I haven鈥檛 got a copy of the original Clash single, Capital Radio. Or was it an EP ? It was free with copies of the first Clash LP, from the Spring of 1977 鈥 I 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 buy the LP until 1979, having listened over the shoulders of my friends before that. No freebies in my copy. So the version of Capital Radio is a re-recorded version (containing original members of the band) which they put out a few years later. Still a rockin鈥 good demolition of London鈥檚 radio station. The days when it was a big deal to get punk rock records heard outside your living room.
Also a welcome return to the Yacht鈥檚 first single for Radar Records, which I have difficulty tracking down on CD. That鈥檚 why there are crackles which can be heard by those who turn the radio up loud.
Clash 鈥 Capital Radio
Smiths - Girl Afraid
Yachts 鈥 Look Back In Love Not In Anger
Teenage Jesus & The Jerks - I Woke Up Dreaming
Elvis Costello 鈥 The Beat
Plasmatics 鈥 Butcher Baby
Devo 鈥 Through Being Cool
Steve Treatment 鈥 Tempest Fashion Baby
Mekons 鈥 Prince Of Darkness
Fargo 鈥 Sunny Day Blue
Stiff Little Fingers 鈥 Doesn鈥檛 Make It Alright
Destroy All Monsters -November 22 1963
Pop Rivits 鈥 Dream of 63
Joy Division 鈥 No Love Lost
Some have described 1976 as a Year Zero in Punk Rock. In capital letters, no less. A cut off point for records. No Elvis Beatles or the Rolling Stones, said the Clash. Yes, but some music did survive the cull and I don't mean the usual Stooges, New York Dolls and MC5 trinity. The Damned's New Rose opens with Dave Vanian asking the age old question 鈥淚s She Really Going Out With Him?鈥 which is the opening line to the Shangri-La's 'Leader Of The Pack'.
Punk rock fans knew that The Shangri Las were cool 鈥 they didn't need to read it in NME. They just had to listen to the records. Of course, the New York Dolls began 'Trash' with another Shangri Las intro 鈥 鈥淲hen I Say I'm In Love You'd Best Believe I'm In Love L-U-V' which is possibly where the Damned got the idea. I live in hope that some band will start a record with someone saying 'I've Got A Cousin Called Kevin'. I may be waiting some time.
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Damned 鈥 New Rose
X Ray Spex 鈥 Germ Free Adolescence
Orange Juice 鈥 Louise Louise
Adam & Ants 鈥 Catholic Day
Buzzcocks 鈥 Friends Of Mine
Swell Maps 鈥 Spitfire Parade
Records 鈥 Starry Eyes
Jelly Babies 鈥 Roller Skate
Feelies 鈥 Moscow Nights
Farmers Boys 鈥 Something I Ate
Victims 鈥 Television Addict
Lori & The Chameleons 鈥 Touch
Talking Heads 鈥 Warning Sign
Velvet Underground 鈥 Run Run Run 听
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I鈥檓 sure there鈥檚 a Daily Mail article somewhere in cyberspace criticising rock and roll for promoting the use of drugs 鈥 I won鈥檛 go into the long list but can I present one song which would put you off the notion of illicit substances ? I give you 鈥淐hinese Rocks鈥 written by one drug user, Dee Dee Ramone and sung by another,听 Johnny Thunders. Two men who wouldn鈥檛 look out of place in a warning poster about looking after your health. I have heard that Dee Dee presented the song听 to the rest of his Ramone brothers first, but Johnny disapproved of the drug theme. I鈥檓 not sure why, as lines like 鈥楨verything is in the pawn shop鈥听 and 鈥楳y girlfriend鈥檚 crying In the shower stall鈥 don鈥檛 paint a rosy picture of life with a needle.听 Elsewhere on the show, another drug song 鈥 Bo Diddley鈥檚 鈥楶ills鈥 reinvented by the New York Dolls and copied note for note by the Lurkers.听 Imitation is indeed a form of flattery.
Lurkers 鈥 Pills
Heartbreakers 鈥 Chinese Rocks
Corsairs 鈥 Wait For Me
Nick Lowe 鈥 Half A Boy And Half A Man
Cortinas 鈥 I Don鈥檛 Really Want To Get Involved
Rezillos 鈥 Destination Venus
Tea Set 鈥 Sing Song
McCarthy 鈥 The Well Of Loneliness
UK Subs 鈥 500cc
Scriiti Politti 鈥 Confidence
Go-Gos 鈥 Tonight
Josef K 鈥 The Missionary
The Fall 鈥 Fiery Jack
Sting Rays 鈥 Joe Strummers Wallet
Stranglers - Waltzinblack
