In recent years, it seems that alternative (to use a trite term) music has become obsessed with replicating the sounds of the sixties. We can credit bands such as Tame Impala, Jagwar Ma and highly-touted new Northampton band, Temples, with carrying through the tradition of psychedelia in all of its hallmarks; distorted guitars, reverberation and woozy, double-tracked vocals. But, just as the ecstasy of the 60s bred the nihilist aesthetic of punk in the mid-to-late 70s, it appears that history is repeating itself in the rise of 'neo-punks' Parquet Courts, The Orwells and Drenge. Also eliminating the self-importance that bands such as Arcade Fire have brought to music, these bands are the harbingers of a punk revolution, the electric catalysts for many subsequent neo-nihilists and three-chord thrills. Indeed, 70s punk was recognised as the movement that ripped it up and started again, albeit a little fallaciously, with a simplicity, urgency and minimalism that was a direct response to sixties bands over-indulgence in drugs, sex and most importantly, the sound of their own music. The experimentalism of the psychedelic rock that was instigated by The Beatles and taken up by the Byrds, Love and the Jimi Hendrix Experience doubtlessly led to the advent of the most anal and self-indulgent of all musical movements, progressive rock. Although a few bands such as The Stooges and The Modern Lovers flew the flag for energetic garage rock in the early 70s (even Bowie erred on the progressive side), the scene was dominated by keyboard-plonking, double guitar-shredding, mythology-espousing bore fests such as Yes and Genesis. So with punk making a come back and protesting against pretension, it seems like a better time than any to create a list of 7 singles that defined punks original and first wave back in 1976, and acknowledge the bands that the new breed have taken their cues from...
A 22 year old English Literature graduate from Birmingham. I am passionate about music, literature and football, in particular, my beloved Aston Villa. Lover of words and consumer of art, music is the very air that I breathe.
