As far as proto-punk bands go, The Dead Boys is a real blind spot for me. I need to revisit their stuff; thank you for the reminder. Sound-wise, they're just kind of bad Kiss, but with an attitude... sort of like NY Dolls or MC5, or even Alice Cooper.
As far as proto-punk bands go, The Dead Boys is a real blind spot for me. I need to revisit their stuff; thank you for the reminder. Sound-wise, they're just kind of bad Kiss, but with an attitude... sort of like NY Dolls or MC5, or even Alice Cooper.
The Dead Boys were pretty dang real. Seymour's Sire can hang their hat on that: With the glaring exception of the Tuff Darts, Sire's '76-'78 roster was riddled with the influential, the dedicated, and the forever-remembered as key to "the scene," "the movement," whatever you call it i.e. Talking Heads, Richard Hell, The Rezillos (well, OK), Plastic Bertrand (oops), The Undertones, The Pretenders a hair later...rarely a miss for Stein and Co.
Labels like A&M (with the Police, Joe Jackson, and you could argue The Stranglers) and Chrysalis (Blondie, Billy Idol) seemed to all have elements of exploiting the moment (punk? new wave? A valid argument element). I'M not saying all that, because I realize each has talent and great songs to offer (many I like!)--but, when the history of the moment is written, there will be few who make the final, influential cut.
The spotlight that exposes posers and exploiters is at once blinding as it is revealing. Why didn't Stiv and the lads catch on? A great debate lingers: Lack of Warner Bros. promo? No viable hit single to pitch AM? Too rough for the flaccid Fleetwood Mac-riddled FM? A glutted market for what radio and retail perceived as an insistent and confusing whirlwind of product?
I just finished Greg Graffin's autobiography, so a lot of the "post-punk" (nonsense phrase) era is on my mind. Graffin talks about Todd Rundgren (because of course he does); apparently Bad Religion recorded an album w/Todd in the early 90s, but the book focuses on the earlier era as well, as the "winners" and "losers" were sort of being decided and sorted out.
Graffin definitely implies that the label/promotion has much to do with a band's legacy, and I certainly agree with this. I think you're onto something with WB slacking, but then again, it's tough to figure out where they would have gotten much more love in a weird time in such flux.
I've touched on that dynamic somewhere FR&B. While the move, of Sire, from ABC to Warner Bros. (around '76, after the first 2 Ramones albums were released by ABC, then re-released on and for Warner's catalog) can be seen as nothing but a positive move (with regard to company cache, size, reach, and rep), there was also the very real notion of Warner being far too immersed (and monetarily motivated, granted) to keep massaging the star-making machinery of Fleetwood Macs, et al.
If the marginal acts on the parent company, not to mention affiliates, couldn't somehow manufacture interest or "buzz" on their own product on their own, The Label of The Bunny may not bother to lift a promo finger. And, yes, the late '70s was bizzzzzzy! Disco, Urban Cowboy pop/country fad, punk, the advent of videos (vid-forward artists like Bowie were already making promo vids for record stores in the late '70s, pre-MTV)....I worked in one that played them!...."Boys Keep Swinging" was one! You're right.....who coulda if WB didn't with all that going on?
Hey, thanks for reminding me that they exist! I agree, the choices represent what I see in these bands (or even individual songs) as proto-punk, but it's ephemeral just like punk is. Playlists are really fun to make.
Rock critics and their persistent desire to name things (including genres) notwithstanding, any Led Zep might draw arguments from some re: is it "proto-punk" (or, at least, where does it fit?).
A) The songs you chose certainly fit, plus (and here's how I ultimately judge whether an artist or song peg might fit into a genre hole)---B) can the artists in the genre be pictured listening to (in this case) those Led Zep songs? Can I picture one/some/all the Dead Boys listening to "Communication Breakdown" and "Living Loving Maid"? Hell yeah! And, Wanda Jackson? Inspired choice............niceтЬФ
Yeah, Led Zeppelin I has very, very strong proto-punk cred in my mind. It's just that metal sort of already claimed Zep (also silly!) as one of the grandfathers of the genre.
That's the funny thing about bands like Led Zeppelin, though: they tend to create multiple genres, or maybe more accurately, they participate in the creation of multiple genres.
You're right....a little-known feather in Led Zep's cap. They're far more than a hard rock/metal precursor! And, Alice? Again, too often labelled as "just" a metal flagpole, he was certainly a punk informer, as well as (if you really knew he was a beer-drinking "Leave it to Beaver" binger in the day), a "regular Joe" who proved you don't have to BE a Satanist to look and sound evil (hey, it's show biz....and, he knew it, palling around with "establishment" entertainers on a regular basis). Plus, you're show biz if you hang with Dali, and hire The Amazing Randi to help you stage your nightly hanging and guillotine-ing!ЁЯШ▒
I love the Amazing Randi. I'm sorry I never got to meet him.
I did get to see Alice Cooper live, though! It was like 30 years after I first heard "Eighteen", but it was still amazing. He's a great showman.
Side note: another great live show, and another musician who continues to inspire generations while defying classification: Weird Al. Incredible performance!
Yay! Let me know if you're interested in old-school punk, thrash, metal, or crust. I've got one for each of those genres, but maybe that's another conversation for another day.
Try this on and see if it fits, Andrew: How about "old-school punk," and if this'll also give you a chance to write about music (which it doesn't appear you do much, if any), write some thoughts about a couple/few of the songs on the List (when you first heard them, why you like them, perhaps their context with similar songs/artists).
I'd love to have that be an FR&B guest post (as I've done before, I could also add my 2c to it, too). Yours (or yours with my added content) could also be a post for your subbies, so you could get some scheduled mileage from it on your site!
Thanks for the history lesson Brad! I knew the song but not the band...and even still I didnтАЩt put together that this was the sample that the Beasties used in тАЬAn Open Letter to NYCтАЭ (controversially one of my favorite albums by them.) What a fun ride! Now I also want to check out AndrewтАЩs playlist. Your comments section is always communal and lovely.
Thanks, Jami! Andrew's Playlist is bangin'! Full of ones you'd expect, but some really cool, surprising, and appropriate selections! As I told someone last week about our comment section:
My goal is to "train" FR&B readers to check back often (as well as contribute!)....the comment section is where the action is after the article is posted! In true FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE tradition, our comment section is our after-party! Welcome past the rope line, everyone!
As far as proto-punk bands go, The Dead Boys is a real blind spot for me. I need to revisit their stuff; thank you for the reminder. Sound-wise, they're just kind of bad Kiss, but with an attitude... sort of like NY Dolls or MC5, or even Alice Cooper.
The Dead Boys were pretty dang real. Seymour's Sire can hang their hat on that: With the glaring exception of the Tuff Darts, Sire's '76-'78 roster was riddled with the influential, the dedicated, and the forever-remembered as key to "the scene," "the movement," whatever you call it i.e. Talking Heads, Richard Hell, The Rezillos (well, OK), Plastic Bertrand (oops), The Undertones, The Pretenders a hair later...rarely a miss for Stein and Co.
Labels like A&M (with the Police, Joe Jackson, and you could argue The Stranglers) and Chrysalis (Blondie, Billy Idol) seemed to all have elements of exploiting the moment (punk? new wave? A valid argument element). I'M not saying all that, because I realize each has talent and great songs to offer (many I like!)--but, when the history of the moment is written, there will be few who make the final, influential cut.
The spotlight that exposes posers and exploiters is at once blinding as it is revealing. Why didn't Stiv and the lads catch on? A great debate lingers: Lack of Warner Bros. promo? No viable hit single to pitch AM? Too rough for the flaccid Fleetwood Mac-riddled FM? A glutted market for what radio and retail perceived as an insistent and confusing whirlwind of product?
I just finished Greg Graffin's autobiography, so a lot of the "post-punk" (nonsense phrase) era is on my mind. Graffin talks about Todd Rundgren (because of course he does); apparently Bad Religion recorded an album w/Todd in the early 90s, but the book focuses on the earlier era as well, as the "winners" and "losers" were sort of being decided and sorted out.
Graffin definitely implies that the label/promotion has much to do with a band's legacy, and I certainly agree with this. I think you're onto something with WB slacking, but then again, it's tough to figure out where they would have gotten much more love in a weird time in such flux.
I've touched on that dynamic somewhere FR&B. While the move, of Sire, from ABC to Warner Bros. (around '76, after the first 2 Ramones albums were released by ABC, then re-released on and for Warner's catalog) can be seen as nothing but a positive move (with regard to company cache, size, reach, and rep), there was also the very real notion of Warner being far too immersed (and monetarily motivated, granted) to keep massaging the star-making machinery of Fleetwood Macs, et al.
If the marginal acts on the parent company, not to mention affiliates, couldn't somehow manufacture interest or "buzz" on their own product on their own, The Label of The Bunny may not bother to lift a promo finger. And, yes, the late '70s was bizzzzzzy! Disco, Urban Cowboy pop/country fad, punk, the advent of videos (vid-forward artists like Bowie were already making promo vids for record stores in the late '70s, pre-MTV)....I worked in one that played them!...."Boys Keep Swinging" was one! You're right.....who coulda if WB didn't with all that going on?
Brad, I don't know if you can see this playlist or not, but I've been working on this one for a while now (and I added a Dead Boys song today!): https://www.pandora.com/playlist/PL:107738947530010181:74638688
I can see it! Great choices, Andrew! Some are a bit bold, but they all fit. The Dead Boys comin' to the party is the cherry on the sundae!
Hey, thanks for reminding me that they exist! I agree, the choices represent what I see in these bands (or even individual songs) as proto-punk, but it's ephemeral just like punk is. Playlists are really fun to make.
Rock critics and their persistent desire to name things (including genres) notwithstanding, any Led Zep might draw arguments from some re: is it "proto-punk" (or, at least, where does it fit?).
A) The songs you chose certainly fit, plus (and here's how I ultimately judge whether an artist or song peg might fit into a genre hole)---B) can the artists in the genre be pictured listening to (in this case) those Led Zep songs? Can I picture one/some/all the Dead Boys listening to "Communication Breakdown" and "Living Loving Maid"? Hell yeah! And, Wanda Jackson? Inspired choice............niceтЬФ
Yeah, Led Zeppelin I has very, very strong proto-punk cred in my mind. It's just that metal sort of already claimed Zep (also silly!) as one of the grandfathers of the genre.
That's the funny thing about bands like Led Zeppelin, though: they tend to create multiple genres, or maybe more accurately, they participate in the creation of multiple genres.
You're right....a little-known feather in Led Zep's cap. They're far more than a hard rock/metal precursor! And, Alice? Again, too often labelled as "just" a metal flagpole, he was certainly a punk informer, as well as (if you really knew he was a beer-drinking "Leave it to Beaver" binger in the day), a "regular Joe" who proved you don't have to BE a Satanist to look and sound evil (hey, it's show biz....and, he knew it, palling around with "establishment" entertainers on a regular basis). Plus, you're show biz if you hang with Dali, and hire The Amazing Randi to help you stage your nightly hanging and guillotine-ing!ЁЯШ▒
I love the Amazing Randi. I'm sorry I never got to meet him.
I did get to see Alice Cooper live, though! It was like 30 years after I first heard "Eighteen", but it was still amazing. He's a great showman.
Side note: another great live show, and another musician who continues to inspire generations while defying classification: Weird Al. Incredible performance!
Okay this playlist is awesome! Wanda Jackson, Little Richard AND Iggy and the Dolls. Nicely done.
I know, right? In case Andrew doesn't see your raves, Jami, kindly leave a reply or two under his comments!ЁЯСПЁЯСП
Yay! Let me know if you're interested in old-school punk, thrash, metal, or crust. I've got one for each of those genres, but maybe that's another conversation for another day.
Try this on and see if it fits, Andrew: How about "old-school punk," and if this'll also give you a chance to write about music (which it doesn't appear you do much, if any), write some thoughts about a couple/few of the songs on the List (when you first heard them, why you like them, perhaps their context with similar songs/artists).
I'd love to have that be an FR&B guest post (as I've done before, I could also add my 2c to it, too). Yours (or yours with my added content) could also be a post for your subbies, so you could get some scheduled mileage from it on your site!
Thoughts?
Brad, let's pick this up via email! I have some ideas.
Thanks for the history lesson Brad! I knew the song but not the band...and even still I didnтАЩt put together that this was the sample that the Beasties used in тАЬAn Open Letter to NYCтАЭ (controversially one of my favorite albums by them.) What a fun ride! Now I also want to check out AndrewтАЩs playlist. Your comments section is always communal and lovely.
Thanks, Jami! Andrew's Playlist is bangin'! Full of ones you'd expect, but some really cool, surprising, and appropriate selections! As I told someone last week about our comment section:
My goal is to "train" FR&B readers to check back often (as well as contribute!)....the comment section is where the action is after the article is posted! In true FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE tradition, our comment section is our after-party! Welcome past the rope line, everyone!