“The Main”, Grant Hart

This way: The Main

Here is one of my favorite songwriters. Grant Hart (March 18, 1961 – September 13, 2017) was an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-songwriter for the alternative rock and hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü. After the band’s breakup in 1988 he put out this album, “Intolerance” as well as a fantastic EP, “2541”. He battled addictions for a large part of his life and this song about heroin is about as good as it gets. 

Hart died on September 13, 2017 of complications from liver cancer and Hepatitis C. A sad loss, too young.

[Spotify] The Main

“Punks in a Disco Bar”, Beach Slang

This way: Punks in a Disco Bar

Beach Slang is an American punk rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in May 2013. The band comprises vocalist and guitarist James Alex, guitarist Aurore Ounjian, bassist Tierney Tough, and drummer Dan Crotts. They have 3 albums and a ton of EPs. 

[Spotify] Punks in a Disco Bar

“Kiss me Deadly”, Generation X

This way: Kiss me Deadly

Generation X were an English punk rock band from London in the late 1970s. Mostly remembered for being the musical starting point of the career of its frontman/vocalist, Billy Idol. But they put out a bunch of great records. 

[Spotify] Kiss me Deadly

“1880 or So”, Television

This way: 1880 or So

Television is an American rock band from New York City, most notably active in the 1970s. The group was founded by Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Billy Ficca, and Richard Hell. 
Although they recorded in a stripped-down, guitar-based manner similar to their punk contemporaries, Television's music was by comparison clean, improvisational, and technically proficient, drawing influence from avant-garde jazz and 1960s rock.

Like many Television songs, the title doesn't appear in the lyric. "1880 or so" represents the year when the song takes place. It might not sound like it, but Television guitarist Richard Lloyd considers this some of his "angriest" playing. He explained to Songfacts: "The guitar never does what I want it to do. There's always a disconnect between what my hands are willing to perform on the guitar and what the guitar actually is allowing me to present through it. For instance, I may hit a wrong note that is out of the scale or out of the mode that I'm in. I will often then attack the guitar with a flurry of notes. It's like a man walking his dog, and the dog is held by a leash and the dog is unruly so he snaps at the leash. I do that to the guitar at times."

[Spotify] 1880 or So

“Levis Stubbs’ Tears”, Billy Bragg

This way: Levis Stubbs’ Tears

Billy Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes.  "Levi Stubbs' Tears" is a great song. It was the first single released from Bragg's 1986 album Talking with the Taxman about Poetry. The song’s title refers to The Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs, whose music remains a source of comfort to the protagonist through years of abandonment, injury, and domestic violence.

[Spotify] Levis Stubbs’ Tears

“Tell Me When It's Over”, Dream Syndicate

This way: Tell Me When It's Over

The Dream Syndicate is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1981 to 1989, and reunited since 2012. The band is associated with neo-psychedelia and the Paisley Underground music movement; of the bands in that movement, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Dream Syndicate "rocked with the highest degree of unbridled passion and conviction.  Though never commercially successful, the band met with considerable acclaim, especially for its songwriting and guitar playing. Bandleader Steve Wynn reformed the band in 2012, and a fifth studio album was announced in February 2017. Dennis Duck formerly of the Human Hands plays drums and Kendra Smith eventually left the band and joined David Roback to form Opal.

[Spotify] Tell Me When It's Over

“Hombre Secreto”, The Plugz

This way: Hombre Secreto

The Plugz (also known as "Los Plugz") were a Latino punk band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1984. They and The Zeros were among the first Latino punk bands, although several garage rock bands, such as Thee Midniters and Question Mark & the Mysterians, predated them. The Plugz melded the spirit of punk and Latino music. Included on the soundtrack to the fantastic movie Repo Man. This version of Secret Agent Man is really one of the greatest things of all Rock and Roll.

[Not on Spotify] Hombre Secreto

The Original from 1966: Johnny Rivers

“Some Velvet Morning”, Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra

This way: Some Velvet Morning

"Some Velvet Morning" is a song written by Lee Hazlewood and originally recorded by Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra in late 1967. It first appeared on Sinatra's album Movin' with Nancy, the soundtrack to her 1967 television special of the same name, which also featured a performance of the song. What a great slice of oddball sixties.

[Spotify] Some Velvet Morning

“What It Means”, Drive by Truckers

This way: What It Means

Here is a great song about some of the things going down in the streets of America these days. The Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia. Two of five current members (Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley) are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. A chilling song.

[Spotify] What It Means

“Hiroshima Mon Amour”, Ultravox

This way: Hiroshima Mon Amour

Ultravox were a British new wave band, formed in London in 1973 as Tiger Lily. From 1974 until 1979, singer John Foxx was frontman and the main driving force behind Ultravox. Foxx left the band in March 1979 to embark on a solo career and, following his departure, Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist and frontman in October 1979 after he and keyboardist Billy Currie worked in the studio project Visage. So this is really a tale of two bands. Ure revitalised the band and steered it to commercial chart success lasting until 1988, at which time the group disbanded. However the quality of the work with Foxx is unparalleled. From one of my all time fave albums.

[Spotify] Hiroshima Mon Amour

Interesting alternative take: Hiroshima Mon Amour (alt take)

“Satellite of Love”, Lou Reed

This way: Satellite of Love

“Satellite of Love” is a song by Lou Reed. It is the second single from his 1972 album Transformer. At the time of its release, it achieved minor chart success, though it later became a staple of his concerts and compilation albums. Transformer is the second solo studio album by American recording artist Lou Reed. The album is considered an influential landmark of the glam rock genre, anchored by Reed's most successful single, “Walk on the Wild Side”, which touched on controversial topics of sexual orientation and drugs. Produced by David Bowie and arranged by Mick Ronson, the album was released in November 1972 by RCA Records.

[Spotify] Satellite of Love

“Civilization's Dying”, Zero Boys

This way: Civilization’s Dying

The Zero Boys are a hardcore punk quartet from Indianapolis, Indiana fronted by Paul Mahern. Other members include bassist Scott Kellogg, drummer Mark Cutsinger and guitarist Dave Lawson. The band formed in June 1980 and three months later released their first EP. Entitled Livin' in the '80s, it was a 7" EP released by the band on their home-brew Z-Disc label. Their debut full-length album, Vicious Circle, was released in 1982 with its distinctive bright yellow cover on the local label Nimrod Records. The Zero Boys managed to record a handful of tracks intended for a second LP, but broke up before the album could be finished.

[Spotify] Civilization’s Dying

“Up on the Sun”, Meat Puppets

This way: Up on the Sun

Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood (guitar/vocals), his brother Cris Kirkwood (bass guitar/vocals), and Derrick Bostrom (drums). The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix.

Meat Puppets started as a punk rock band, but like most of their labelmates on SST Records, they established their own unique style, blending punk with desert fried psychedelic rock. Meat Puppets later gained significant exposure when the Kirkwood brothers served as guest musicians on Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance in 1993. I played on the bill with them several times when we were all starting out. One of the greats of Punk rock . . . . 

[Spotify] Up on the Sun

“Summertime Blues”, The Flying Lizards

This way: Summertime Blues

The Flying Lizards were an experimental English new wave band, formed in 1976. They are best known for their deliberately eccentric cover version of Barrett Strong's "Money" featuring Deborah Evans-Stickland on lead vocals. The group disbanded in 1984. Formed and led by record producer David Cunningham, the group was a loose collective of avant-garde and free improvising musicians, such as David Toop and Steve Beresford as instrumentalists, with Deborah Evans-Stickland, Patti Palladin and Vivien Goldman as main vocalists.

Virgin Records extended the band's recording contract after the success of "Money". The group released their début album The Flying Lizards in 1980. The album included two songs – "Her Story" and "The Window" – written and sung by Goldman. Their single issues included their postmodern cover versions of songs such as Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" and "Money".

[Spotify] Summertime Blues

“The Dust Blows Forward 'N' The Dust Blows Back”, Captain Beefheart

This way: The Dust Blows Forward 'N' The Dust Blows Back

Trout Mask Replica is the third studio album by American rock band Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released as a double album on June 16, 1969 by Straight Records. Combining elements of R&B, garage rock, and blues with free jazz, avant-garde approaches, and other genres of American music, the album is regarded as an important work of experimental music and art rock.

Most of the album was produced by Frank Zappa and recorded in March 1969 at Whitney Studios in Glendale, California, following eight months of intense rehearsals at a small rented communal house in Los Angeles. Beefheart played several brass and woodwind instruments, including saxophone, musette, and natural horn, and contributed most of the vocal parts, while Zappa and members of the band provided occasional vocals and narration. The well-rehearsed Magic Band recorded all instrumental tracks for the album in a single six-hour recording session; Van Vliet's vocal and horn tracks were laid down over the next few days.

In recent years Trout Mask Replica has been widely regarded as the masterpiece of Van Vliet's musical career, as well as an important influence on many subsequent artists. Its highly unconventional musical style, which includes polyrhythm, multi-octave vocals, and polytonality, continues to polarize audiences and has given the album a reputation as one of the most challenging recordings in the 20th century. 

One of my favorite albums of all time. From 1969, and please do not file under easy listening.

[Spotify] Why does Spotify exist if there is no Trout Mask Replica?

“Let them eat Rock”, The Upper Crust

This way: Let them eat Rock

The Upper Crust is an American hard rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. The members adopt the personae of 18th century aristocratic fops and sing songs from that perspective. They use titles of nobility, wear powdered wigs and period costumes, and maintain a snobbish attitude both during live performance and on their albums. If not great and excellent, then debauched. This masterwork from 1995.

Their major music influence is Bon Scott-era AC/DC, along with glam rock band Kiss and fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap.  

[Spotify] Let them eat Rock

“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