Talking Punk London: In the City 1975-78 on Gary Crowley’s Soho Radio show this afternoon
This afternoon I’m the guest on DJ Gary Crowley’s show on London-based digital station Soho Radio.
I’ll be talking about Punk London: In The City 1975-78 – my map collaboration with Herb Lester Associates which is published on Friday (February 12) – and also playing a highly personal selection of songs in the spirit of the project where we aim to sidestep the cliches and show another side to the oft-told punk story.
Gary has asked me for half a dozen tracks, so I’m avoiding the obvious and instead picking and choosing between those which made an impact on me in the period and also, I feel, played a part in the musical story which unfolded in our capital in the latter part of the 1970s.
As ever I aim to undercut the fallacious impression that the mid 70s were a musically dull period. Sure, they were if you sought your jollies from the likes of the by-then over-inflated Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (all of whom I saw play big and disappointing stadium gigs at that time).
In fact there was a rich variety of far more accessible rock, pop and experimental music- chivvied along by the writers of the New Musical Express – which laid the groundwork for the breakthrough of punk and new wave.
I witnessed many of these performing live in London: Lou Reed and his Rock & Roll Animal set at Charlton FC’s ground in south-east London, Hawkwind at Chalk Farm’s The Roundhouse, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band at the New Victoria Theatre, Ian Dury & The Kilburns (as they were called by 1976) at Islington’s Hope & Anchor, Brian Eno as part of the ACNE collective (with Kevin Ayers, John Cale and Nico) at The Rainbow, Finsbury Park, Kevin Coyne in Hyde Park, Dr Feelgood at the Dagenham Roundhouse, The Snakes at my school dance and The 101’ers at the London College Of Printing, Elephant & Castle.
I’m also considering examples of the reggae and soul tracks which enlivened house parties and clubs in the period, the rockabilly I first appreciated blaring from my next-door neighbour (who was guitarist in Ted band Flying Saucers Rock & Roll) and, for my late brother David, Billy Fury’s Do You Really Love Me Too, which was on the jukebox in Let It Rock at 430 King’s Road and appeared – at manager Malcolm McLaren’s insistence – fleetingly in the very early rehearsal repertoire of the Sex Pistols.
Obviously not all of these will make the cut; find out which ones do on Gary Crowley’s Punk & New Wave Show, at 5pm GMT here.
Buy copies of Punk London: In The City 1975-78 – priced £6 each – here.