“Pictures of Matchstick Men” Camper Van Beethoven

This way: Pictures of Matchstick Men

Camper Van captures the zeitgeist with this one. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" is the first hit single by British rock band The Status Quo. It was released on 5 January 1968. In 1989, Camper Van Beethoven scored a number 1 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States with their version from the album Key Lime Pie.

[Spotify] Pictures of Matchstick Men 

[Orig by Status Quo] Pictures of Matchstick Men 

“Wild Connection” Twisted Teens

This way: Wild Connection

Here is the latest from this cool outfit from New Orleans. Has that great southern garge sound, off the cuff, but tight enough to keep the water out. Oh, and they have a lap steel guitar player, a nice touch used here. Is it punk or folk? Who cares, it's worth a listen . . . .

[Spotify] Wild Connection 

These glasses say Punk:

“Out of Tune” Josephmooon

This way: Out of Tune

Josephmooon is a stage name and music project to showcase lyrics written by Ronan Boren. Ronan is autistic, and his imagination is vast, as revealed in the songs featured on the debut Josephmooon album, “So Far So Good.” The lyrics are Ronan’s, edited and set to music by his music tutor, Bill Paige. The recordings were created at Rocky Head Studios in Hua Hin, Thailand. Joining the Josephmooon team to make the music are the studio proprietors – Ronnie Nice, 17 years old, who has framed the songs with a fresh but familiar rock aesthetic, playing guitars, bass, drums, and producing. He has been taught well by his father, Ian Nice, a respected U.K. studio musician and former member of the UK band, Steve Harley's Cockney Rebel.   

[Spotify] Out of Tune 

“Timebomb” Old 97's

This way: Timebomb

Too Far to Care is the third studio album by American country/rock band Old 97's, first released on June 17, 1997. The album's title comes from the song "Streets of Where I'm From."

The album was the band's first on Elektra Records. Unlike the later two Elektra recordings, the band retained some of their country twang, making this another fan favorite. Lyrically, the band's constant touring is evident in songs like "Barrier Reef" (with references to Chicago), "Broadway" (in New York City), and "Niteclub" (inspired, according to the band, by clubs in Cleveland, Ohio and Ann Arbor, Michigan).[citation needed] "Four Leaf Clover", re-recorded from the band's first album, Hitchhike To Rhome, is performed here as a duet with Exene Cervenka of the band X. "Big Brown Eyes" is also re-recorded, this time from the second album, Wreck Your Life.

[Spotify] Timebomb 

“She Comes Around” Susan

This way: She Comes Around

Susan is a power-trio consisting of three friends making harmony laden, hook-driven garage-pop in Los Angeles, CA. The trio met at an intersection in their lives in 2012 and soon joined forces to form band as creative equals: Susan. Inspired by indie pop of the 1980’s and their feminist punk backgrounds, Susan crafts songs with direct, personal lyrics wrapped in hooks and harmonies. Uncertainties in the future, self-doubt, and feelings of frustration are expressed over jangley guitars and driving rhythms. They released two EP’s in 2014 (Burger/Volar records), followed by a full length, Never Enough, in 2016 (Volar records) and a follow-up EP 'TV Girls’ in winter of 2017. In 2018, they recorded their second full length, As I Was, which was recorded in fall 2018 at Primitive Ears Studio in Los Angeles and is being released on Volar Records in September 2019. This track from 2019.

[Spotify] She Comes Around 

“Beat the Devil's Tattoo” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

This way: Beat the Devil's Tattoo

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (sometimes abbreviated to BRMC) is an American rock band from San Francisco, California. The group originally consisted of Peter Hayes (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Robert Levon Been (vocals, bass, guitar), and Nick Jago (drums). Jago departed the band in 2008 and was replaced by Leah Shapiro.

They have released eight studio albums: B.R.M.C. (2001), Take Them On, On Your Own (2003), Howl (2005), Baby 81 (2007), The Effects of 333 (2008), Beat the Devil's Tattoo (2010), Specter at the Feast (2013) and Wrong Creatures (2018), as well as several EPs, and live albums.

The band was formed in 1998, originally called The Elements. After discovering that another band had the same name, the members changed the name to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, after Marlon Brando's motorcycle club in the 1953 film The Wild One.

Bassist Robert Levon Been and guitarist Peter Hayes met at high school in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Lafayette and formed a band, Hayes having recently left The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Been has said in interviews that Hayes had a turbulent home life and would park and sleep in his car outside the Been household. After about a year of doing this, Been and his father Michael persuaded Hayes to live with them.[citation needed] Later, the pair started looking for a drummer. They met Nick Jago, from Devon, England, who had moved to California to be with his parents after spending some time at Winchester School of Art, where he was studying fine art. The vocals are shared between Been and Peter Hayes.

[Spotify] Beat the Devil's Tattoo 

“Commotion” Marc Moreland

This way: Commotion

Marc Moreland (January 8, 1958 – March 13, 2002) was an American rock musician. He was the former guitarist for rock band Wall of Voodoo, punk band the Skulls, and rock bands Pretty and Twisted and Department of Crooks. He also released a solo album under the name Marc Moreland Mess.

Moreland grew up in West Covina, California, and was a student at Raymond Pre-School, Vine Elementary School, Hollencrest Intermediate School, West Covina High School and Coronado High School. In the mid-1970s, Moreland was in Cpt. Cosmos de Venus and the Sky People—a metal/glam hybrid. From 1977 to the early '80s, Moreland played guitar in one of the earliest American punk bands, the Skulls. He wrote some of the band's earliest songs, including "Victims" and "Babies".

Wall of Voodoo

Moreland was a founding member of Wall of Voodoo, which had its roots in Acme Soundtracks, an unsuccessful film score business started by vocalist-keyboardist-harmonica player Stan Ridgway. Acme Soundtracks' office was across the street from the Hollywood punk club the Masque, and Ridgway was soon drawn into the emerging punk-new wave scene.

Moreland began jamming with Ridgway at the Acme Soundtracks office and the soundtrack company morphed into a New Wave band. In 1977, with the addition of Skulls members Bruce Moreland (Marc Moreland's brother) as bassist-keyboardist and Chas T. Gray as keyboardist, along with Joe Nanini, who had been the drummer for Black Randy and the Metrosquad, the first lineup of Wall of Voodoo was born. 

[Spotify] Commotion 

“Green Eggs and Ham” Rev. Jessie Jackson, RIP

This way: Green Eggs and Ham

According to the Latter Day Saint Suess. I put this forward as one of the funniest most heartfelt things I have ever seen on TV. Jessie was one of the greats of his day speaking of light in a time of darkness (it got darker). 

It's hard to find a good link to the full clip.

[Audio only] Green Eggs and Ham 

“Strange” Galaxy 500

This way: Strange

Oh the slow. Revolutionary band for its day. They followed a separate course, although not reactionary, they launched the boat, sink of swim.

Galaxie 500 was an American indie rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three studio albums: Today (1988), On Fire (1989), and This Is Our Music (1990).

The band membership comprised guitarist and vocalist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski, and bassist and vocalist Naomi Yang.

Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time as students at Harvard University. Wareham and Krukowski had formed a series of punk-influenced student bands, before Wareham returned to New York. Back in Cambridge by 1987, he and Krukowski formed a new band, with Yang joining the group on bass guitar. The new group adopted the name Galaxie 500 after a friend's car, a Ford Galaxie 500.

The band played gigs in Boston and New York City, and recorded a demo which they sent to Shimmy Disc label boss and producer Mark Kramer, who agreed to produce the band. With Kramer at the controls, the band recorded the "Tugboat" single in February 1988, and the "Oblivious" flexi-disc, and then their debut album, Today, which was released on the small Aurora label.

[Spotify] Strange 

“Last Sun” Pot Valiant

This way: Last Sun

Oh anthem, please cure me from the can liner, the bottom dropper out ofs. Loitering on the same Berkeley streets that birthed Green Day, Operation Ivy, and Crimpshrine, Pot Valiant (AKA Vagrants) developed their own style of Gilmangaze in the early-’90s. Compiled here are the band’s Lookout and Sunny Sindicut 7"s, Transaudio LP, comp tracks, and three previously unissued songs. Remastered from the original tapes, this 2xLP.

[Spotify] Last Sun 

“Halo” Pennikurvers

This way: Halo

PENNIKURVERS emily - vocal · guitar , suzie - drums , bobby - guitar · vocal , dave - bass guitar . * Recorded ### and engineered by dennis at his center neptune on the Tascam eight track using half inch reel tape on april 16 and may '95.

Los Angels band of the 90s. 

[Spotify] Halo 

“Gimme Soda” Dark Thoughts

This way: Gimme Soda

At Work, the new album by West Philly punkers Dark Thoughts– Jim Shomo on guitar and lead vocals, Amy Opsasnick on bass, and Daniel Cox on drums – definitely tackles all the important topics: mental health, punk, and coffee. Oh, and work, of course. This isn’t some anthemic diatribe about factory life; it’s a lot more fun than that. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, the twelve songs on the album hit that perfect sweet spot of poppy, catchy music and introspective, intelligent lyrics that you can still very much sing along to. Love the Roamnes hidden LP cover. This from 2018.

[Spotify] Gimme Soda 

“WE WERE JUST HERE” Just Mustard

This way: WE WERE JUST HERE

Just Mustard are an Irish experimental rock band from Dundalk in County Louth, having formed in 2015. Their debut album, Wednesday, was released in 2018 through Pizza Pizza Records. Self-produced and recorded by the band in their home studio in Dundalk and in Start Together Studios, Belfast, with recording engineer Chris Ryan, Wednesday was nominated for the Choice Music Prize in 2018.

In 2020, the band signed to Brooklyn-based label Partisan Records, which released their sophomore album, Heart Under, in May 2022. The album peaked at No. 17 in the Irish albums chart and received critical acclaim upon its release.

In October 2025, the band released their third album WE WERE JUST HERE. 

Personnel: Katie Ball (vocals), David Noonan (guitar/vocals), Mete Kalyon (guitar), Rob Clarke (bass), Shane Maguire (drums).

[Spotify] WE WERE JUST HERE 

“Call U Back” TTSSFU

This way: Call U Back

TTSSFU, is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Manchester. She[a] played guitar in the post punk band Duvet and has since gained prominence as a solo artist in the shoegaze and dream pop genres. Stephens is signed with Partisan Records.

Stephens grew up in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The band Duvet formed in 2022, with Stephens serving as guitarist.

Under the TTSSFU moniker, Stephens released lead single "I Hope You Die" in December 2023 and the mini-album Me, Jed and Andy in February 2024 via Fear of Missing Out Records. The mini-album takes its title and inspiration from the relationship between Andy Warhol and Jed Johnson. That summer, Stephens supported Mannequin Pussy on tour.[6] In October 2024, Stephens signed with Partisan Records. The single "Studio 54" was the debut release under Partisan. In August 2025, Stephens released her second mini-album as TTSSFU titled Blown.In November 2025, Stephens released the single "Upstairs".

[Spotify] Call U Back 

”Mirrors” Nightbus

This way: Mirrors

Nightbus of Manchester, UK. The dark sounds oh dear synth. Some word drops of the Joy Division, but over all a solid outing. . . . .

[Spotify] Mirrors 

“Ain't that Nothing” Television, RIP Fred Smith

This way: Ain't that Nothing

If your perfection is perfect, then stay the course. Fred Smith died this week at 77 years old. By all accounts a great bass player. He had all the notes. 

Fred Smith (April 10, 1948 – February 5, 2026) was an American bass guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Television. He was the original bassist with Angel and the Snake, which changed names to Blondie and the Banzai Babies, and then Blondie. He quit in spring 1975 to replace Richard Hell who had left Television over disputes with Tom Verlaine. Hell went on to form The Heartbreakers with Johnny Thunders. At the time, Television played at CBGB along with Blondie.

Adventure is the second album by the American rock band Television, released in April 1978 by Elektra Records.

The music of Adventure have been described as art punk, punk rock and new wave. On the album's sound, Mark Deming of AllMusic writes, "Where Marquee Moon was direct and straightforward in its approach, with the subtleties clearly in the performance and not in the production, Adventure is a decidedly softer and less aggressive disc, and while John Jansen's production isn't intrusive, it does round off the edges of the band's sound in a way Andy Johns' work on the first album did not."

[Spotify] Ain't that Nothing 

“Kick it” Peaches (Featuring Iggy Pop)

This way: Kick it

"Kick It" is a collaboration between Peaches and Iggy Pop and is the third single from the album Fatherfucker.

Tim Jonze of NME commented that the song is "splattered with sleaze and sharp as a blade," and that "this is rock'n'roll how it should be played." Conversely, Heather Phares of Allmusic described that the song "should be more exciting than it actually it is." 

The music video for "Kick It" was directed by Dawn Shadforth and Alex Smith. It shows Peaches and Iggy fighting against some zombies. The video begins with zombies walking on the streets while Peaches and Iggy are yelling the lyrics at each other. They hit the zombies throughout the video until they've beaten them all down.

[Spotify] Kick it 

“Satelite Mind” Metric

This way: Satelite Mind

Metric are a Canadian indie rock band founded in 1998 in Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Emily Haines (lead vocals, synthesizers, guitar, tambourine, harmonica, piano), James Shaw (guitar, synthesizers, theremin, backing vocals), Joshua Winstead (bass, synthesizers, backing vocals), and Joules Scott-Key (drums, percussion). The band started in 1998 as a duo formed by Haines and Shaw with the name "Mainstream".[2][3] After releasing an EP titled Mainstream EP, they changed the band's name to Metric.

The band's first studio album, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?, was released in 2003. Live It Out, released in 2005, was nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the "Canadian Album of the Year" and for the 2006 Juno Awards for "Best Alternative Album". Their third studio album, Grow Up and Blow Away, was recorded in 2001; it was initially planned as their debut album, but was delayed for many years and finally released, with some changes, in 2007. 

[Spotify] Satelite Mind 

“Is It Now?” Automatic

This way: Is It Now?

DIY trio from Los Angeles featuring the talents of Izzy Glaudini (synths, vocals),  and Halle Saxon (bass, vocals) and Lola Dompé (drums, vocals). The band started playing live in 2017, taking their name from the track Automatic from the GoGo’s 1981 debut LP Beauty and the Beat. The band also features Lola Dompé, and daughter of Bauhaus drummer Kevin Haskins, who had been touring in recent years with Lola’s big sister Diva in the project Poptone. Noticeably, Automatic are releasing their debut LP Signal through Stones Throw Records, the label that reissued Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” as The Bela Session EP. The band’s musical output is imbued with classic punk staples, such as:

“dub reggae, motorik rhythms, and gnarly synth work inspired by bands like NEU! and Suicide with the eerie atmosphere of films by auteurs like David Lynch and Dario Argento…”

[Spotify] Is It Now? 

“Adore You” Rosa Damask

This way: Adore You

Berlin punk artist weaves a bass heavy synth sound with automatic drums and cold pose. . . . . this track from 2024.

[Spotify] Adore You 

“Out of State Plates” Fast Kids

This way: Out of State Plates

FAST KIDS! 💋 solo powerpop project of Mike Brandon. Mike Brandon, cantante y guitarra de los garageros The Mystery Lights, saca a la luz su atracción por el power pop, la música que marcó sus raíces musicales. Lo hace al frente del proyecto personal FAST KIDS y un estupendo álbum de debut, “Fast Kids Forever”.

[Spotify] Out of State Plates