Resisting the temptation to end the show with Sid's "My Way", tonight's last song is the Damned's best single, another Brian James composition that defies explanation. Don't ask me, anyway, what it means. But the Captain Sensible bass line is still the first thing that Undertones drummer Billy Doherty wants me to play in soundchecks and practices. I, of course, oblige.
There may be a stewards inquiry into The Times appearance tonight - too acoustic-ey, not enough fuzz guitar, but the song's the work of Ed Ball, someone who was there when the Television Personalities and The O'Levels and (new name to me) The Teenage Filmstars were formed. Hats off to Ed, if you're wearing one. Hats off to everyone who listened to the show and who read these occasional ramblings.
Aren't punk rock records great, eh ? Or is that just me ?
Ramones - Glad To See You Go
Stranglers - Duchess
The Times - Cloud Over Liverpool
Swell Maps - Midget Submarines
Sex Pistols - (Don't Give Me) No LipÌýChild
Frantic Elevators -Every Day I Die
B-52s - Dance This Mess Around
Boy Hairdressers - Golden Shower
X - Your Phones Off The Hook But You're Not
Chills - Pink Frost
Splodgenessabounds - Michael Booth's Talking Bum
Animals & Men - It's Hip
New York Dolls - Looking For A Kiss
Damned - Neat Neat Neat
I remember buying a copy of The Best Clash Single Ever ! in Good Vibrations shop in the summer of 1978. At least that's what my memory tells me. It could have been someone else buying it in some other shop but it's my favourite Clash single, even though there are some inconsistencies in the sentiments of the song. OK, maybe not inconsistencies but why does Joe Strummer look down his nose at Ken Boothe in favour of Dillinger ? And since when did 'Four Tops All Night' become a term of musical abuse ? Joe's not round to answer , of course. WMIHP is still the only punk rock single that I know all the words of. (Ramones songs don't count, because 'second verse same as the first' was not just a cute lyric, it was the basis for much of their compositions).
Clash - White Man In Hammersmith Palais
Flaming Groovies - She Said Yeah
Rich & Famous - Machine Gun
Wasps - Teenage Treats
Buzzcocks - Get On Our Own
Kleenex - Ain’t You
Jilted John - Baz’s Party
Alleycats - Nothing Means Nothing Anymore
That Petrol Emotion - Fleshprint
Specials - I Can’t Stand It
Cramps - Domino
And The Native Hipsters - There Goes Concorde Again
The Bush - To Die Alone
Stooges - Search & Destroy
There are several veterans of the PunikÌýWars who wear it well, among them Siouxsie Sioux. In the recent Punk Britannia series, she didn't look much different from her high kickin' days with the Banshees. Good cheekbones go a long way, as does a decent tune like tonight's opener. Punk rock more than goth, which is how it should be.
Is Can's hit single 'I Want More' krautrock ? It can't really be. I mean, they even appeared on Top Of The Pops with it. Look it up on the internet and marvel at Noel Edmonds who had obviouslyÌýjust come from a wedding that morning, judging by his tie.
Ìý
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Love In A Void
Subway Sect - Don’t Split It
Can - I Want More
Mekons - Johnny Miner
Art Objects Ìý- Showing Off To Impress The Girls
Lester & The Brew - Bad Day In The City/ Eyesight Bad
Television - Days
Mumps - Gimme Gimme
Neurotics - Angela
Raincoats - Lola
Seeds - I Tell Myself
Slits - Instant Hit
Art Attacks - Punk Rock Stars
The Milkshakes - Love Can Lose
