Punk started for me in 78.
Up to this point I had avoided punk on the principle that if my sister liked it then I didn’t. My sister had been hard core from early on.
My sister was then a hair dresser working in London. She was well into all the hair-styles that punks were experimenting with. Once on her way to a gig in London, a bus driver wouldn’t let her on the bus because she had green hair.
Thirty years on and punk style is almost main stream. But, back in 70s, it was an anti-establishment social movement. The music was only a small part of it. A joke at the expense of the BBC and the music industry.
My mum bought my sister No More Heroes by the Stranglers as a present. But she didn’t want it. Apparently they weren’t, “True Punk.” So she gave it to me.
After listening to No More I understood what all the fuss was about. It was completely different to anything else playing on Radio1 at the time.
Later on, I saw The Stranglers a couple of times live, including Reading festival around 86. I still love the clacky bass and pipe organ sound.
This track is from Rattus Novergicus. Their best album I think. It takes me back to being a student in London, and spending a lot of my summers Hanging Around.
I like this video, it captures the completely non-professionals mood of early punk.
Big girl in the red dress
She’s just trying to impress us
And she’s got the barley fever
But she doesn’t make a sound
She’s just hanging around
She’s just hanging around
Down the Court Road early
With the Hustlers big and burly
There’s a million of ‘em selling
And the buyers can be found
They’re just hanging around
They’re just hanging around
Christ, he told his mother
Christ, he told her not to bother
‘Cause he’s alright in the city
‘Cause he’s high above the ground
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
One of ‘em comes closer
Got a monkey on his shoulder
And the monkey’s getting grinner
But his eyes are on the ground
He’s just hanging around
He’s just hanging around
I’m moving in the Colaron
With the leather all around me
And the sweat is getting steamy
But their eyes are on the ground
They’re just hanging around
They’re just hanging around
Christ, he told his mother
Christ, he told her not to bother
‘Cause he’s alright in the city
‘Cause he’s high above the ground
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
Christ, he told his mother
Christ, he told her not to bother
‘Cause he’s alright in the city
‘Cause he’s high above the ground
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
He’s just hanging around (hanging around)
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