re: Never Mind The Bollocks

You left out the true masterpiece of the I'm-a-rock-star-woe-is-me subgenre: the Kinks' Powerman vs. the Moneygoround. Which is pretty great from start to finish.

The Sex Pistols are a great entry point into punk. People have heard of them, they have the famous song, and their image is pretty much the punk style. But they are just an entry point, as they weren't really that adventuresome, compared to their contemporaries. Johnny Thunders was singing love songs to heroin, the Clash were literally trying to incite rebellion, and there's the Pistols writing cartoonish songs about being a Nazi. They were just this big cartoon, and the joke ran out a long time ago (and I like my share of joke-y punk bands... hell, I even like the gloriously offensive Anal count).

The Pistols are flash over substance. It's neat flash, but I rarely listen to them anymore and I still go back to my Clash records. A lot. If someone tells you their favorite punk band is the Pistols, odds are real good they aren't a big punk fan.

quote:

---

You left out the true masterpiece of the I'm-a-rock-star-woe-is-me subgenre: the Kinks' Powerman vs. the Moneygoround. Which is pretty great from start to finish.

---

I'm not a huge fan of the "Moneygoround" song. It's OK, but not in the same league as the Byrds or Parker.

Ray Davies apparently had a need to get this out of his system, as he wrote at least one other (much superior) song on the subject, "Sitting In My Hotel".

In fact if you want you can interpret the hit "Sunny Afternoon" as part of this Davies strain, and even "End Of The Season", though technically about a rugby player, can be heard as a Cockney rock star trying to fit in with the beautiful people.

Life's Been Good To Me So Far is lightyears ahead of your selections.

quote:

---

Life's Been Good To Me So Far is lightyears ahead of your selections

---

I absolutely despise that song

But strictly speaking it's in another subgenre, Rockstar-decadently-enjoying-fame-and-fortune. That's why I didn't mention it.

quote:

---

The Pistols are flash over substance. It's neat flash, but I rarely listen to them anymore and I still go back to my Clash records. A lot. If someone tells you their favorite punk band is the Pistols, odds are real good they aren't a big punk fan.

---

Here's the thing. No doubt The Clash are a far superior band. One of my favorites. But even if the Sex Pistols merely are an "entry point" and even if it was manipulation, they shocked the shite out of the mainstream. And I think Lydon and co. were legit in the beginning even if they were co-opted. Plus, like I said, Bollocks has songs that are a lot of fun and rock.

Also, maybe because of my age, I think some of the delineation between what is true punk and what is not is horseshite. Like all music, the appreciation is largely subjective.

X is my favorite punk band with Husker Du a close second.

quote:

---

When I really want to get my punk fix I turn to the 80s (Black Flag, Minor Threat, Descendents, Minutemen, Husker Du, The Queers, Screeching Weasel, etc.)

---

You left out the two or three most prolific of that era

FEAR
Dead Kennedys
X
and I will throw out the Vandals and Circle Jerks

quote:

---

You left out the two or three most prolific of that era

---

Agreed. Just my particular preference I suppose. I really like DK though.