How many great songs and bands emerged in the so-called post-punk era. I'm still getting around to catching up (30 years later!) with most of them. But no other period of music is doing it for me as much as this one right now. Bands like Public Image Limited, Wire, Joy Division, Pere Ubu, Mission of Burma, The Fall, Gang of Four, New Order, and Echo & the Bunnymen.
Here's a great song I just recently discovered. I listen to it like I eat Triscuits. Can't do it just once.
Echo & the Bunnymen: Monkeys (listen on Youtube)
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Oh yeah, it was truly an amazing era and an amazing movement. I seem to have been listening to an especially large amount of post-punk lately too. Some of my favorites of late have been the Au Pairs (vibrant and punchy), Swell Maps (very Wire-esque), Young Marble Giants (very minimalist approach to post-punk), and of course all-time classics like The Pop Group, Wire and PiL. I've never really thought of New Order as post-punk, though they sort of emerged from the movement, but regardless they were a great band. There was just so much creativity in this movement, taking the punk attitude and aesthetic and blending it with elements of disco, pop, dub, and anything else these bands wanted to throw into the mix.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't already, you should check out The Jesus and Mary Chain who, early in their career, caused riots during their brief concerts filled with Velvet Underground-esque feedback and minimalist rock 'n' roll. PSYCHOCANDY was a blistering debut for them and they never looked back.
ReplyDeleteEd, wonderful addition to the post. Some of the bands you mention (Au Pairs, Swell Maps, and The Pop Group) I still need to check out, but I'm totally with you on all that you say above. I particularly love your final sentence:
ReplyDelete"There was just so much creativity in this movement, taking the punk attitude and aesthetic and blending it with elements of disco, pop, dub, and anything else these bands wanted to throw into the mix."
Thanks, Ed. Always great to hear from you.
JD, I definitely need to spend more time with The Jesus and Mary Chain. I really don't know them as well as I'd like, nor PSYCHOCANDY. Thanks so much for the heads up. It's always such a treat to have you here.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey, this style never enraptured me all that much, though I'll acknowledge that what others say here is telling. I always did appreciate the dark, gothic and gloomy sound of JOY DIVISION, and intermittantly explored the sub-genre over the years. I know ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN well and actually once owned this album on vinyl. This is of course a vital post, catering not just to fans but for an serious student of music.
ReplyDeleteSam, great to hear from you. I can certainly understand that this genre might not be your taste. I think one of the things that's been most enjoyable for me about most of the songs I'm discovering is that they all still sound so fresh and new. Probably because they didn't make their way onto MTV or even on the radio stations in my world.
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