Playlist 2: Punk: The Unholy Trinity and More

In our second end-of-week playlist following Matt Gardner‘s introduction to funk last week, Sound Screen again embraces the wondrous Spotify to provide you with some of the best tracks as selected by our contributors who set their own theme. This week, David Ellis presents Punk: The Unholy Trinity and More.

While there are many prophets of punk, there is an unholy trinity that looks down on all from above and transcends the Atlantic Ocean as easily as a safety pin goes through cheek. Each of these bands took the genre, roared a guttural unrepentant curse word in its face and sent it on its way with a sense of worth, identity and self esteem, but most of all a barely concealed disillusionment at all established orders.

The first of this three are The Ramones, the iconoclasts of the DIY ‘play three chords fast’ philosophy. Hailing from New York, they emerged as the famed house band of CBGB’s and toured virtually non-stop for 20 years; they are seminal to the ethics and aura of the genre. Arguably one of the most influential acts of all time in American music (ever wondered where Green Day got the idea from…), they played bubblegum rock with a side order of savage distortion.

If The Ramones were the ethos of punk, then the Sex Pistols were the image and attitude. A snarling mess of unconventional antagonism and barely articulated fury on their better days (they’ve had their butter days too… sorry), they only actually managed one album, but as much as anything it was the tsunami-sized waves that those eleven alternative anthems made that really counts.

Completing the unholy trinity is the ethos and the conscience of The Clash, perhaps the greatest political sloganeers of the 20th century. No other band has converted youthful anger and frustration into such eloquent odes of barracking the man. Originally purveyors of simple rock ‘n’ roll on 78 rotation, they went on to pioneer the inclusion of reggae, dub, blues, rockabilly, beat poetry, ska, rock and even rap, opening out punk-rock to everyone from all contours, colours and creeds.

Any new punk band that doesn’t cite Bad Religion as a major influence should have their mohicans removed and be shown the door to the nearest dole queue. Greg Graffin has been turning out the most insightful and adroit lyrics for over two decades now and seems to be getting better as he goes.

Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Distillers proved that girls also do punk, and do it well. The Banshees collaboration roll-call is a who’s who of the early punk scene in London and they demonstrate the evolution towards the 80s post-punk scene as well as anyone. The Distillers were once the vehicle for the melodious rasping bawl of Brody Dalle-Homme, which is reason enough to listen to them.

Green Day… the purists will cry out against this one, but this is a beginner’s guide and they are a band worthy of their dues and plenty of attention. It’s painting by numbers punk, so no band more belongs in a new punk-rock collection and we don’t need to say anything more about them.

There are four reasons why Rancid are perhaps the most critical band on this list. The first is that they are studious pupils of punk and have taken on board all the lessons of the bands above (except Green Day). The second is that they have been unwavering standard-bearers for the brand. Three: Matt Freeman is quite possibly the greatest bass player in the world (Squarepusher, no. Flea, no. I implore you to check out a live version of ‘Maxwell Murder’). Finally, they made up half of Operation Ivy, and if those four have left you still sitting on the fence, lead guitar Lars Freidriksen is the most punk man ever.

By David Ellis

Full track listing:

The Ramones – Rockaway Beach
The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
Sex Pistols – Anarchy in the UK
The Clash – Career Opportunities
The Clash – Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad
Bag Religion – Kyoto Now!
Bad Religion – New Dark Ages
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Playground Twist
The Distillers – City of Angels
The Distillers – Young Crazed Peeling
Green Day – Welcome to Paradise
Green Day – Nice Guys Finish Last
Rancid – Antennas
Rancid – Maxwell Murder