You may now be thinking to yourself, what could Randy, who was a burgeoning fetus 33 years ago today, tell me(you) about this musical year that was 1977. You'll simply have to trust me on this one. I've been studying the subject and trying to uncover every genre and sub-genre of late 70's early 80's and it's best highlights and it's a treasure trove of musical diversity in underground and fairly inaccessible bands and tracks as will be warned about. It was also chock full of big hits that are familiar like Hotel California and Rumors. It also had some of the most tragic cases of poor marketing of bands that had amazing hooks and just did not get radio airplay.
Baby Bjorn: Wasn't Abba from '77 dude?
(BTW I have my baby Emily Bjorned to me right now and I have surprising keystroke quality right now.)
Yes, and they rocked too, in their Cheesy way. My Dad blared the shit out of Abba when I was growing up. 1977 had Take a Chance on Me and Knowing Me, Knowing You, 2 of their finest.
1977, Didn't Rock & Roll Die in 1977 Randy?
The over sandwiched and over medicated Elvis was lost in 1977 and so was a bunch of Skynyrd members GRTS, but so much about what is great in the path of contemporary Rock music has 1977 as a firm ground zero.
Let's dig in.
The overlooked UK and Power Pop (My personal area of expertise) Will let you know how far out and bizarre it may be on a 1-5 scale of tuneful accessibility. I need to do this 'cause sometime I send my Brother, Dave running for z hills. This would be a 1 or 2 and also considered TBFB (Too British for Brother) 5 is the most poppy and tunable. Okay Robbbb!!!!
Punk and Power Pop gems by album and the songs to investigate
Adverts- Gary's Gilmore's eyes and One Chord Wonders are punk staples but TBFB
Buzzcocks EP Spiral Scratch which I actually tragically have overlooked but is when Howard Devoto of Magazine was still with Pete Shelley and the chaps
Boomtown Rats- Lookin' Out for number 1
Cheap Trick- In Color which has I think the best song in the arsenal here with "Southern Girls" Thanks Joe. it may be the best album too by Trick
The Clash- S/T Punk perfection and pretty accessible 4 here where London calling is the 5 "Complete Control" is amazing. You're my guitar hero scream Joe Strummer. White Man at Hammersmith, and Career Opportunities head up a monstrous selection of legendary Punk. Must have CYPG RAHOF (Crap Your Pants Good)
The Damned- The Damned are well critiqued and essential to heads like me, but a 1 on abrasive to tuneful scale. These guys are spicy. Songs "New Rose" and "Neat Neat Neat" are for beginners.
David Bowie gets fiercely down to business with both albums "Low" and "Heroes" being released and full of some of his most serious and relevant work. Songs "Sound and Vision" and "New Career in a New Town" are musts from Low and "Heroes" is a song you should already know.
The Dead Boys- Young Loud and Snotty Super essential punk from NYC is a 3 which is almost accessible for people who want to logically progress from the Clash. Stiv Bators was a bad ass front man.
The next D is for the Dwight Twilley Band, the first pure power pop foray mentioned here. This is very bubblegum stuff and very cleanly played and highly tuneful. The album Twilley Don's Mind has the delicious "Looking for the Magic" also done by his right hand man Phil Seymour when Twilley's side man got the urge to go solo. Both do the song well. Twilley a better pace though.
Eddie and the Hot Rods- Life on the Line Wow what an album, UK Pub rock at the best it's ever been executed. Sorry Nick Lowe. Only got this yesterday from Shady Dog, and I am in love. Pub rock is very basic in it's tight rock grooves and precision harmonies. This is a RAHOF and the CYPG songs are "Do Anything You Want to do" and "And Don't Believe Your Eyes" are worth the price of admission. Mike at shady dog will order it for you. Let's get it on the charts.
Generation X would be Billy Idol's launching point and the track "Your Generation" is needed for the punk curator.
Next more Pub Rock,
Ian Dury and the Blockheads - album New Boots and panties. Red alert TBFB not for the faint of heart, but explorers will want to uncover the songs "Blockheads" and Sweet gene Vincent"
I can go on all day and may, so sit tight.
The Jam lead by the ultra talented and soulful Paul Weller is the epitome of Mod revival on the albums "In the City" and "All Mod Cons" I love songs "Life From a Window" and "Standards" These guys are very brit, but Weller wears his love for US Soul and R&B proudly on his sleeve. Not TBFB 4 of 5 on accessibility.
The Kinks- Not their finest year, but "Juke Box Music" and "Sleepwalker" are highlights
The Nerves- Oh boy, this is important. Our introduction to California's most underrated songsmith and writer, Paul Collins. I only have the track "Hangin' On the Telephone" to be covered by Blondie Paul Collins later work with The Beat would be where he flexes his power pop muscle.
The Only Ones- Peel Sessions This album is soo very important. A raw live version of a band who is legendary in the UK but barely makes a blip on anybody's radar in the states. "Another Girl, Another Planet" my favorite rock song of all time. You did just read that! That song is here, in a very well executed live delivery of the classic. Also must hear "Miles From Nowhere"
The Pezband- S/T this Chicago skinny tie power pop band is guilty in the bubblegum factor but the execution is tight. Overshadowed by sharing territory with Cheap Trick, they are obscenely overlooked and therefore hard to find. Get Mike at SD on this one for you.
Plastic Bertrand- That french song from Euro Vacation Louvre scene. Ca Plain Pour Moi. This one if british would be TBFB, but it is French.
The Ramones were busy and on point with albums "Leave Home" and "Rocket to Russia". We find out that "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" here and "Commando", "Locket Love" and it's a "Long Way Back to Germany" are leaders in portraying the Ramones dominance for team NYC/CBGB
The Real Kids- The Real Kids This Boston Punk band has hooks so tightly wound you could cause limbs to fall off if you are to entangle yourself. This is a RAHOF member prodly and is a 5 on the accessibility scale.
Richard Hell and the Voidoids leave no void in the impact of CBGB and NYC in punk music's history. The song "Blank Generation" is a song that explains this whole Punk thing as straight as can be. Hell's classic "Love Comes in Spurts" is quite the visual but all you need is the audio treat you are about to unveil. This stuff is 3 on the freak out scale. Not too rough. Dave wouldn't like his half assed vocal effort.
Sex Pistols- Not much really needed here I don't think. If you don't know them already, you probably never will try.
If Anarchy in the UK and God Save the Queen are not for you, try "Holidays in the Sun", "Problems" and "Pretty Vacant" instead. if it doesn't register, check your pulse.
The Stranglers- 2 albums from these cult UK legends. We have the incendiary album "No More Heroes" and "Rattus Novegicus" here. The song "Something Better Change" shows that Paul Shafer type organ and synth work are able to work in punk music. These guys were still touring as of last year with a drummer named Jet Black who has just turned 71 years young. "No More Heroes", "Golden Brown" and "Hanging Around" are the other tracks that will uncover this band for you. They are 3 of 5 on my equivalent of the scoville scale for music spiciness. Almost TBFB, probably are.
The Talking Heads:77 This is very strong TH. Song "Love- Building on fire" while not the recognizable track is one of their best.
Television- Marquee Moon Red alert... This is a killer album, but it is an acquired taste with it's slight inaccessibility issues. Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd play exquisitely with Jazz chops and sweeping guitarscapes that put the art in art punk. "See No Evil", "Venus" and "Marquee Moon" get another check mark for the NYC representation of 1977 punk music.
Tyla Gang- Yachtless Crunchy, hooky guilty pub rocker here that nobody freakin' knows. Song "Hurricane" is hot to me.
"Speedball Morning" and "Lost Angels" are treats.
The Vibrators- Pure Mania is the name of an album I should have all of. I don't yet, but may soon. The song "Baby Baby" by them off of this is so cool it is a CYPG track fo' sho'
As we round out the alphabet of this landmark year that is.
Wire- Pink Flag. These guys are the very regimented and virtuous art punk pioneers that many have tried to emulate. Notice the guitar line in "Three Girl Rhumba" that 90's act Elastica would "borrow" before litigation put the end to that. "12XU", "Feeling called Love", "Mannequin", and the tricky to find "Dot Dash" are examples of this bands precision assault on punk rock's cliched sloppiness. They are 3 of 5 and not for everyone. Were TBFB for mi hermano, but I might break him down on these guys eventually.
X-Ray Spex, and the abrasive lead by Poly Styrene welcome a surly beat and some sexy saxophone to the equation in "Oh Bondage, Up Your's"
Whew... That is it for Punk and Power Pop.
Don't forget some other classics from 1977 in some of the other forms of rock.
Classic Rock
Jimmy Buffett-Changes in Latitudes is relaxing as Corona commercials that bear this mantra.
Fleetwood Mac - Rumors- amazing and you better not need explaining on this one.
Billy Joel - The Stranger
Chicago- Chicago XI
CSN-CSN and the song Cathedral. Thanks Tyler and Izbick.
Dave Mason- We Just Disagree
Dennis Wilson (of the Beach Boys) - Album "Pacific Ocean Blue" amazingly pretty for a drummer on lead vocal. Check out "River Song" and "Only With You" here if you dig the Beach Boys.
Electric Light orchestra- Out of the Blue is not critically acclaimed for Jeff Lynn blasted it out in months, but I like it a lot.
Elvis Costello- My aim is True
Eric Clapton- Slowhand Check out "Next Time you See Her"
Frank Zappa- Lather
Heart- Little Queen has "Barracuda" on it. Greatest female rocker ever.
Kiss - Love Gun has "Christine Sixteen" on it.
Lynyrd Skynyrd- Street Survivors, not air. Southern Rock would never be the same.
Meat Loaf- Bat out of Hell who doesn't know this windbag. It is cliched, but a good album
Neil Young would have a crummy "American Stars and Bars" but wow with the "Decade" collection that is cover to cover A #1
Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane from the Small Faces. Rough Mix is a wonderful juxtaposition to the Pete solo work that is more Who like. This is straight Country rock and awesome. Check out " My Baby Give's it Away" and "Heart to Hang Onto"
Peter Gabriel- The first of multiple S/T albums. A little pompous, don't you think. "Solsbury Hill" is here
Pink Floyd- Animals is an arty album, but maybe the finest. At least it does not tend to be overplayed. Check out "Pigs (3 different ones)" here.
Oh a little band called Queen. My favorite of all time btw. The would release "News of the World" and Arena rock was born. "Sheer Heart Attack" is hardcore and under appreciated as is "Spread Your Wings" and the very bluesy Queen songs on this winner.
Steely Dan would unleash Jazz rock with the exquisite production of "Aja". "Peg", "Deacon Blues", and "Josie" will add some dinner music for entertaining a boss and making you look very suave and sophisticated. I know it made me look quite bad ass in my Altoona days.
Supertramp- Give a little bit. 'nuf said.
Ted Nugent- Cat Scratch Fever.
Van Halen would come a year too late.
Reggae-
Junior Murvin- Police and Thieves
Bob Marley- Exodus
The Congos- Congoman
I think that just about does it.
Will anyone question what 1977 means musically anymore? You better have a strong argument for me.
Please interject if I have made any glaring omissions as this is according to my records. John Powell and Mike at SD can fact check me for they lived it. I am trying to live it.
That is going to be it for the topic tonight, but I'll be reviewing at least some samples of tracks from Magnetic Fields new album due out tomorrow. Also keep you eyes out for the top 15 Magnetic Fields songs of all time per me.
Go to bed!!!
