The Undertones-Teenage Kicks 1978
Joy Division-She’s lost control 1979
The Ruts-West One (Shine on me) 1980
Comsat Angels -Independence day 1983
Killing Joke-Eighties 1984
After the Lord Mayor’s show; after the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Buzzcocks had had their debuts, fallings out and albums, there were the ‘post punk’ bands (to use a term that was coined to make sense of things).
To most 1977 was the year Punk went Overground. 1976 had seen the release of The Damned’s New Rose and the Sex Pistols Anarchy in the UK, along with the Bill Grundy outcry, which, in a way killed the movement as a cult.
These examples from the years after the Sex Pistols imploded show what the influence led to and give a glimpse into how the music scene had been energised. The Eighties was dawning and the raw energy soon made way for more complexity and ambition. These songs conjure up that time in the UK when there was excitement coming out on 7inch discs from independent labels causing a commotion. Interesting times and ideas growing in front of your ears; good times indeed.