My Favorite British Punk Bands
Submitted by judge on Tue, 05/08/2001 - 12:46
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- 1. Elvis Costello - He once said that he considered himself a punk at one time, and I'm not arguing with this man. If he truly was a punk, he was only one ever so briefly. For that freaking flash of time, however, he showed just how intelligent, bitter, and explosive punk could be, even when the band did know how to play their instruments.
- 2. The Jam - They pulled the gold from the brightest British invasion and American R&B bands and somehow made it sound punk. Their singles are brilliant, even if America refused to play them.
- 3. Public Image Ltd. - One of the best-kept punk secrets is that somewhere around 1978, Johnny stopped being rotten and formed a group even better than his first band, the Pistols. Along with the Clash, this was one of the first bands to make those first breathtaking steps from punk towards post-punk and alternative rock.
- 4. The Damned - Most people don't know that this band beat the Sex Pistols to the punch by a month or so and outlasted them by much more than that. If the Damned reside in hell, sign me up now.
- 5. The Clash - For all the praise their epic London Calling earns (and it deserves much of it), The Clash were perhaps an even stronger singles band than album band. If only they had hung on longer.
- 6. Buzzcocks - Ever fallen in love? I need say no more.
- 7. The Sex Pistols - We know now they were firing blanks, but what a lovely sound that one first shot made. If you listen with half an ear, you can still hear the echo.
- 8. The Undertones - Glam, punk, pop, and damn it all, Irish to boot.
- 9. The Adverts - If they had ever figured out how to carry on after Crossing the Red Sea, they might be at the top of this list. They didn't, and they're still at number 9. That says volumes.
- 10. X-Ray Spex - Blink and you missed them, but they honestly played punk with saxophones mixed in there somewhere, and they still sounded ticked. You have to hear it at least once.
Author Comments:
The British punk cannon has been seriously out of order for too long. Here's the record set straight.
Great list! While I'm not entirely sure what I think about calling Elvis Costello an outright punk, I actually agree with much on this list. Public Image and the Damned are ignored entirely too much in the light of The Clash and The Sex Pistols, and I'm very glad to find them on your list.
This list is a lot of fun.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I always say Elvis was punk, but then I am old enough to remember when he first started playing and he was definitely part of the punk movement. Glad to see the Undertones, I have not thought of them or X-ray Spex in a long time. I saw the Undertones at a little club in Boston when I was around 18. Lots of fun but I dont think my Irish friends were all that proud. But then the Irish lack a sense of Humor on some matters.
You remember the good stuff! Still a lot of tasty British punk most people haven't heard.
I'm not really sure about Elvis being a punk, but as I keyed, I ain't arguing with the man.
Zeep! Zeep! Zeep!
I've just discovered this great list.   I certainly agree with most of it, and I remember Elvis Costello certainly did consider himslef a punk in the early days (you can hear it in his first album).   Good call on Public Image Ltd (I bought 'Public Image' when it was first released - I love 'Annalisa' and 'Fodderstompf'), and the X-Ray Spex (you have to hear Poly Styrene at least once - I recommend 'The Day The World Turned Day-Glo' and 'Oh Bondage! Up Yours!').   I would, however, put The Damned way down my list, and replace with Stiff Little Fingers -   see my concert calendar.     I might also include The Rezillos on my list.