Buster Poindexter” and becoming a radio hit (ever hear of the song “Hot Hot Hot?”). Morrissey was so taken with The Dolls that he ran the UK Dolls fan club.
Essential Tracks: “Trash,” “Personality Crisis,” “Lonely Planet Boy”
‘Cut’ – The Slits
The feminist reggae-punk goddesses. Among the great nuggets on this album are the best cover of “Heard It Through The Grapevine” ever made, and “Typical Girls,” a scathing attack on the slogan for Cover Girl cosmetics. This is fun, bouncy punk music at its best. Quick side notes: Johnny Rotten later married singer Ari Upp’s mother. Slits drummer Palmolive dated Joe Strummer before they each had their respective successes.
Essential Tracks: “Typical Girls,” “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “So Tough”
‘Singles Going Steady’ –
The Buzzcocks
Though technically a collection of singles, most punk historians treat it as its own album. This is infectious, frenetic punk. Known for being fronted by two bisexuals, this catchy music will either become your new soundtrack for life or that annoying song that gets stuck in your head at inopportune times.
Essential Tracks: “Ever Fallen In Love,” “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays,” “Orgasm Addict”
‘Bad Music for Bad People’ –
The Cramps
Known for its obsession with B-list horror movies, sex, sleaze and bad television, The Cramps are true originals. Perhaps the originators of psychobilly (think rockabilly crossed with The Misfits’ sense of humor), their songs will either make you laugh hysterically, shock and disgust you, or both.
Essential Tracks: “Human Fly,” “Goo Goo Much,” “TV Set”
‘Damned Damned Damned’ – The Damned
These guys were the first British punk band to release a single (“New Rose”), the first to record an album and the first to tour the United States. Somewhere along the way they also helped create the gothic rock movement. This might be more energy than you can stand.
Essential Tracks: “New Rose,” “Neat, Neat, Neat,” “Stab Your Back,” “See Her Tonite”
