Ultravox was an English new wave band, first fronted by John Foxx on the 1977–78 Island releases Ultravox!, Ha!-Ha!-Ha!, and Systems of Romance. Their early music encompasses ambient vocal numbers (“My Sex”), post-psych chamber rock (“I Want to Be a Machine”), punk (“Young Savage”), and pioneering examples of electro-pop (“Quiet Men”). Midge Ure headed the […]
The Stranglers are an English rock band, formed in 1974 by guitarist–singer Hugh Cornwell. They rose to prominence with the 1977 albums Rattus Norvegicus and No More Heroes and the UK hits “Peaches,” “Grip,” “Something Better Change,” and “No More Heroes.” Their early sound is characterized by grimy guitar tones, arpeggiated keyboard runs, and the […]
The Clash was an English rock band that released five albums between 1977 and 1982 on CBS. Their classic lineup featured singer, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer, who co-wrote most of their songs with lead guitarist, composer, and second vocalist Mick Jones. Bassist Paul Simonon completed the original lineup, which welcomed drummer Topper Headon […]
The Buzzcocks were an English punk-rock band from Manchester that debuted with an EP on self-press New Hormones in January 1977, followed by eight singles and three albums on United Artists between October 1977 and September 1979. In 1978 alone, the band placed five songs on the UK singles chart. For its first eight months, […]
Siouxsie and the Banshees were an English rock band that released eleven studio albums and twenty-seven singles between 1978 and 1995 on Polydor. They charted with their debut single “Hong Kong Garden” and scored multiple UK hits, including the underground rock staples “Happy House,” “Spellbound,” “Arabian Knights,” “Cities In Dust,” “Peek-a-Boo,” and “Kiss Them for […]
Wire are an English post-punk band from London that released the 1977–79 albums Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, and 154 on Harvest. They disbanded in 1980 when singer–guitarist Colin Newman went solo (backed by drummer Robert Gotobed) and bassist Graham Lewis launched Dome with guitarist Bruce Gilbert. Wire reformed mid-decade and released four albums and two […]
The Slits were an all-female English post-punk combo that made the 1979 album Cut on Island/Antilles, followed by 1981’s Return of the Giant Slits on CBS. Members: Ari Up [Arianna Forster, aka Ari-Upp] (vocals), Suzi Gutsy (bass, 1976-77), Kate Korus (guitar, 1976-77), Palmolive (drums, vocals, 1976-79), Viv Albertine (guitar, vocals), Tessa Pollitt (bass, vocals) Budgie […]
The Damned is an English punk-rock/psych band from London that released two albums on Stiff Records in 1977. They split in early 1978 but reformed later that year with a revised lineup in which original bassist Captain Sensible switched to guitar, opening the door to a succession of bassists. In 1979, the band released Machine […]
The Rezillos were a Scottish New Wave band that released the 1978 Sire album Can’t Stand The Rezillos, surrounded by the singles “I Can’t Stand My Baby,” “(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures,” “Destination Venus,” and the UK Top 20 hit “Top of the Pops.” After their collapse, singer Fay Fife and multi-instrumentalist Eugene Reynolds formed […]
The Adverts were an English punk-rock band, best known for the 1977 singles “One Chord Wonders” and “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” and the 1978 album Crossing the Red Sea With The Adverts. Their second album, Cast of Thousands, appeared shortly before their breakup in late 1979. Members: T.V. Smith (vocals), Gaye Advert (bass), Howard Pickup [Howard […]
Generation X was an English rock band sprung from the first wave of UK punk, noted for the songs “Your Generation,” “Ready Steady Go,” “King Rocker,” and the original “Dancing With Myself.” They released the 1978–81 albums Generation X, Valley of the Dolls, and Kiss Me Deadly. Singer Billy Idol became an Eighties rock icon. […]
Penetration was an English rock band that cut the 1977 Virgin single “Don’t Dictate” and the 1978 album Moving Targets, a blend of punk and hard rock. After their 1979 album Coming Up for Air, singer Pauline Murray formed The Invisible Girls for a 1980 new wave album. Members: Pauline Murray (vocals), Gary Chaplin (guitar, […]
The Vibrators were an English punk-pop band that debuted as the backing act for Chris Spedding on a 1976 one-off single on RAK. Signed to Epic, the band released the album Pure Mania in 1977, followed by V2 with bassist Gary Tibbs in 1978. Tibbs followed the gig with stints in Roxy Music, Code Blue, […]
X-Ray Spex was an English punk-rock band from London that issued the single “Oh Bondage Up Yours!” / “I Am a Cliché” on Virgin in 1977, followed by the album Germfree Adolescents on EMI International in 1978. They were fronted by singer Poly Styrene and initially featured saxophonist Lora Logic, who subsequently guested on The […]
Jet was an English glam-rock band that released a 1975 self-titled album, guided by bassist and songwriter Martin Gordon with fellow Sparks sidemen. Radio Stars formed from Jet’s remnants and scored a 1977 UK hit with “Nervous Wreck,” followed by the albums Songs for Swinging Lovers and Holiday Special. Members: Martin Gordon (bass), Andy Ellison […]
Rikki and the Last Days of Earth were an English art-punk band from Tamworth, Staffordshire, that released two singles on DJM in 1977, both included on the 1978 album 4 Minute Warning. In 1979, vocalist Rikki Sylvan served as a studio hand for Gary Numan on the albums Replicas and The Pleasure Principle. As a […]
The Only Ones were an English rock band that released the 1977 single “Lovers of Today” on Vengeance Records, followed by the 1978–80 CBS albums The Only Ones, Even Serpents Shine, and Baby’s Got a Gun. Vocalist Peter Perrett hailed from England’s Glory with future-Squeeze bassist Harri Kakoulli. Drummer Mike Kellie extracted from Spooky Tooth. […]
Big in Japan was an English punk band from Liverpool that recorded ten songs, including “Society for Cutting Up Men” and the four-song 1978 EP From Y to Z and Never Again. Their lineup included two passing members of Deaf School and future stars Budgie (Slits, Siouxsie & The Banshees), Ian Broudie (Original Mirrors, Care), Jayne […]
The Cortinas were an English punk-rock band from Bristol that released two singles on Miles Copeland’s Step Forward label in 1977. The band initially formed as a Stones-influenced pub-rock act and reverted back to that style for their 1978 singular album True Romances. Guitarist Nick Sheppard joined the final lineup of The Clash. Members: Jeremy […]
Thought experiment: correlate each class of ’77 UK punk/new wave act to their class of ’64 British beat antecedent (or correlate the ’64 beat act to their ’77 doppelganger). I offered ten comparisons for consideration (A–J). Explore the parallels and similarities that distinguished each pair from their respective kin. Class of ’64 vs. Class of […]
Slaughter and the Dogs were an English rock band from Wythenshawe, formed in 1975 at the forefront of punk. On July 20, 1976, they played a watershed triple-bill with the Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall, heralding the city’s musical renaissance. During 1977, Slaughter and the Dogs placed two […]
Eddie and the Hot Rods were an English pub-rock/punk band that released the 1976/77 Island albums Teenage Depression and Life on the Line, joined on the second by ex-Kursaal Flyers lead guitarist Graeme Douglas. “Eddie” was their mannequin mascot, not an actual member, despite the name of their manager Ed Hollis (older brother of Talk […]
The Drones were an English punk rock band from Manchester that released the 1977 album Further Temptations on Valer Records. Members: M. J. Drone [Michael Howells] (vocals), Pete Howells (drums), Steve “Whispa” Cundall (bass), Gus Gangrene (guitar, 1976-78), Mike Koman (keyboards, 1978) Background The Drones evolved from Rockslide, a glitter-pop band that issued the October […]
The Sex Pistols were an English rock band that spearheaded the London punk scene in the summer of 1976. Their debut single, “Anarchy In the UK,” appeared on EMI that November but was quickly withdrawn after the band cursed on television. After two annulled recording contracts, they signed with Virgin and issued the 1977 singles […]
The Outsiders were an English punk-rock band from London that made the 1977/78 albums Calling On Youth and Close Up and the EP One to Infinity, all self-released on Raw Edge Records. They evolved into The Sound with the arrival of bassist Graham Bailey, who also formed the side-project Second Layer with guitarist/vocalist Adrian Borland. […]
999 was an English rock band that emerged in the initial London punk wave with the 1977 singles “I’m Alive” and “Nasty! Nasty!” and the 1978 albums 999 and Separates. Guitarist-singer Nick Cash played alongside Ian Dury in the early Seventies retro-R&B act Kilburn and the High Roads. Members: Nick Cash (guitar, vocals), Guy Days […]
The Ruts were an English punk-rock/reggae band from Hayes, Greater London, that released the album The Crack with accompanying singles on Virgin in 1979. A name-change to Ruts DC preceded the 1981/82 albums Animal Now and Rhythm Collision – Vol.1, the second released on self-press Bohemian Records. Members: David Ruffy (drums), John Jennings (bass, vocals), […]
