Henry Rollins writes a column for the LA Weekly, and yesterday, in conjunction with the website’s list of the 20 Greatest Punk Albums of All-Time, the former Black Flag shouter shared his favorite albums, too. He writes:
This list is in no particular order. Lists like these often get confusing because they beg the question, what is Punk? Could Wire, also be considered Post Punk? Where do you put bands like PIL, Joy Division, Television, Patti Smith, Suicide, and Killing Joke? What about Gang of Four, 999 and the Banshees?
For me, as a lean definition, I go by the classic UK 1977 graduating class, Pistols, Clash, etc., and go from there. Beyond that, there were a lot of great Punk Rock bands who never made full albums. The Machines, The Killjoys, Some Chicken, and countless others. So many great bands and great records in this genre and the surrounding/resulting genres. Best bet is just to get the music playing for as long as possible. (Via)
To answer your questions, Henry: punk is Avril Lavigne; Wire is post-punk, yes; I’d put bands like Public Image Limited, Joy Division, Television, Patti Smith, Suicide, and Killing Joke below Green Day and Blink-182; the same with Gang of Four, 999, and the Banshees, because MTV taught me how to be A PUNK ROCK DUDE. Oh wait, I forgot, this is actually a good list of punk albums. Never mind about that Avril stuff. F*CK YEAH THE GERMS.
The Clash – The Clash
Generation X – Generation X
The Adverts – Crossing the Red Sea
X-Ray Spex – Germ Free Adolescents
Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks
The Ramones – The Ramones
Eater – The Album
The Damned – Damned Damned Damned
The Fall – Hex Enduction Hour
The Buzzcocks – Another Music In A Different Kitchen
The Saints – (I’m) Stranded
UK Subs – Another Kind of Blues
Wire – Pink Flag
The Lurkers – Fulham Fallout
Alternate TV – The Image Has Cracked
The Ruts – The Crack
The Germs – GI
X – Los Angeles
The Minutemen – The Punchline
Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material
That is an excellent list — mixed evenly between obvious choices (The Clash, Never Mind the Bollocks, The Ramones, etc.) and pseudo-obscurities (The Crack, Fulham Fallout, The Album). I’m a little disappointed in the lack of Hüsker Dü and Fugazi, but I’m not going to voice my concern to Rollins. I like my skull right where it is, thank you.
(via Getty Image) (Via LA Weekly)
