They called it “proto-punk”. That is, that type of rock that already incorporated the seeds of the future punk explosion. Exploring this genre, the online magazine Far Out has selected ten fundamental records for the future birth of punk. “At the end of the Seventies, punk was the movement that everyone desperately needed – recalls Tim Coffman in the introduction – The long season of great rock stars had given us extraordinary records, but classic rock was becoming increasingly pompous and self-referential. We needed groups capable of bringing everything back to the essentials, and bands like the Velvet Underground reminded everyone that a few ideas, a lot of personality and a provocative attitude were enough to leave their mark. None of the protagonists of these albums thought of giving life to a new genre, yet each of them contributed to laying the foundations of what would become punk. It was not essential to have abrasive guitars or a scratchy voice: often the idea that everything was allowed was enough to push someone else to pick up a guitar and try to write their own songs. Naturally, punk did not have a single form. Some of these records gave rise to real branches of the genre: the more melodic artists paved the way for power pop, while the rougher ones built the bridge between punk and new. wave, accompanying the evolution of rock towards the 1980s. Whatever their starting point – concludes Far Out – all these albums took the original spirit of punk and shaped it into the genre we know today. If Ramones and Sex Pistols became the face of the movement, these records represent its deepest roots and the way in which punk was destined to be experienced and listened to”.
Here are the ten records that helped punk to be born, according to Far Out Magazine (full report here)
10. Ramones – “Ramones” (1976)
9. The Who – “My Generation” (1965)
8. Bikini Kill – “The Singles” (1998)
7. Blue Cheer – “Vincebus Eruptum” (1968)
6. The Monks – “Black Monk Time” (1966)
5. David Bowie – “Aladdin Sane” (1973)
4. MC5 – “Kick Out The Jams” (1969)
3. Patti Smith – “Horses” (1975)
2. The Stooges – “The Stooges” (1969)
1. The Velvet Underground – “The Velvet Underground & Nico” (1967)
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
