I refuse to talk about the future gas station bargain bin DVD known as the CBGB movie. But I will fully salute whoever was in charge of putting the soundtrack together — it’s hard to hate on something that includes songs from the likes of Television, MC5, the Velvet Underground, the Dictators, and the Heartbreakers, or every mix CD I made for myself in high school. It’s an excellent place to start for those who are only seeing CBGB because of Ron Weasley. For everyone else, though, you can go deeper than the Ramones.
Below are eight great punk bands not on the soundtrack that helped make CBGB historic. Hey ho, let’s go.
The Shirts
Infuriatingly catchy power-pop. Cared about sounding bigger than most other bands on the scene.
The Fleshtones
Witty garage rock that begs to be pogoed to.
Bad Brains
I mean, come on. Stick to the first three albums, from Bad Brains to I Against I.
Warzone
Skinhead punks who called for an end of racism and encouraged women to get involved in a male-dominated genre.
X-Ray Spex
If you’ve never fallen in love with Poly Styrene, you’re doing something wrong.
The Damned
Arguably the most influential British punk band not named the Clash or the Sex Pistols. Very theatrical.
Kraut
The first independent band to ever be played on MTV. Much tougher than that description implies.
Reagan Youth
Hardcore punk pioneers that went to the same high school as the Ramones in Queens, New York.
(via Getty Image)
