Classic punk tracks

[Nerf]

I'm just in the mood for some fucking punk. I'm gonna go to bed in a bit with my mp3 player and just chill out and listen. I want some classic punk songs like Richard Hell's Blank Generation. Recommend away.

[Gabriel]

I don't know if you'd consider it classic or not... but The Undead is easily one of my favorite punk outfits.

Classic era Misfits stuff is always good for a listen. It's catchy and easy to sing along to.

The Circle Jerks are fantastic, and by extension, so is Black Flag.

[Toe]

I'm pretty sure the song "Jack And Diane" by John Cougar Mellencamp is as punk as they come.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Black Flag - TV Party, Wasted, My War, Nervous Breakdown

Circle Jerks - Wasted, Deny Everything, Group Sex

Misfits - All of the Walk Among Us & Static Age albums. Especially the songs Astro Zombies, Mommy Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight, Angelfuck, Attitude, & Bullet

The Germs - What We Do Is Secret, Richie Dagger's Crime, We Must Bleed, Lexicon Devil

[Vamp]

I'm just in the mood for some fucking punk. I'm gonna go to bed in a bit with my mp3 player and just chill out and listen. I want some classic punk songs like Richard Hell's Blank Generation. Recommend away.

[Nerf]

The program probably increased the desire, but I've been on a punk kick for the last few days.

[Heel Turn]

Minor Threat's whole discography.

You can thank me later.

[Nerf]

I already love Minor Threat

[VerbalPuke]

There's a lot of ground to cover here, because there was such a wide range of bands during punks biggest heydays. It can go regional, or subgenre based, but there is a lot to be spoken for. Since you're a Richard Hell guy, I'll start you off with some 77 punk.

Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer, Caught with the meat in your mouth, I need lunch

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers - Chinese Rocks, Born to Lose, Pirate Love (Richard Hell was an original member of the band, and bootlegs exist with him singing for these guys. On the L.A.M.F. album though, there is no Richard Hell. Doesn't matter though, the Heartbreakers were quite possibly the best of the best in the punk scene of NY. Actually, there's a version of Richard Hell's "Love Comes in Spurts" sang with the music of the song One Track Mind).

Suicide - Rocket USA, Johnny, Ghost Rider

The Saints - I'm Stranded, Demolition Girl, One Way Street (These guys are from Australia, but definitely carried that signature 77 style. Probably the most underrated punk band that ever existed.)

And ya know what, check out the Sex Pistols and the Ramones. Fuck anybody that has anything bad to say about either band, because both bands were great. Both rocked, both wrote great songs, and both are easily accessible.

Since Minor Threat was brought up, let's dive a little bit deeper into the D.C. hardcore era. There were a ton of great regions for hardcore in the 80s (Midwest, Boston, LA, Florida, and D.C.) that had plenty of bands to check out. Since you have familiarity with D.C., I'll stick with them for now.

Bad Brains - F.V.K., Right Brigade, and Re-Ignition

Government Issue - Teenager in a Box, Sheer Terror, G.I. (Probably the best band that D.C. had to offer).

Youth Brigade - Barbed Wire, Moral Majority, Pay No Attention

Iron Cross - Fight Em' All, You're a Rebel, Crucified (for your sins)

Seeing as California has some of my favorite bands, I couldn't possibly leave bands from that state out.

The Dils - Class War, Sound of the Rain, I hate the rich

Screamers - Vertigo, Government Love Affair, The Beat Goes On

Wasted Youth - Fuck Authority, We Were on Heroin, Punk For a Day

The Controllers - Suburban Suicide, Do The Uganda, Killer Queers

Gun Club - Sex Beat, Like Calling Up Thunder, She's Like Heroin to Me (and if you don't check this band out then you're doing yourself a severe injustice. They are simply one of the greatest bands that ever existed in any genre in any era in any region in any...you get the idea.)

Now for a few random suggestions.

G.G. Allin and the Jabbers - Drink, Fight, and Fuck, Gimme some head, Living Like an Animal. (I'd recommend starting with the Jabbers in G.G.'s case. His work beyond the Jabbers might be too extreme for the first time listener, though it's definitely very good stuff, and worth checking out if you enjoy the Jabbers material.)

Vic Goodard and Subway Sect - Nobody's Scared, Chain smoking, Empty Shell

Generation-X - King Rocker, Kiss Me Deadly, 100 Punks (Maybe not the greatest band out there, but it was Billy Idol's group before he became a solo star. Plus, they seem like they might be a band you'd get into.)

Cockney Rejects - Oi Oi Oi, Fighting in the Streets, Flares and Slippers (I figured I'd throw some Oi in there, and these guys are about the best Oi you'll get).

Slaughter and the Dogs - Quick Joey Small, Boston Baby, I'm Mad

Ya know, now that I think about it, those last suggestions were less random, and more "Bands from England, and G.G. Allin". Anyway, that's a quick list I whipped up for the time being, and depending on your reaction to some of the bands I can offer up a ton more. I still haven't touched base with Canada, and can still dive deeper elsewhere.

[Stone Cold]

I have to second VerbalPuke's recommendation of The Cockney Rejects, one of my favourite punk bands. My favourite song of thiers is War On The Terraces.

Sham 69 are another one of my favourites, their songs are sort of chant-y. Check out Hersham Boys, Borstal Breakout, Hurry Up Harry and If The Kids Are United.

Just to name a few more bands - Angelic Upstarts, UK Subs, Skids, 4-Skins, Anti-Nowhere League and The Buzzcocks.

[RPS]

Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia

Angry Samoans - Lights Out

Bad Brains - Pay To Cum

[VerbalPuke]

I have to second VerbalPuke's recommendation of The Cockney Rejects, one of my favourite punk bands. My favourite song of thiers is War On The Terraces.

Sham 69 are another one of my favourites, their songs are sort of chant-y. Check out Hersham Boys, Borstal Breakout, Hurry Up Harry and If The Kids Are United.

Just to name a few more bands - Angelic Upstarts, UK Subs, Skids, 4-Skins, Anti-Nowhere League and The Buzzcocks.

Damn, I'm glad you mentioned the Angelic Upstarts actually. They did some great work with their Oi, but also experimented a bit (and did a fine job of it) as evidenced by their Independent Punk Singles collection. Songs like Don't Stop, Solidarity, and Woman in Disguise showed some real versatility in the band, to break away from a pure Oi sound. The other groups you mentioned are all very good as well, though I haven't heard the Skids myself. Looks like I got myself a suggestion eh? (Y)

[Benji]

Descendents, Descendents and more Descendents. You can't go much wrong.

[Skummy]

On top of everything VP said (I actually avoided posting here just because I knew he'd say more than I intended to, and better), I second the love for The Ramones, immensely. Lately I've been far more in love with Ramones ballads than with the punk side of things (I'm on a Phil Spector high lately, it's to be expected), you can't discredit their punk brilliance. As much Ramones as possible is never a bad thing.

[YI]

My ex was well into Stiff Little Fingers, and got me listening to them. I admit to not being one for a lot of classic punk, besides the 'obvious' bands (Which SLF are, but still. ). Can't go wrong with "Nobody's Hero", "79 RPM", "Wasted Life" etc.

[Only In Dreams]

Bad Religion - Anything from there early Epitaph years (How Could Hell Be Any Worse to Generator)

[YI]

BR are good, but as far as 90's stuff goes I'm much more in the camp of Screeching Weasel, Lifetime, Jawbreaker. etc. However I wouldn' recommend any of them in a 'classic' punk thread.

Edited June 4, 2007 by YI

[Ruki]

Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Against Me, Hot Water Music, Lagwagon, Millencolin, Propagandi, The Vandals, The Dead Milkmen.....and that is all.

[K]

My ex was well into Stiff Little Fingers, and got me listening to them. I admit to not being one for a lot of classic punk, besides the 'obvious' bands (Which SLF are, but still. ). Can't go wrong with "Nobody's Hero", "79 RPM", "Wasted Life" etc.

<3

Also Barbed Wire Love might just be the best song in the world.