What 5 bands would you say define post-punk?

[rbnyc]

I'm doing this 30 days of music thing on facebook where you post favorite songs in different genres and it has me thinking a lot about genres and bands that fit into multiple genres.

I poster 24 Hours by Joy Division as my favorite post-punk song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zo4JdTfDw0

For fun, I checked out this list of post-punk bands on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_post-punk_bands

Of course, so many of these bands fit other genres, like goth or industrial.

So I asked myself, which 5 bands most define post-punk. And now I'm asking you.

Here's my list:

1. Joy Division
2. Public Image Limited
3. The The
4. Siouxsie and the Banshees
5. Mission of Burma

Your list is probably just as good as mine. I can't wait to see it, and post some favorite songs if you please.

[rbnyc]

1. Wow...nobody.

I guess I'm old.

[Gold Metal Flake]

2. Hard to do without an encyclopedic knowledge of alternative music.

I think I would want to put X in there as an example of punk's influence combined with roots rock. I might also look to The Minutemen. But Echo And The Bunnymen might need to be considered. But do they owe more to Television than Bad brains? See, I suck at this. Oh, there are the 100 bands that I know but can't pull out of my damaged memory without some sort of prompt.

[rbnyc]

5. Those are all awesome examples.

I was close to putting Echo and the Bunnymen on my list.

[tigereye]

31. X and the Minutemen should certainly be on there

Joy Division - Gang of Four-PIL- Devo- The Fall- The Cure.


I have a tendency myself to mix eclectic early punk bands (of which there were many) in with the post-punk stuff. :shrug:

[Iggo]

4. I went from punk to metal around '80.

Post-punk is like dance music to me.

That said, in my dotage I see the brilliance of Joy Division that I missed all those years ago.

[rbnyc]

6. Closer is one of the greatest albums of all time.

I lingered in post-punk for quite some time. I didn't appreciate metal til much later.

[hifiguy]

3. Joy Division/New Order and Magazine at the top

Then Siouxsie & Co

Besides them I always liked the Psychedelic Furs (pre-John Hughes' discovery of them)

[rbnyc]

7. I love the Furs.

The first album is the best.

I also really dug Jesus and Mary Chain. They were great live. I pretty much lived at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago between 1983 and 1986.

[rbnyc]

23. I love the New Order Peel Sessions!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYsRIdB3sc8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvJEPbduQJk

[bif]

8. I had to go six bands.

Dead Can Dance, Echo & the Bunnymen, Joy Division, This Mortal Coil, Sonic Youth & XTC.

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. And here is where I get a bit confused.

Sonic Youth is a tremendously creative, innovative and influential band. Nearly a movement in itself. It is also a compilation of influences. The same can be said of Stereolab. The two bands are giants in the post-punk world. But they came to prominence in the latter 80s/early 90s so I'm not sure if we can included them directly if what we are considering is the dawn of new music in the wake of 1976/77.

As I think about that period, I wonder how I can distinguish post-punk from post-rock.

[rbnyc]

20. What you said.

This is why I didn't put Sonic Youth on my list, but nearly put Velvet Underground on my list.

[tigereye]

32. VU is way too early- more 60s-early 70s garage

although they certainly set the tone for a million later bands! :hi: Love these kinds of discussions!

[rbnyc]

37. True

and they are truly transcendent.

[rbnyc]

15. I love Sonic Youth.

I love Thurston Moore's solo stuff too.

[hifiguy]

10. The Cure and Japan

How the hell could I have forgotten them?

Japan remains one of my all time fave bands. Their brilliant bassist Mick Karn passed away in January of this year. An immense loss to the bass guitar commuity.

Just to be obscure, I am gonna throw in (Brix and) The Adult Net (mostly members of The Fall) just for their killer cover of "Incense and Peppermints."

And chronologically one could make an argument for Duran Duran. "Planet Earth" was one stone-cold killer of a debut single.

[Forkboy]

11. I immediately thought of Big Black and Pussy Galore.

Don't know if they qualify or not. Pussy Galore could easily fit into the punk/garage rock genre as well. I might also include the Butthole Surfers, and later on, Ed Hall, both Austin, Texas bands.

Most of the stuff that I think of as post punk is more on the industrial side of things. Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV spring to mind.

Other than that, I don't know. To me this is a blurry genre to start with, so it's hard to say who defines it.

[Gold Metal Flake]

12. OT, but you mentioned Texas and industrial...

I just ripped my copy of the long out of print album "Born In Blood" by Pain Teens. Compelling stuff.

[Forkboy]

13. Oh, I love Pain Teens!!!

Bliss Blood has three different projects going on, plus she's uber liberal. She's always posting cool shit on her Facebook page, so much so that I wonder if she doesn't read DU. :)

I remember seeing Pain Teens open for Fudgetunnel here in Boston back in the early 90's, and PT kicked ass (I liked Fudgetunnel a lot, but PT was much better that night).

Check out some of her new stuff. Quite different, but pretty cool.
http://www.blissblood.com/

[Gold Metal Flake]

18. I saw them in LA in the early 90s. Hell of a show.

PM sent.

[rbnyc]

21. I love Big Black

I saw them with Urge Overkill in a church basement in Champaign, Il in 1987 or 88.

[Forkboy]

43. Sadly, I never saw them.

Must have been great.

Albini is great producer, too.

[ceile]

14. I'll play. I have 6.

New Order
The Church
XTC
REM (not on the list but I think they qualify)
The Cure
Talking Heads

The Church "Unguarded Moment"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osz-GQbX37o

[rbnyc]

19. Nice song pick. (nt)

[semillama]

16. I have to chip in a band that is woefully overlooked so far

Killing Joke.

[rbnyc]

17. + 1 (nt)

[Gold Metal Flake]

33. +1

[Paradoxical]

22. In the later years, Interpol.

[rbnyc]

24. I don't know them.

I will check them out. Thanks.

Recommend any particular songs?

[Paradoxical]

29. Listen to the entire album "Turn On the Bright Lights"

It's one of the greatest albums EVER. Listen to pretty much any song from that and you'll be set. But you're missing the message if you don't listen to all of it.

[rbnyc]

30. Cool. Thanks.

It's hard to get turned onto new music when you're old and work all the time. ;-)

[bif]

42. Have you ever checked out my music blog?

I've got all kinds of good music on it. My motto is: I listen to a lot of crap, so you don't have to.

Check it out: http://marksmusicmemo.blogspot.com

[rbnyc]

45. I like your motto.

I'll check it out.

[bif]

46. Thanks. It's true!

I listen to tons of music. And 99% of it either sounds the same, or just like something I've heard before. So it's rare to find something truly unique. That said, there is a lot of good stuff out there. It just requires a lot of searching. Hope you like Ye Olde Blog!

[rbnyc]

48. Have you ever heard my stuff?

http://rbouchard.jigsy.com/music

[bif]

51. Wow!

I just listened to "Jar". What a wonder sound and voice. Is that you singing? I'm going to listen to the rest later. Do you have any CDs out?

[rbnyc]

52. Thanks.

I sing and play one of the guitars. All the stuff on that site has another guitarist, David Romanelli, who is way better than I ever was. I wrote the songs.

I self-produced some CDs when I was playing out to sell at shows, but I don't have any left and a lot of material has been lost. When I was really focused on music, I was very prolific and very unconcerned about saving anything. I thought that process was paramount and that being overly concerned about the ultimate product was counter to the creative energies. I was such a dork.

LOL

[bif]

53. You're very talented, I must say.

Do you still perform? Still in the music game? Do you ever tour?

[rbnyc]

56. I quit about 10 years ago.

I wasn't getting any younger or cuter. Plus, I really wanted stability and the ability to plan and provide for a family. My son in 6 now.

There's a lot of music in our home. My husband is still a working musician. It would be impossible to run our home with both of us doing it, and I was really willing and ready to put it behind me, and I now have a career that I love (although my current employer is driving me nuts.)

One of the things I love most about the internet, tho, is my ability to upload and share these old songs. It means a lot to me.

Thanks again.

[bif]

57. I'd love to be able to download them

So I can listen to them on my iPod.

[rbnyc]

58. There's some public digital archive...

...where a friend uploaded all this stuff we did in college. I should check it out and put my newer stuff on there because folks can download.

I LOVE that you would put those songs on your ipod. That makes me feel awesome.

[Ahpook]

25. Thats tough

Dealing with every genre, sub genre and every other sub sub genre is crazy. Record label shit I suppose?

For instance, I have played for numerous bands and always hear something about originals. "Ahh, man, that sounds like..." You name it, I played it apparently.

Not sure what to tell you but will think about it :)

On edit: The only reason I put it that way is because music is just music. Never joined a band with a defined mission. It was just 3, 4 or 5 people coming together and see what happens :)

[rbnyc]

26. My husband and I were just talking about this.

We're both musicians. We don't think most musicians are out there saying, oh I'm going to define this or that genre, sub genre or sub genre revival. People just play what they like. I think all the labeling comes more from critics than from record labels. People like to map shot out and show how things how different clusters of groups from different periods are related and kind of speaking to each other. I do too, actually. Even though it's kind of irrelevant.

[Ahpook]

27. Yeah, to fit things in little boxes

can be easy. Not directed towards you, just in general.

My mind has been blown a few times. Going in with MY defined place, and this person takes off over here.


Am I off topic :evilgrin:

[rbnyc]

28. Going off topic is good. (nt)

[tigereye]

34. music is so eclectic and interwoven/cross-pollinating now

it almost defies all those categories!

[tigereye]

35. actually, this isn't too bad of an overview

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-punk

[rbnyc]

38. pretty good stuff there (nt)

[chollybocker]

36. I lost count.

:) Just wanted to add a few pre-post-punk faves:

Gang of Four - To Hell with Poverty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPJHQmJAiKA

Buzzcocks - What Do I Get?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbauu27ZIUs&feature=related

PiL - Death Disco/Swan Lake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k_Boj04CjM&feature=related

Undertones - Teenage Kicks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAtUw6lxcis&feature=related

Stranglers - Hanging Around
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=806Z42bqBGE&feature=related

The Jam - In the City/Bricks and Mortar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKaLHbXjcZs&feature=related

Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBYoNYuUVk0

Vibrators - I Need a Slave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZt_w1LIoVM&feature=related

Siouxsie was an original punk/Pistols groupie with The Bromley Contingent - along w/Billy Idol...

LOLZ!! Generation X - King Rocker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR6TSe1Gqfo&feature=related

[rbnyc]

39. Buzzcocks!

Nice list, great songs.

[tigereye]

44. nice!

:thumbsup: I should dig a few of those records out of my pile!

[Gold Metal Flake]

54. Mmmm. The force is strong with this poster.

:toast:

[JCMach1]

40. The Cure, The Pixies, Sonic Youth...

How could anyone not classify the Pixies as post-punk?

Also, Eurythmics and Talking Heads deserve a shout out as well.

[rbnyc]

41. Pixies!

Can't believe it took this long from them to get a mention. Good call.

[JCMach1]

50. and a band who had a huge influence on quite a lot of today's alt pop

Bands like Placebo, My Chemical Romance, and others owe quite a lot of debt to the Pixies...

[dawg]

47. Um ... let's see.

1. Air Supply
2. Chicago
3. Stryper
4. Giuffria
5. Nelson!

[rbnyc]

49. Very funny...

:toast:

[Tikki]

55. I guess I'm just LAconcentric.....

X
Oingo Boingo
Minutemen
Gun Club
RHCP

there are others...oh yes there are....

Tikki