“Missiles”, The Sound

This way: Missiles

The Sound were an English band, formed in South London in 1979 and dissolved in 1988. They were fronted by Adrian Borland, and evolved from his previous band, the Outsiders. The Sound made their debut with the EP Physical World in 1979. It was favourably received by NME and received airplay from DJ John Peel. More of their early recordings were later released as the album Propaganda in 1999.

[Spotify] Missiles

“Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King of Rock and Roll”, Long John Baldry

This way: Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King of Rock and Roll

Long JohnBaldry (1941 – 2005) was an English-Canadian blues singer and voice actor. In the 1960s, he was one of the first British vocalists to sing the blues in clubs and shared the stage with many British musicians including the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Before achieving stardom, Rod Stewart and Elton John were members of bands led by Baldry. Baldry was openly gay during the early 1960s, at least amongst his friends and industry peers. However, he did not make a formal public acknowledgement of this until the 1970s—possibly because until 1967 in Britain, male homosexuality was still a criminal offence that could lead to forced medication and/or jail time.

“Two Step”, Throwing Muses

This way: Two Step

The Real Ramona is a studio album by Throwing Muses, released in 1991. This is a great song from that record. 

[Spotify] Two Step

“Typical Girls”, The Slits

This way: Typical Girls

The Slits were a British post-punk band formed in London in 1976 by members of the groups The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The group's early line-up consisted of Ari Up (Ariane Forster) and Palmolive (who played briefly with Spizzenergi and later left to join The Raincoats), with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members Kate Korus and Suzy Gutsy. Their 1979 debut album, Cut, has been called one of the defining releases of punk.

[Spotify] Typical Girls

“The Flood in Color”, Joe Pug

This way: The Flood in Color

I don't usually shill for new, but Joe Pug has just released a fantastic new LP. Shown here is the title track, but really, any of the songs from this record do slay. He has a number of great albums at this point. I saw him live last year (thanks Jeremy!) and it was a fantastic show. This guy can really play the guitar. 

[Spotify] The Flood in Color

“The Passenger ”, Iggy Pop

This way: The Passenger

Iggy Pop, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor. He was the leader of influential band The Stooges, who were formed in 1967 and have disbanded and reunited multiple times since. He began a solo career with the 1977 albums The Idiot and Lust for Life, recorded in collaboration with David Bowie. He is well known for his outrageous and unpredictable stage antics. But he is also know as a great songwriter and performer. This is one of his finest from 1977.

[Spotify] The Passenger

Bonus cover version: The Passenger

“Brothers”, Hugo Largo

This way: Brothers

Hugo Largo was an American musical group formed in 1984, known for their unique lineup: two bass guitars, a violin and singer/performance artist Mimi Goese. Their sound has been characterized as art rock, dream pop, ambient and avant-rock. And what a great sound, really, there isn't a lot of music out there like this. 

[Spotify]  In your dreams

“I Got Mad”, Human Hands

This way: I Got Mad

Human Hands formed in 1978 from the nascent L.A. punk scene, but were more closely associated with what is loosely known as the Pasadena scene, bands with more of an art influence than the average L.A. punk band of the time. The original members were Dennis Duck, Juan Gomez, Bill Noland, Rick Potts and David Wiley. David Wiley, who sadly passed away in 1986, hailed from Phoenix and I knew him from the music scene there. He played in The Consumers, the first punk band from Phoenix. Human Hands were associated with the Los Angeles Free Music Society which put out releases and put on shows, Darker Skratcher is one of their stellar compilation releases. 

[Spotify] I Got Mad

“Birdhouse in Your Soul”, They Might Be Giants

This way: Birdhouse in Your Soul

Birdhouse in Your Soul is a song by American alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants. They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG expanded to include a backing band. I'll never forget the first time I heard this on the radio. I really was sure they were speaking directly to me with this song.

[Spotify] Birdhouse in Your Soul

“My Valuable Hunting Knife”, Guided by Voices

This way: My Valuable Hunting Knife

Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard, who founded the group with guitarists Mitch Mitchell, Tobin Sprout, Jim Pollard, and drummer Kevin Fennell. The "classic" lineup included these musicians along with bassist Greg Demos, who also has some song co-writing credits. Noted at first for their lo-fi aesthetic and typically Portastudio four-tracks-to-cassette production methods, Guided by Voices' music was influenced by post–British Invasion garage rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, punk rock and post-punk. The band has had a prolific output, releasing 28 full-length albums along with many other releases this could be one of the most prolific bands of all time. This song has more than one released version with different sounds. Is this my favorite band? it could be.

[Spotify] My Valuable Hunting Knife

“Kill for Love”, Chromatics

This way: Kill for Love

Chromatics is an American electronic music band from Portland, Oregon, formed in 2001. The band consists of Ruth Radelet (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), Adam Miller (guitar, vocoder), Nat Walker (drums, synthesizer), and Johnny Jewel (producer, multi-instrumentalist). The band originally featured a trademark sound indebted to punk and lo-fi that was described as "noisy" and "chaotic".[6] After numerous lineup changes, which left guitarist Adam Miller as the sole original member, the band began releasing material on the Italians Do It Better record label in 2007, with their style streamlined into an Italo disco-influenced sound.


[Spotify] Kill for Love

“Der Räuber und der Prinz”, D.A.F.

This way: Der Räuber und der Prinz

Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, D.A.F., or German American Friendship is an influential German electropunk/Neue Deutsche Welle band from Düsseldorf, formed in 1978. I love this bands sound, so sparse and unique even among the electronic music of the day. This song from 1981. 


[Spotify] Der Räuber und der Prinz

“Ex Lion Tamer”, Wire

This way: Ex Lion Tamer

Does it get any better than this? Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman (vocals, guitar), Graham Lewis (bass, vocals), Bruce Gilbert (guitar) and Robert Gotobed (drums). They were originally associated with the punk rock scene, appearing on The Roxy London WC2 album. Their debut album Pink Flag was very influential.

Wire are considered a definitive art punk and post-punk band, due to their richly detailed and atmospheric sound and obscure lyrical themes. They exhibited a steady development from an early noise rock style to a more complex, structured sound involving increased use of guitar effects and synthesizers (1978's Chairs Missing and 1979's 154). The band gained a reputation for experimenting with song arrangements throughout its career.

[Spotify] Ex Lion Tamer

“Big Business”, David Byrne

This way: Big Business

“Big Business”, David Byrne, 1981. The Catherine Wheel is David Byrne’s (of the Talking Heads) musical score commissioned by Twyla Tharp for her dance project. The Catherine Wheel premiered September 22, 1981. Although most of these songs would not feel out of place on any Talking Heads song Byrne created a great back drop for this Dance piece. 

[Spotify] Big Business

“The Raven”, The Stranglers

This way: The Raven

“The Raven”, The Stranglers, 1979. Here is one of my favorite bands. They formed in the early 70s and had a jump on the British punk rock movement. There sound is built around a heavy keyboard sound which was not typical for the day. Here is the title track from their terrific album The Raven.

[Spotify] The Raven

“Another Girl, Another Planet”, The Only Ones

This way: Another Girl, Another Planet

I love these bands that were punk before punk. Sure it's very pop, but somehow its outside of the flavor of the day. And you can't get much better than this for a song. "Another Girl, Another Planet" is the most successful song by the English rock band The Only Ones. It is the second track on their first album, The Only Ones, released in 1978. The song has since been covered by several other performers. 

[Spotify] Another Girl, Another Planet

“Highly Unintentional”, BRONCHO

This way: Highly Unintentional

Broncho is an American indie rock band based in Norman, Oklahoma. The band formed in Norman in 2010. The current lineup consists of Ryan Lindsey on guitar and vocals, Ben King on guitars, Penny Pitchlynn on bass and Nathan Price on drums. How does one pronounce the words Highly Unintentional? This is how you pronounce it.

[Spotify] Highly Unintentional

“The Swimming Song”, Loudon Wainwright III

This way: The Swimming Song

After the success of Loudon Wainwright III's "Dead Skunk," Columbia Records was eager for another "silly animal song" to appeal to the public. Much to their disappointment, the singer offered what he considered an even better, yet animal-free, song called "The Swimming Song" for his new album, Attempted Mustache. Loudon Wainwright III (born September 5, 1946) is an American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor. He is the father of musicians Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, and Lucy Wainwright Roche; brother of Sloan Wainwright; and former husband of the late folksinger Kate McGarrigle. To date, Wainwright has released 26 studio albums. 

[Spotify] The Swimming Song

“Number one with a Bullet”, Freakwater

This way: Number one with a Bullet

Freakwater is an American alternative country band from Louisville, Kentucky, and Chicago. Freakwater is known for the lead vocals of Janet Bean and Catherine Irwin, who mix harmony and melody in idiosyncratic dissonant country-folk that is reminiscent of the Carter Family. n 1989, Janet Beveridge Bean (of rock band Eleventh Dream Day) and Catherine Irwin founded the band, and they have been supported by several musicians since then, including members of Califone (2005 Thinking of You tour). Bassist David Wayne Gay, formerly of Stump The Host, is another long-time member of the band. They released their records on Chicago's Thrill Jockey label. From 2006 to 2013, Bean and Irwin worked on other projects.  

[Spotify] Number one with a Bullet

“We're Going to Live for a Very Long Time”, Heaven 17

This way: We're Going to Live for a Very Long Time

Heaven 17 are an English new wave and synth-pop band that formed in Sheffield in 1980. The band were a trio for most of their career, composed of Martyn Ware (keyboards), Ian Craig Marsh (keyboards) (both previously of the Human League) and Glenn Gregory (vocals). Although most of the band's music was recorded in the 1980s, they have occasionally reformed to record and perform, playing their first ever live concerts in 1997. Taking their new name from a fictional pop band mentioned in Anthony Burgess's dystopian novel, A Clockwork Orange (where The Heaven Seventeen are at number 4 in the charts with "Inside"), they became Heaven 17 and formed the production company British Electric Foundation (B.E.F.). This song from their debut LP from 1981.

[Spotify] We're Going to Live for a Very Long Time

“Thrash”, Cowboys International®

This way: Thrash

Cowboys International - Thrash (1979)
Cowboys International® were a new wave and synthpop band formed by vocalist and songwriter Ken Lockie that put out one album in 1979, the influential The Original Sin, and a handful of 45s before dissolving in 1980. In the late 1970s, Ken Lockie and Keith Levene were in a band called The Quick Spurts. Changing their name to Cowboys International, the members were Lockie on lead vocals, Rick Jacks on guitar, Jimmy Hughes (formerly of The Banned) on bass, Evan Charles on piano, and ex-Clash Terry Chimes on drums. This line-up, with a little help of Levene (who was in Public Image Ltd) recorded and released The Original Sin album in 1979.

[Spotify] Thrash

“24-Hour Store”, The Handsome Family

This way: 24-Hour Store

The Handsome Family is an alternative country and Americana duo consisting of husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks formed in Chicago, Illinois, and currently based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They are perhaps best known for their song "Far from Any Road" from the album Singing Bones, which was used as the main title theme for the first season of HBO's 2014 crime drama True Detective. The Handsome Family's style is a blend of traditional country, bluegrass, and murder ballads. Early recordings have rock elements, but these were less evident from 1996's Milk and Scissors onwards.

[Spotify] 24-Hour Store

“Slash Dot Dash”, Fatboy Slim

This way: Slash Dot Dash

Norman Cook known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, is an English DJ, musician, and record producer who helped to popularize the big beat genre in the 1990s. In the 1980s, Cook was the bassist for the Hull-based indie rock band the Housemartins, who achieved a UK number-one single with their a cappella cover of "Caravan of Love". After the Housemartins split, Norman Cook formed the electronic band Beats International in Brighton. In 1996, Cook adopted the name Fatboy Slim and released Better Living Through Chemistry to critical acclaim. "Slash Dot Dash" is a song by English big beat musician Fatboy Slim, released as a single from his album Palookaville. Cook himself plays bass guitar on the track. It also appeared on Fatboy Slim's greatest hits album The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder. The best-known version of the song samples "Ricky V. Valentine" by Ghetto Classics. The original version of the track, contained on an advance US copy of the album, uses a different vocal sample which was possibly changed due to sample clearance issues.

[Spotify] Slash Dot Dash

“Randy Scouse Git”, The Monkees

This way: Randy Scouse Git

“Randy Scouse Git” is a song written by Micky Dolenz in 1967 and recorded by The Monkees. It was the first song written by Dolenz to be commercially released, and became a #2 hit in the UK where it was retitled “ Alternate Title” after the record company (RCA) complained that the original title was actually somewhat “Taboo to the British audience”. Dolenz took the song’s title from a phrase he had heard spoken on an episode of the British television series Till Death Us Do Part. Directly translated to, according to Dolenz, "horny, Liverpudlian jerk". According to Dolenz, the song was written about a party that The Beatles threw for the Monkees at the Speakeasy nightclub in London. There are references in the song to the Beatles ("the four kings of EMI") and to other party attendees such as Cass Elliot of The Mamas & the Papas ("the girl in yellow dress") and Dolenz's future wife, Top of the Pops "disc girl" Samantha Juste. It doesn't get much better than this for disposable pop.

[Spotify] Randy Scouse Git

“I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground”, Bascom Lamar Lunsford

This way: I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground

Bascom Lamar Lunsford (March 21, 1882 – September 4, 1973) was a lawyer, folklorist, and performer of traditional (folk and country) music from western North Carolina. He was often known by the nickname "Minstrel of the Appalachians." Bascom Lamar Lunsford was born at Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina in 1882, into the world of traditional Appalachian folk music. At an early age, his father, a teacher, gave him a fiddle, and his mother sang religious songs and traditional ballads. Lunsford also learned banjo and began to perform at weddings and square dances. After qualifying as a teacher at Rutherford College, Lunsford taught at schools in Madison County. In 1913, Lunsford qualified in law at Trinity College, later to become Duke University. He began to travel and collect material at the start of the 20th century, often meeting singers on isolated farms.

[Spotify] I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground

[Spotify playlist] The full Spotify playlist

“I Won’t Be Found”, The Tallest Man on Earth

This way: I Won’t Be Found

Kristian Matsson is a singer-songwriter from Dalarna, Sweden, who performs under the stage name of The Tallest Man on Earth. Matsson grew up in Leksand, and began his solo career in 2006, having previously been the lead singer of the indie band Montezumas. Since 2006, Matsson has released five full-length albums and two EPs. He records and produces these in his home, and usually records his voice and guitar together on one track. He is known for his charismatic stage presence.

[Spotify] I Won’t Be Found

“Little Man With A Gun In His Hand”, Minutemen

This way: Little Man With A Gun In His Hand

Minutemen were an American punk rock band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist/vocalist D. Boon, bassist/vocalist Mike Watt, and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon’s tragic death in an automobile accident in 1985; after Boon’s death, the band broke up. They were noted in the California punk community for a philosophy of jamming econo—a sense of thriftiness reflected in their touring and presentation—while their eclectic and experimental attitude was instrumental in pioneering alternative rock.The EP was recorded rather cheaply even by Minutemen standards; the cost was $50. Most of the songs were cut live to two-track tape at Total Access Studio in Redondo Beach, CA, rather than utilize multi-track recording tape, with longtime SST Records staff producer Spot behind the mixing board. Spot had suggested the live-to-two-track approach after Minutemen queried about the possibility of recording a new EP on four-channel multi-track tape, rather than the 16-track recordings the band had done in the past. This meant that most of the songs on Buzz or Howl... were recorded without any overdubs. I can’t say enough good things about this band. I think they are one of the greatest bands of all time. I saw them live many times and they were always stellar. From 1983 . . .

[Spotify] Little Man With A Gun In His Hand