So where does rock end and punk begin? Were the garage bands of the mid to late 60s really the forbears of punk? What about bands like Pere Ubu or Roxy Music? Though the timing is off, some of their stuff actually sounds closer to post-punk. With these questions in mind, I made up these two compilations a few years ago (I also posted this in the "Rough Guide" thread):

Rough Guide to Proto-Punk, Vol. I: 1964-1974

1) The Sonics, “The Witch”—11/64
2) The Seeds, “Pushin’ Too Hard”—11/65
3) The Fugs, “Slum Goddess”—1/66
4) The Monks, “Complication”—3/66
5) Mystic Tide, “Frustration”—ca. 1966
6) Godz, “Radar Eyes”—ca. 1967
7) The Deviants, “I’m Coming Home”—ca. 1967
8) Velvet Underground, “White Light/White Heat”—1/68
9) Michael Yonkers Band, “Boy in the Sandbox”—ca. 1968
10) Silver Apples, “Oscillations”—7/68
11) MC5, “Kick Out the Jams”—5/69
12) The Stooges, “I Wanna Be Your Dog”—9/69
13) John Cale, “Hello There”—3/70
14) T. Rex, “Rip Off”—9/71
15) David Bowie, “Queen Bitch”—12/71
16) Roxy Music, “Re-make/Re-model”—6/72
17) Lou Reed, “Vicious”—11/72
18) Can, “Vitamin C”—11/72
19) The Residents, “Smelly Tongues”—2/74
20) Faust, “Baby”—ca. 1973
21) Sparks, “I Like Girls”—ca. 1973
22) Iggy & the Stooges, “Search & Destroy”—5/73
23) New York Dolls, “Trash”—8/73
24) Brian Eno, “Needles in the Camel’s Eye”—1/74

Rough Guide to Proto-Punk, Vol. II: 1974-1976

1) Brinsley Schwartz, “Peace, Love & Understanding”—5/74
2) Devo, “Auto Modown”—ca. 1974
3) Mirrors, “Annie”—6/74
4) Rocket From the Tombs, “Ain’t it Fun”—2/75
5) Dictators, “Teengenerate”—3/75
6) Modern Lovers, “Roadrunner”—6/75
7) Willie Alexander, “Mass. Ave.”—6/75
8) Neu! “After Eight”—6/75
9) Television, “Little Johnny Jewel”—10/75
10) Patti Smith, “Free Money”—11/75
11) Pere Ubu, “Final Solution”—3/76
12) Ramones, “Blitzkrieg Bop”—4/76
13) Blondie, “X Offender”—5/76
14) Runaways, “Cherry Bomb”—6/76
15) 101’ers, “Keys to Your Heart”—6/76
16) Gorillas, “She’s My Gal”—7/76
17) Count Bishops, “Train Train”—8/76
18) Wayne County, “Max’s Kansas City”—8/76
19) The Fast, “Boys Will Be Boys”—8/76
20) Cherry Vanilla, “Shake Your Ashes”—8/76
21) Suicide, “Rocket USA (MKC version)”—8/76

Who would you say is missing from these two compilations? Who doesn't belong? What songs would be featured ony your proto-punk compilation?

I would place Link Wray's 1958 (though supposedly recorded in 1954) "Rumble" as an early influence on punk and Link should be remembered as the Godfather of Punk. "Rumble" -completely instrumental and the rawest, most dangerous thing recorded at its time - was banned on many radio stations as it was feared the song would incite riots(!). Wray pioneered the use of distortion and fuzz in those early recordings. Other killer Wray songs are "Deuces Wild" and "Jack the Ripper", much covered and much loved.

I have some Link Wray and Chris Spedding albums on vinyl. Does that sound realistic or am I babbling even more than usual? Do they fit in this space/time continuum?

On the last Rhino Rockabilly box set, Rockin' Bones, the subtitle is 1950s Punk & Rockabilly. I can certainly see the subversiveness link to punk, but the sound doesn't seem to fit, IMO.

quote:

8) Neu! “After Eight”—6/75

I'd go with "Hero", but to each his own.

I've gotta admit that I've never even heard of a third of the acts on that list so I can't really make a big argument, but where are The Who? "My Generation", while an obvious choice, should almost definitely be included, no?

quote:

Originally posted by less_success:
I've gotta admit that I've never even heard of a third of the acts on that list so I can't really make a big argument, but where are The Who? "My Generation", while an obvious choice, should almost definitely be included, no?

Perhaps, yes. I just think of that song as quintessentially British Invasion. Them's "Gloria" would be another candidate in the same boat for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Perhaps, yes. I just think of that song as quintessentially British Invasion. Them's "Gloria" would be another candidate in the same boat for me.

Perhaps we need to discuss proto-proto-punk - the 60s Garage Rock and British Invasion stuff that spawned proto-punk.

Duh... You look it up.

Signed,

Bossy II

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
I have some Link Wray and Chris Spedding albums on vinyl. Does that sound realistic or am I babbling even more than usual? Do they fit in this space/time continuum?

I still need to pick up that box set. We need a rockabilly thread, too.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Perhaps, yes. I just think of that song as quintessentially British Invasion. Them's "Gloria" would be another candidate in the same boat for me.

Perhaps we need to discuss proto-proto-punk - the 60s Garage Rock and British Invasion stuff that spawned proto-punk.

Yeah, a thread on 60s garage as well as modern garage.

It's a great compilation. I don't know all the artist, but the ones I do, are definitely great. Right now, I am actually reading a book on american punk - From the Velvets to the Voivods that is pretty good. I know it's an early track, but I think "Louie, Louie" by the Kingsmen should be on there. It was also banned from the radio because the lyrics were hard to hear, so people (christian I suppose) thought they were blasphemic.

That's a fantastic book. I've championed From the Velvets by Clinton Heylin a few times on these boards.

Back in 2001, Sonic Unyon reissued a record by a band called Simply Saucer. It was an expanded version of their first (and only?) record, Cyborgs Revisited (1974). It's sort of Canada's (they hailed from Hamilton, Ontario) answer to the Velvets and the Stooges, with a little early Floyd thrown in for good measure. I sort of forgot I owned this. It is definitely worth hearing if you are at all interested in this era.

Sounds interesting. Thanks for the heads up, MJ.