In recent weeks and months, there has been a surge of classic punk, power pop, and new wave releases that have been long overdue. For fans of the era — from the early ’70s, when punk was just beginning to percolate, to the mid-’80s, when several post-punk and new wave acts became megastars — it was a dynamic period filled with a diverse set of artists who were truly doing something different and disruptive. This month, we’re going to walk through a few top picks (in no particular order).
For the uninitiated, here’s a breakdown of the punk canon, including several of its bastard stepchildren:
- Proto-Punk: The stuff that would prove to be highly influential on the original punk rock scenes; in other words, the music that early punk purveyors were riffing off of.
- Punk Rock: Emerging concurrently in the US and UK, punk rock was a movement that democratized rock ‘n’ roll. It challenged conventional music and popular culture, openly questioning established norms and empowering DIY artists around the world.
- Power Pop: Punk’s more sensitive cousin, heavily influenced by the melodicism and anthemic aspects of the 1960s British Invasion bands, but still offbeat enough not to fit very neatly into the mainstream.
- Post-Punk: Refers to the wave of alternative and avant-garde artists who emerged in the aftermath of punk’s initial impact. Early pioneers in this genre include bands like Public Image Ltd (PIL), Joy Division, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
- New Wave: The poppier and more commercial offshoot of post-punk, specially designed for the video-centric culture of the 1980s.
Sharks
Car Crash Supergroup: The Island Years 1973-1974
Genre: Proto-Punk
When talking about both early punk rock and the relatively short-lived supergroup Sharks, you have to start with guitarist Chris Spedding. A sought-after session player known for his deft licks and vintage rock ‘n’ roll swagger, Spedding also had a keen eye for what was brewing beneath the surface of the largely prog-dominated UK scene. The journeyman axe-slinger would soon go on to champion the early Sex Pistols, producing demos that would further the band’s quest for a record deal. His time with the Sharks would prove highly influential to future Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones, who would openly praise the band. Sharks would also prove influential on Mick Jones from The Clash, who was obviously inspired by the opening riff of the Sharks’ “Sophistication,” which bears a striking resemblance to his band’s hit “Should I Stay or Should I Go” a few years later.
Sharks also featured bassist Andy Fraser from superstar arena-rockers Free, along with vocalist Steve “Snips” Parsons and drummer Marty Simon. The band would release two albums on Island Records and record a third that would not see release for decades. With a blustery, bar-room sound embellished by Spedding’s spidery licks, the band’s raunchy style was topped off by Snips’ whisky-soaked vocals and esoteric lyrics — which would also prove to be influential on the early UK punk sounds taking shape a couple of years later.
Car Crash Supergroup collects both of the band’s official albums, First Water, Jab It In Yore Eye and the newly released Car Crash Tapes, all packed in a glossy box with a booklet and bonus tracks. (Cherry Red)
Sorrows
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
Genre: Power Pop
A key aspect of power pop is that its upbeat and punchy arrangements are often paired with an underlying sense of yearning, despair, and melancholy, making it an interesting paradox of sorts. And literally, no band epitomizes this more than NYC’s Sorrows. The band caused a stir in clubs such as CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City back in the early days of punk, and their crunchy, melodic sounds endeared them to both punk and pop fans alike. The band was blessed with no less than three strong lead singers and was musically more accomplished than many of its punk peers. A record deal would soon be forthcoming, and the band’s 1980 debut Teenage Heartbreak, is seen as the archetypal power pop album. The band’s second album, Love Too Late, while featuring some killer material, unfortunately, fell victim to label politics and production clusterfucks, and the band would eventually hang it up. But! That was far from the end of the story.
Aside from a superb re-recording and re-release of Love Too Late in 2021, Sorrows has just released what would have most likely been its third album had the label not screwed things up so badly. Recorded during one night in 1981, the band entered the studio intent on getting their true and accurate sound on tape while still reeling from the aftermath of their former label’s skullfuckery. The result is Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow — an album’s worth of ultra-punchy, hook-driven numbers created by a band with a noticeable chip on its shoulder. Standout tracks include the hard-driving “Never Mind,” the eerie Beatlesque “Out of My Mind,” a punk-ish cover of the Stones classic “Have You See Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?” and the twisted instrumental “Slo’ Surfin’.”
Far from a collection of basement cassette demos and studio scraps, the material here has been meticulously brought back to life by band leader Arthur Alexander and is sonically as crisp as anything currently being peddled by the major labels. You’ve gotta hand to these guys for sticking to their guns, even 40+ years after the fact. (Big Stir Records)
Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
L.A.M.F. The Lost ‘77 Mixes
Genre: Punk Rock, Proto-Punk
This one’s a doozie. Johnny Thunders, who pioneered punk rock guitar and formed the Heartbreakers after the New York Dolls — who basically drew the blueprint for both punk and glam rock — recorded one of the key albums of the new punk scene, only to have it get overshadowed by the very bands he influenced. Turns out that a key reason why L.A.M.F. didn’t take off in a major way (aside from Thunders’ legendary drug usage) was the actual sound of the album. Due to a flaw in the mastering, most copies had a muddy, dingy sound, which unfortunately dampened the intended sonic effect of the otherwise killer material.
The Lost ‘77 Mixes originally came out in the ‘90s and was compiled from a series of alternate mixes the label had stored away in an attempt to issue this important album in a cleaner-sounding form, as the original album’s master tapes had long since gone missing. The effort was admirable, but it still wasn’t quite right in the eyes and ears of Thunders enthusiasts. But miraculously, the original tapes were eventually found — in the attic of a former label exec — and the original album was restored in its full glory and released as L.A.M.F.: The Found ’77 Masters in 2021.
But that’s not to say that earlier attempts at fixing this lost classic were without merit. This new colored-vinyl version of The Lost ‘77 Mixes sounds gritty and energized in its own right, even if it isn’t as crisp as the rediscovered original master. Songs like the raucous “I Wanna Be Loved,” “Born to Lose” and “Chinese Rocks” are so sleazy and deviant sounding that you’ll definitely need a shower after a spin. This new version comes on purple vinyl in a deluxe gatefold sleeve with expanded artwork. (Jungle/MVD)
U.K. Subs
The Last Will And Testament of U.K. Subs
Genre: Punk Rock
As one of the most enduring of the original UK punk bands, the U.K. Subs never seem to run out of steam. With over two dozen albums under their collective studded belt, the band — who many credit as early forefathers of hardcore — keep churning out studio albums and live offerings that are evidence that frontman Charlie Harper and Co. have absolutely no intention of slowing down anytime soon.
The Last Will And Testament Of U.K. Subs is a CD and DVD combo culled from an explosive live set from 2023. The set features band standards such as “C.I.D.,” “Bitter & Twisted,” and “Warhead,” which sound as if the band is playing right in your living room. While the band may be best known for its speed attack and Harper’s in-your-face approach, much of its sound is firmly based in classic rock ‘n’ roll, which comes across here in spades. (Cleopatra/MVD)
The Hollywood Stars
Starstruck
Genre: Power Pop
The old adage “timing is everything” is exceedingly accurate when it comes the LA-based Hollywood Stars. Put together in the early ‘70s under the watchful eye of musical svengali Kim Fowley, the band was aiming to be the West Coast’s answer to the smeared lipstick sleaze of the New York Dolls. But after a couple of record label snafus and lineup changes, the band’s debut didn’t hit the shelves until 1977, as the ‘70s glam scene had passed and the early punk movement was in full swing. While the Hollywood Stars had played with the likes of The Stooges, The Dolls, and Ramones, their sound was far more melodic, and the picture adorning their album cover displaying a clutch of effeminate dudes bedecked in impeccably styled long hair and crushed velvet, was far from the scrappy image young LA punks were cultivating. Thus, in spite of the fact that the power pop sounds of the album would prove to be prophetic, it tanked.
Fast-forward to a few years ago, when the core members of the band reformed and released vintage tracks, live sets, and even new material. Their latest offering, Starstruck (Rum Bar Records), features 15 tracks of raw, earnest power pop/pop punk that would’ve worked a charm back in 1976 had the band been marketed correctly. Standout cuts include the Cheap Trick-ish opener “Can’t Do It Right,” the glam-stomping “Taxi Driver,” and the punk-fueled “I Had a Girlfriend.”
The Dickies
Dawn of the Dickies
Genre: Punk Rock
If you think of punk as some dysfunctional extended family, The DIckies would be the quirky middle sibling that prefers to bury their nose in a comic book rather than make small talk over the Thanksgiving table. And without them, we may not have the likes of Green Day or NOFX. In similar fashion to The Buzzcocks, The Dickies reveled in melancholia but added heaping dashes of humor and sarcasm to the mix. But that’s not to say the band was a joke by any means. On the contrary, The Dickies could play — from their tasteful guitar licks to the soaring harmonies, this band was no slouch when it came to musical muscle.
Dawn of the Dickies was originally released in 1979 and is a barnstormer from start to finish, especially tracks like “Fan Mail,” the Buzzcocks-esque “Where Did His Eye Go?” and an absolutely killer, speed-addled cover of the Moody Blues ballad “Nights in White Satin.” This recent reissue includes the remastered original album, two bonus tracks, and a color booklet. (Captain Oi!)
20/20
Back to California
Genre: Power Pop
The band 20/20 was a fixture in the Hollywood clubs in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s playing alongside other up-and-coming punk and new wave bands. Initially signed to legendary punk/power pop label Bomp! Records, the band released a now highly coveted single “Giving It All,” before getting signed to major label Portrait Records. The band would go on to release two timeless classics of the genre, their self-titled debut (1979) and Look Out! (1981), and one further album, Sex Trap, on indie label Enigma before parting ways for many years. The band’s distinctive sound was based around the dual lead vocals of singer/songwriters Ron Flynt (bass) and Steve Allen (guitar), with an emphasis on clever, sardonic lyrics and undeniable hooks.
New album Back to California (SpyderPop Records) finds the pair back together after a decades-long hiatus, compiling the musical ideas and hooks they’ve been quietly working on independently for years. A tad more subdued than the punchier sounds of yore, the album sees the band focusing more on its contemplative side, with a sound that’s a little less punk-fueled and more rootsy, not a million miles away from Big Star. But songs such as the title track and “Springtime Love Song” still pack a punch — and showcase the band’s unique knack for crafting catchy refrains wrapped in attitude.
Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club
The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981
Genre: New Wave
Bruce Woolley made a bit of a splash in Europe, the UK, and Australia during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s but is probably best known in these parts as the co-author of the global hit “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Woolley would release the song first under his own name to a mild reception, only to see it become a massive, iconic song and video for his co-authors, the Buggles, a year later. In 1979, Woolley formed the new wave band Camera Club, which, also in these parts, is probably most notable for its one-time keyboardist and future new wave hitmaker and producer, Thomas Dolby. In spite of being overshadowed a bit by some of his former colleagues, Woolley’s grasp of melody and wordplay was formidable, and his first album English Garden (1979) is laden with clever lyrical bits, busy bass lines, lofty synth scapes and idiosyncratic melodies that were probably a little too offbeat for the masses. Some of the top cuts include the title track, the eerie “No Surrender” with its staccato riffs, driving bass lines, and Woolley’s twisted falsetto, and of course, the aforementioned “Video Killed The Radio Star,” which is weirder and more offbeat than the Buggles’ version.
Woolley’s early work with the Camera Club has been collected in The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981, which features remastered versions of English Garden, second album Polaroid – Snapshots Of Sound, both expanded with bonus tracks, plus a third disc, Live at High Wycombe Town Hall 6th May 1979, that showcases the band in a grittier, less-polished form, showcasing the band’s harder side. This 3-CD set comes in a glossy clamshell case with a color booklet. (Cherry Red)
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