Socks
Description: Together for only a brief amount of time even by punk standards, Operation Ivy had as much impact on the scene as almost any ’80s band. Not only did they give rise to Rancid when Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman re-teamed following their original band’s split, but they paved the way for a new wave of ska, one that embraced hardcore punk rock more than ever
Description: Though their original iteration was sadly cut short after the suicide of singer Darby Crash, Germs made a lasting mark in the late ‘70s as punk began trickling out of New York and erupted in Los Angeles. They drew from iconic rock acts like Iggy Pop and David Bowie; after their initial breakup, founding member Pat Smear would go on to perform with both Nirvana and Foo Fighters
Description: Dropkick Murphys play a unique brand of punk music influenced by their Irish-by-way-of-New England upbringing: Celtic Punk. With bagpipes and all, Dropkick Murphys are ferociously fun rockers who sing with their hearts and turn their amps up even louder. Look no further than their signature anthem, “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” which famously featured in Martin Scorcese’s The Departed 15 years ago. It’s a perfect summation of their glorious and unabashed style of punk, with as much grit as there is heart
Description: Poly Styrene knew she wanted to be in a punk band the moment she saw the Sex Pistols live. She would go on to do just that in X-Ray Spex, defying any expectations in the process: As a young, petite, biracial woman, she couldn’t be much further from the dudes who dominated London’s rock scene in the ‘60s and ‘70s. But as a mesmerising clip of X-Ray Spex performing their seminal anthem “Oh Bondage Up Yours!” circa-1977 indicates, the punk world was where Styrene belonged — braces, kitschy outfits and all
Description: Few punk bands better represented the American underground than Minutemen. Fronted by the imitable D. Boon and anchored by the funk-inspired rhythms of bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, the band laid the groundwork for post-hardcore by incorporating a diverse range of influences into its music.
Description: During a time when punks were competing for speed and loudness, The Dead Milkmen proved that the level of energy can still be achieved without a distortion pedal — and with a little fun. After “Bitchin’ Camaro” became an underground hit thanks to rotation on college radio stations, it was their fourth album, Beelzebubba, that culminated in international attention thanks to 1988’s “Punk Rock Girl.” In a 1989 interview with MTV’s 120-Minutes, founding member Joe “Jack Jack Talcum” Genaro offered up some backstory for “Punk Rock Girl,” revealing that the woman in the video (though we never get a good look at her face) is named Miriam, and that she was in a band called God’s Crotch. True story or fabricated? Hard to know with DM, who have alway
Description: Circle Jerks cemented their status as hardcore titans through an album that clocked in at less time than it takes most of us to run an errand around the corner. Distilling their winning combination of cheeky lyrics and frenzied riffs into bite-sized blasts is not only a nod to their extraordinary ability to pack a punch, but something that earned them a large and devoted listenership. With tracks about rebellion, individuality, and raising an eyebrow at the world, Circle Jerks are forever among the slickest punk has on offer
Description: On their 1983 debut Mommy’s Little Monster, Fullerton, California’s Social Distortion helped cement the sneering attitude and fast, anthemic sound of Orange County punk. But by the time Social D recorded their self-titled 1990 album, frontman Mike Ness had hit rock bottom, gone to rehab, and reemerged with the soulfully wounded songs and country and blues undertones that made them rock radio mainstays. — Al Shipley
