Ok, for me, some of the wide variety of the music that is frequently labelled as “post punk” is the comfort music I turn to most often.
Of course what defines a PP record or band is a “ how long is a piece of string” question.
So , to discuss, would one include the Banshees, who were around the punk scene very early, but then took the music of the time in a direction all of their own, and were surely the most influential of the early PP bands?
I never really thought of the Cure as PP, more as a punk/ pop band that veered off down a dark alley. But most folk would call them PP, certainly in the early years.
The first U2 album, is surely PP,despite their later stadium rock career, as can be said for Simple Minds. Anyway, we are all grown up enough to draw our own lines I assume, but bands I would exclude , but have often seen described as PP would include the fabulous and influential B52s, ( too glam, but bang on the money combining dance and rock idioms) and Talking Heads ( way too early) , and the incomparable XTC ( art pop?)
So to some favourites.lets say five albums/ bands.
Joy Division, inevitably . Closer
Echo and the Bunnymen. Heaven up Here. Impossible to leave them out, and it is their strongest songwriting IMO.
The Raincoats. Odyshape. A thing of strange and wonderful beauty. The band the Velvets could have been.
The Cure Pornography. An incredible and intense end of the line, or bottom of the well, for the Cure, phase 1.
The Sound. Jeopardy.
Or From the Lions Den. Adrian Borland was ( punk and) Post Punk’s most unjustly neglected talent and the best live rock group I ever saw.
Magazine.The Correct Use of Soap. A perfect combination of style and substance, and the masterpiece they had moved towards over several years.
Oh dear, thats 6/7. Never mind .And if you include the Banshees as PP, then The Scream would have to be in there of course.
As ever it would be different choice tomorrow, and might include U2s Boy, The Smiths, Public Image’s Metal Box.
I guess my choices are mostly big name and rock orientated, and other folks would veer more towards the danceable ( Cabaret Voltaire) or Electro/dance ( EG Heaven 17s Penthouse and Pavement ?) or the more musically and politically radical ( This Heat, The Pop Group, Pere Ubu ). Anyway, would be interested in your thoughts on this end of working week musing.
( prompted by another superb Cherry Red box set , this time “ To the Outside of Everything.)
Have a good weekend.
Of course what defines a PP record or band is a “ how long is a piece of string” question.
So , to discuss, would one include the Banshees, who were around the punk scene very early, but then took the music of the time in a direction all of their own, and were surely the most influential of the early PP bands?
I never really thought of the Cure as PP, more as a punk/ pop band that veered off down a dark alley. But most folk would call them PP, certainly in the early years.
The first U2 album, is surely PP,despite their later stadium rock career, as can be said for Simple Minds. Anyway, we are all grown up enough to draw our own lines I assume, but bands I would exclude , but have often seen described as PP would include the fabulous and influential B52s, ( too glam, but bang on the money combining dance and rock idioms) and Talking Heads ( way too early) , and the incomparable XTC ( art pop?)
So to some favourites.lets say five albums/ bands.
Joy Division, inevitably . Closer
Echo and the Bunnymen. Heaven up Here. Impossible to leave them out, and it is their strongest songwriting IMO.
The Raincoats. Odyshape. A thing of strange and wonderful beauty. The band the Velvets could have been.
The Cure Pornography. An incredible and intense end of the line, or bottom of the well, for the Cure, phase 1.
The Sound. Jeopardy.
Or From the Lions Den. Adrian Borland was ( punk and) Post Punk’s most unjustly neglected talent and the best live rock group I ever saw.
Magazine.The Correct Use of Soap. A perfect combination of style and substance, and the masterpiece they had moved towards over several years.
Oh dear, thats 6/7. Never mind .And if you include the Banshees as PP, then The Scream would have to be in there of course.
As ever it would be different choice tomorrow, and might include U2s Boy, The Smiths, Public Image’s Metal Box.
I guess my choices are mostly big name and rock orientated, and other folks would veer more towards the danceable ( Cabaret Voltaire) or Electro/dance ( EG Heaven 17s Penthouse and Pavement ?) or the more musically and politically radical ( This Heat, The Pop Group, Pere Ubu ). Anyway, would be interested in your thoughts on this end of working week musing.
( prompted by another superb Cherry Red box set , this time “ To the Outside of Everything.)
Have a good weekend.
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