"Nothing ever quite dies, it just comes back in a different form," Lester Bangs once wrote. And while I agree with the point he was making, I'm not sure this is such an absolute rule. To be fair, when we're discussing certain musical genres such as we did last week, what's old is new again and vice versa. Revivalists rule, or so it would seem.
But this week, we're going to draw a line in the sand and blatantly go out on a limb and profess that insofar as the 70's are concerned--and with Punk in general--no amount of revivalism will ever better the initial inspired anarchy. And it should be mentioned that there were two unique forces at work, both Stateside and in the UK. Each fueled the other akin to the creative rivalry that was The Beatles -vs- The Beach Boys. And while we're all aware The Beatles took the crown in that contest (...ahem) can it be said that Iggy and his ilk bested Lydon's lynch mob -- or was it the other way around? Hm.
So, let the debate begin...this week we'll focus entirely on the bands spawned Stateside and next week the UK's under the microscope. Some of these tracks will seem remedial for certain, but as the days progress, we'll have assembled a pretty nifty playlist that's truly: never to be bested. (...Now, ...where did I leave that safety pin...?)
Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation (Mp3)
Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop (Mp3)
Pere Ubu - Final Solution (Mp3)
Television - Little Johnny Jewel (Mp3)
The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner (Mp3)
