Punk Rock & Hardcore Strongly Enriched the '80s; Too Bad I Wasn't Paying Attention
Wednesday July 18, 2007
When I was in high school, believe it or not, I wasn't listening to punk rock or hardcore. In fact, it would be nearly 15 years before I listened to anything more than just an occasional smattering of punk-ish alternative rock. Still, at age 15 when I walked the halls of my fairly typical suburban high school, I always noticed with some wonder the dangerous-looking kids (sadly, I looked extremely safe) wearing shirts promoting their countercultural worship of bands like the Misfits, the Cramps, Dead Kennedys or Gang Green. I was intrigued but somehow never enough to stop listening to Bad Company long enough to change the damn tape.
Anyway, I don't regret this anymore, because at age 30 a friend of mine showed me the error of my ways, and since then I've become a rather encyclopedic disciple for old-school punk rock, if I may say so myself. Even so, my list of the Top 10 Punk Rock & Hardcore Bands of the '80s suffers from weighty omissions and certainly demonstrates a short-sightedness common to any subject anyone thinks he or she has mastered. But it was a lot of fun to compile, so much so that this self-help novice actually managed to enjoy the process for once. Whether you're a newbie or a punk pioneer from way back, chime in with your own recollections about how punk rock changed your life. And send me a t-shirt or two while you're at it.
Comments
You should track down the near mythical “Neo Neo” (if you can find their bootlegs), New York area denizens who tore up the scene back then. My older brother used to wait for each new issue of the Village Voice to plan his week around where they were playing. I hated them at the time, thought they sounded like whales mating to Led Zep-like bass and drums…but I completely “get it” now (sometimes it takes a while to sink in). Of special note should be Rick del Savio (Salvio maybe?), who was a blistering guitarist and had a freakishly funny stage patter. See if you can find them, they’ll be worth the looking.
It’s not a bad list. The best/worst thing about making a list like this is that so many people were doing exciting/innovating stuff that nobody is gonna agree with what should make this list. For example, I’d love to take you to task for not having Negative Approach here, or Husker Du, or your acknowledged omissions of the Minutemen, Descendents and Black Flag, but really, the canon is so open to interpretation.
One thing I did note, though, is that your list is entirely an American list. What about the Subhumans? The Adicts? The Exploited?