Top 5 Saturday

Well just like a blink this week has flown by. Got my heads shipped off to Noot and I am going to put the 77 Ironhead back together tonight. Try and get that customers bike done this week. Yesterday I was in the studio all day finishing up the mixes on our new record. Now it is just waiting on the mastering process. Thinking as a perk for anyone that wants one once its done I will send some copies out for free. We shall see. Pretty stoked on it. It has been years coming and for a bunch of old guys it is pretty fucking punk. So with that in mind I will do a Top 5  1977 punk bands. The real first wave was so short but so important to my life.

Number 1. The Damned- Technically the first band to release a record that was punk. There first ep came out months before the Sex Pistols record. Always been a huge fan of the Damned first three records but there first is always on the turntable. Some of the best riffs and the Dave the vampire has got one of the best voices in rock, Ever. If I had to pick one song of there to listen to over and over which I do often is Love Song. The ep version has four different covers with all the members on each cover. I have two out of four and yes I am a record nerd. So what.

Number 2. The Clash- I don't really feel like going on and on about how great this band is. If you don't know there music then check it out and if you already know then you get it I'm sure. I have very few idols and Joe is one of them. Sure he had his faults as we all do. But he made some amazing music and was a true spirit and defiant voice. Died to young. 

Number 3. The Ramones- Honestly if you know anything about the Ramones then you know as they started touring in 1976 ever town they went to they basically kick started a scene for kids. They went to England and there are many accounts of the kids that were there in the crowd. They went on to start the Clash, Joy Divivsion, Sex Pistols, Generation X and not to mention all the bands in the US. There influence on real rock and roll will be forever. 50 years from now some 13 year old kid is gonna be pissed off about there school, friends, parents and find the Ramones and it will still be exactly the right thing. Timeless and perfect.

Number 4. The Dead Boys- Out of all the US bands I think The Dead Boys had what it took to go the distance. Except once you interject egos and drugs that curve gets fucked. There first record is about as perfect as any punk rock record can get. Its offensive, loud and full of some of the best riffs ever. Cheetah Chrome has been doing killer music now for 30 plus years and I believe if Stiv was still alive he would be also. Remember kids drugs are bad. They did one last 12EP right before Stiv OD'd and it is also amazing. They were from Ohio and ended up in the NY scene  riding the coat tails of the New York Dolls and found a real good crowd at CBGBS and Max's. there is a live DVD out of a set from CBGBS at there peak and let me just say it is mind fucking blowing how sonic reducer it is. 

Number 5. Generation X- Gen X was about as pop as a band could be and still be punk. I have always been a fan of a good written song and they could do it great. Billy Idol himself if you can blank out all the terrible music he made later was a amazing singer and front man. The topics were straight and to the point somewhat political based. But really dragged me in was the guitar playing. I love a overdriven clean sounding guitar. Look up there song called Kiss Me Deadly and be amazed. I may just post it so you can be lazy. Argghhh.

Number 6. I have been called out and I agree full on. The Saints are up there in all and every aspect. The most underrated band of all time. Just because they dressed terrible and didn't have safety pins through there lips the punks rejected them and the squares didn't get it. I get it and that is all the matters. Eternally Yours is epic