The Buzzcocks - Even Fallen in Love? + Orgasm Addict

Sadly we lost Pete Shelley today, of the amazing and unique Buzzcocks.

Here are two of my favorites, if I can somehow narrow it down. The first could be their best song, and they wrote a lot of great songs. The second is the first one I ever heard, and it hooked me hard.

Sex Pistols - Soundcheck at Winterland

Wow, the internet has everything:



Probably for Pistols completionists only - like me - but it's very cool.

AC/DC - Who Made Who

AC/DC is as pure rock and roll as you can get.

I loved this song from the first time I heard it, right around when the movie "Maximum Overdrive" came out. I liked the album it was on, though it was pretty much a greatest hits + extras album. It was a great listen.



I like the 80s Dr. Who level production quality on the video, here. Those guys could have confronted in a lost episode with Tom Baker. Maybe "Dr. Who and the Power Chord."

Gary Numan - I Die, You Die

I had a dream the other night, and in it someone was clearly playing this song by Gary Numan:



I woke up and I had to listen to it. That sparked me doing a quick tour of the best of several albums . . . and then listening to these in order:

Splinter
Savage
The Pleasure Principle
Telekon

I'm moving on next to Warriors and then I, Assassin and probably Replicas after that. I've got others queued up - Gary Numan solo and Tubeway Army as well. We'll see what order they come in. But in the meantime, enjoy I Die, You Die.

Joe Walsh - Turn to Stone

Joe Walsh won't save rock-and-roll, Joe Walsh is rock-and-roll.



All hail Joe Walsh.

The Ramones - Rock 'n' Roll High School & Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio (Live)

Live on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1980, a smashing version of both Rock 'n' Roll High School and a kickass version of Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio.

The Clash - Live at the Capitol Theater in 1980

Down the road a bit from where I used to live - The Clash at the Capitol Threater, Passaic NJ on 3/8/1980.

Charly Bliss - Glitter (live, acoustic)

I like this song a lot. I prefer the electric version, but this acoustic version is a great way to hear the lead signer's voice isolated.

Lightning Bolt - live 2018, full set

I love Lightning Bolt. It's just drums, bass, and awesome.

Charly Bliss - Percolator (live)

I just really love this song:

The Smoking Popes - Need You Around

This song grabbed me when I first saw the video for it on 120 Minutes.

I went out and bought it right away. They have some other good songs - Rubella is one that really stands out - this is what grabbed me by the collar.



I love the crooner vocals over a strong punk-hard bed of music.

Bad Religion - The Kids Are Alt-Right

Tonight's listening pleasure:

Osaka Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Osaka Ramones, aka Shonen Knife, covering The Ramones.



This cover made me grin ear to ear for the entire song, and for a while afterward.

Madness - One Step Beyond

Not sure I ever saw the whole official video for this. Madness.



The only band to show up twice on The Young Ones!

The Saints - (I'm) Stranded

Long ago, my sibling had this collection of punk 45s. It had basically one song each by a few bands. It included The Dictators - I Live for Cars and Girls and Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank Generation.

It also had this song by The Saints.

I didn't like it much at first. Felt a little repetitive.

But the more I heard it, the more it grew on me.

The Damned - Neat Neat Neat

You know what band likes Halloween and Friday the 13th?

I'm betting it is The Damned.

The Chats - Do What I Want

Thanks to NK for sharing this. I taught him to squat, bench, and deadlift, and he sends me all sorts of interesting music, like this Australian band, The Chats.

The Cult - Love Removal Machine

This is the first song I heard by The Cult. This is another intro from my sibling, who suggested that since I liked AC/DC so much I'd like these guys.

Good call, eh?

Rancid - Bloodclot

A great song to start off "Life Won't Wait" by Rancid.

I played the living hell out of that album. Every once in a while, I need to hear the whole thing track from track from the intro to the very end. This song really kicks it off. It's great live, too.

Warren Zevon - Mr. Bad Example (live)

In honor of my buddy Tom's birthday, here is one of his favorite songs (and mine).



Trust Warren Zevon to write a polka about being a dirtbag. I love picturing Warren as the character in the song, sitting in the shade and sipping Fosters.

Little Peggy March - I Will Follow Him

One of my favorite songs, period:

Devo - That's Good

This is my favorite track off of my first ever Devo album. Which, along with the Flock of Seagulls album, were the first two I ever owned.



From an adult perspective, this is a really good Devo song, but it's surpassed by "Freedom of Choice" and "Girl U Want" and "Uncontrollable Urge." But it's still right up there with those tracks for me. Plus, they played it on the show "Square Pegs." Remember that show? Johnny reminded me of Jessie from The Criminals.

And just remember, Devo was right about everything.

Charly Bliss - "Westermarck"

I like everything about this band.



They're extremely 90s, which having lived through the 90s, I can say is not a bad thing. It's just a thing. I'm glad they are around now, though.

Big Pink - Dominoes (Live)

I still like these guys.

Their drummer, Akiko Matsuura, was also in a band called Sperm Javelin, which is just a fun band name to say. Warning - the video is NSFW. Seriously, and not for language.

The Interrupters - Title Holder

Catchy.

Joan Jett - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Joan Jett does nothing if she doesn't do good covers. So, so many:

- Roadrunner

- I Love Rock'n'Roll

- Light of Day

- Everyday People

- I Wanna Be Your Dog

- Starfucker

- Crimson & Clover

and more.

I don't count the Runaways songs as covers, she was in the damn Runaways. That's like when John Fogerty "covers" Credence Clearwater Revival. Seriously.

Anyway.

One especially good one is this one:



The original is better, but when is that not the case with AC/DC?

Agnostic Front - Never Walk Alone

While we're on a hardcore kick here, let's go with Agnostic Front.



One of the guys in my high school, John S., wore an Agnostic Front jeans jacket every single day of school for several years. Then he went all preppie. Weird, but John was good people. Everyone knew him, and if anyone had a bad thing to say about him I didn't hear it.

Anyway, enjoy Agnostic Front.

7 Seconds - 99 Luftballon

So my co-worker who likes SoCal punk mentioned 7 Seconds.

I immediately said, "Yeah, Kevin Seconds. They do the best version of 99 Luftballon ever."

Here it is:

H2O - What Happened

I met a guy at work today. He came into the gym wearing a sleeveless t-shirt that said H2O on the front. On the back was the NYHC - New York Hardcore - logo. I didn't get a chance to speak to him at first, but then I saw him on his way out.

I said, "H2O, as in the band?"

Yep.

I mean, I knew that, but I didn't feel like leading with, "I love your shirt!" - I wanted to talk to the man, not just hear, "Thanks! Bye!"

We talked hardcore, punk, and so on for a few minutes about H2O, Rancid, The Offspring, and even The Criminals. A co-worker that I'm pretty tight with heard us, and it turns out he's a big fan of bands like Face-to-Face, Lagwagon, NOFX, and so on. I told him about seeing them on the second show ever at the Roseland and not again until they opened for Rancid again at Terminal 5.

He had to run, but I can't wait to talk to him more. I'm not a huge hardcore fan, but H2O puts on a great show.

The Interrupters - She's Kerosene

I'm still not a huge ska fanatic, but I do pay attention to these guys when they come around. And yes, the guitarist is that guy playing organ in those Rancid videos.

Rancid - Collision Course, Honor is All We Know, Evil's My Friend

I still remember when this video of this trio of songs from "Honor is All We Know" came out. That album, along with Rancid (2000) and Troublemaker, never leave the easy-grab pile of CDs in my car.



Typical simple Rancid video - cameras, band, snarl, and rock.

Charly Bliss - Steal My Sunshine

I still like the original song by Len better, but I do really like this version:



I never heard Charly Bliss before this. The A.V. Club's covers are good for that kind of thing for me - I get sucked in by the cover and discover a new band.

Andrew W.K. - Music is Worth Living For

This is pretty damn Meatloaf, right here.



I like Meatloaf too, so that's not a bad thing.

The Dictators - It's Allright

This track by The Dictators is so AC/DC that it could be an AC/DC song. Just imagine it's Brian Johnson or Bon Scott instead of Handsome Dick Manitoba, and enjoy.

The Darkness - Bass Guitar Pick!

My friend and I went to see The Darkness play last night. We got there early, and got to stand right up against the stage in front of Franki Poullain. During the show he handed both of us picks:

Frankie Poullain handed me a pick from onstage at @theactualdarkness show last night. So I have that going for me. Great show as usual. Don't miss these guys. 昨日の夜はライブでバンドの人は俺にピックを手でくれた。あのこのバンドのライブはとてもいいよ。#ラオブ#音楽#thedarkness #glam #metal

A post shared by Peter Dell'Orto (@peterdellorto) on Apr 22, 2018 at 5:29am PDT

Great show. I can't recommend a Darkness show highly enough. They're a really tight band with a great stage performance and kick-ass songs.

Happy Birthday Liz Phair! (Liz Phair - Supernova)

The first song I ever heard by Liz Phair was Supernova. I heard it on a late-night station in Maryland while driving home from where I was staying. This song came on, and they gave it a bit of a run-up about how it's the latest and long-awaited CD from Liz Phair.

About 2 seconds in I cranked up the radio and never looked back from Liz Phair fandom.



I love "You walk in clouds of glitter and the sun reflects your eyes
And every time the wind blows, I can smell you in the sky
Your kisses are as wicked as an F-16
And you fuck like a volcano, and you're everything to me."

I think she likes him.

Bonus live version on Letterman!

Jack White - Freedom at 21

I was just in the mood to hear this today after hearing one of Jack White's latest songs.

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Jackie Wilson Says (I'm in Heaven)

In honor of #RikMayallDay, here is one of Rik's demands from the Thatcher junta in the Young Ones episode "Bomb."

Dexy's Midnight Runners playing in the upstairs lavatory.

Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar

Just good solid rock.

The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star (Live)

Honestly, I found this looking up songs by The Undertones. I had no idea these guys ever did anything live.

It's good, too:

The Undertones - My Perfect Cousin

"He thinks that I'm a cabbage, because I hate University Challenge."

It's okay Feargul, I only know University Challenge from The Young Ones.

"Toxtoth O'Grady, USA."

Badfinger - Baby Blue (live)

At least I think it's live on TV. Seems like it. Good version.



This band really had a tremendous run of amazing hits, and a tremendous run of terrible, terrible events.

The Rolling Stones - She's A Rainbow

One of my friends went to see Ace Frelhey, who covered 2000 Man, which led to me to listen to the original, and then this from the same album:



That's one of my favorite songs by The Rolling Stones.

Happy 62nd John Lydon

What in the world?

Happy Birthday John Lydon. Here is P.i.L. doing "Seattle."

Starcrawler - I Love L.A.

I heard these guys on WFMU this morning. I'd heard this song before but I didn't know who did it.

I really like it - I spent a good bit of time streaming Starcrawler songs in the background as I did some work at home.

Happy Birthday Warren

Warren Zevon would have been 71 today.



I still miss this guy. Music's not the same for me without him around.

And heck, bonus - that was his last time on Letterman, and his last public performance. Here is his first appearance on Letterman:

Rancid - Live in AT&T Park

Someone posted up the video of Rancid's live set during the benefit for fire-stricken California:



Good set of mostly their early stuff, but also a track off of Trouble Maker (in my opinion, their finest album.)

The Creation - Through My Eyes

I first heard a snippet of this song covered by the Sex Pistols. Steve Jones posted himself singing a bit of it on his Instagram. So I had to hear the whole track.

James Gang - Walk Away (live)

Thanks to Ed for sending me this. Walk Away is my favorite James Gang song, and my second-favorite Joe Walsh track behind only Life of Illusion.



This is a really excellent version of the song.

Joe Walsh - Life of Illusion

Hands down, my favorite Joe Walsh song of all time.

Given that I pretty much rate Joe Walsh songs on a scale from "great!" to "amazing!" this means a lot.



"And oh, why can't we let it be,
and see through the hole in this wall of confusion?"

Johnny Moped - Everything is You

This song is painfully catchy and criminally short.