re: Post your five fave American Punk bands

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Seems like most people here are naming punk bands from the 70's and 80's. Are those really your favorites or just the only ones you know? I mean I appreciate the classics as much as the next guy but most of those bands sucked arse. Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys were ground breaking because it was so anti-establishmentary but was pretty pathetic in term of quality music and really shouldn't be listened to anymore except for research and historical perspective.

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Because 80s hardcore is awesome. Musical quality? This ain't jazz (though I would argue Fugazi has some serious musical chops -- listen to their later stuff like In On the Killtaker). Mid 80s is punk because it was funny as hell and DIY. Anyone could, and did, form a band. There was no pretense of being on the radio because the thought of this stuff making it to the radio was frankly insane.

I left off the Stooges because I think they are pre-punk. It's hard to nail down when punk started, but I like to use the publication of Punk! magazine in New York in 1977, to codify the CBGB's scene. The Stooges were essentially broken up by this time. I think they are one of the foundations of puk (along with the MC5, another Detroit band), but still pre-punk.

Love Mission of Burma. Left them off for no good reason. The Huskers I left off because A) I liked the Mats better (blasphemy, I know) and B) the Minutemen are my go to SST band. I was trying to cut a wide swath of bands. Both are great calls, though.

I would say punk is now played out and the modern bands suck, but that's just "back in my day". I just don't relate to the new bands because I'm an adult. I like the older bands because I grew up with them, and they spoke to me when I was 15.

Since they haven't been mentioned, it killed me to leave off Flipper.

Baloo, I'll pay you 1k with funds raised from the SECrant to ban him for that.

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Rancid

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Try too hard to sound like English punk - the Clash in particular.

All music is derivative but they're just too derivative to be considered a "top 5"....granted this is all subjective and the albums are listenable (good).

This is a really difficult list for me to make because there is so much that I love, but I'll give it a whirl... (there's no way I can keep it at 5)

In no particular order:

Rancid - "...And Out Come the Wolves" is the reason I got into punk in the first place.

Minor Threat/Fugazi - For genre nazis, fugazi is considered a post-hardcore band, but they still count in my opinion. Minor Threat speaks for itself.

Paint It Black - Hardcore band that came out of the ashes of Lifetime and Kid Dynamite (also 2 of my favs). Anesthesia Atheists in Foxholes Memorial Day

Pennywise - Love em

Social Distortion - Nothing needs to be said about these guys that you don't already know.

Dropkick Murphys - Seen them 12 times in 6 different states

The Templars - S.H.A.R.P. Oi! out of New York. Some of the best shows I've ever seen

Against Me! - Love em.

Gorilla Biscuits - New Direction

Throw Rag - Do they Count? Hang Up (Live)

Gogol Bordello - Yes, they count.

Of course the obligatory ones on the list include Black Flag, DK's, FEAR, X, Ramones, Stooges, Vandals, Subhumans, NOFX, Bad Religion, Bad Brains, etc.

There's just too many that I love equally, but I tried to include some that haven't made the list. If we were to include Psychobilly, British/Irish Oi! and Punk bands, and bands that thread the needle between punk and metal, my list would go for days.

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Rancid

Try too hard to sound like English punk - the Clash in particular.

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I'm not sure how hard they try at it, but they def have that influence...

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Listen the the Clash's "Guns of Brixton" and you'll see where Tim Armstrong got his singing style

Im familiar with the Clash and I understand that they were an influence on Rancid... I just think there is enough of a difference, in sound, to say they can stand on their own feet as a band. I dont rank them as a top 5 punk band, but I have enjoyed their music...

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I don't see it with VU. They don't have much in common with many American punk bands that came later. Many bands cite the Velvets as a huge influence, but they tend to be artier bands. If we're going back that far to proto-punk, the Kinks had far more influence on the future punk scene.

Lou Reed has never really cast in his lot with the punks. He's pretty great, but he always kept that scene at arm's length. Iggy embraced the punk thing far more.

I don't know, I guess if Wire is punk, so are the Velvets. I could be talked into it. But it does lack that aggression. Then again, so did Television.

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I agree, I dont see them as punk...

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I don't see it with VU. They don't have much in common with many American punk bands that came later. Many bands cite the Velvets as a huge influence, but they tend to be artier bands. If we're going back that far to proto-punk, the Kinks had far more influence on the future punk scene.

Lou Reed has never really cast in his lot with the punks. He's pretty great, but he always kept that scene at arm's length. Iggy embraced the punk thing far more.

I don't know, I guess if Wire is punk, so are the Velvets. I could be talked into it. But it does lack that aggression. Then again, so did Television.

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You just described the problem with genre labels. I hear what you are saying and agree, though it is very debatable...punk with more edge/aggression vs more pop sound leading to what later became "New Wave". VU tended towards the latter.

re: Notice what bands some are posting here as punk. Many are not prototypical.

I completely agree with you that they are their own band with their own sound. The Clash influence is undeniable, but they take their influence from many different bands and genres...

I was simply remarking that Tim takes his vocal style directly from Joe Strummer.

Rancid is still one of my favorite bands. They are the reason I started listening to punk when I was in middle school in the first place.