La Musique Nous Aimons

I've comprised a list of a few bands i find truly inspirational and i hope you do too. These bands are known as protopunk, not punk. As punk refers to the despicable culture of mohawks and nonsense mosh pits. Now thats not classy;) Wht is classy is protopunk and its influential pioneers: Iggy Pop, David Bowie, T-Rex, The Dolls, all straddling the fine line between rock and glam and yet brining just a little bit more to the table. These guys are seriously worth listening too.      Unfortuntely protopunk is now just glitter on the floor.

-Kay

The Runaways:

My definition would be the greatest teenage all-girl rock band of the 70's; Drugged up, sexed-up, and ready to roll. And then again, how many do you know? Composed of Sex Kitten Cherie Currie-vocals, Hard core Joan Jett-rhthym guitar, Saucy Lita Ford-lead guitar, sexy Jackie Fox-base guitar, and rough and tumble drummer- Sandy West. The reason these girls were so kick ass was because they were tough gritty won-t take no for an answer girls only 15 and 16 years old. I suggest watching the movie The Runaways with Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. It will make you want to run away and join a punk band. The soundtrack is killer as well, but thats to be expected. Haha I actually went through this whole period where i wanted to do nothing but be one of the Runaways, i wore some heavy makeup, and you should have seen the glitzy close. (;

their best tracks: Cherry Bomb, I Wanna Be Where the Boys Are, and California Paradise will RIP you apart with the minor chord baseline. 

The New York Dolls:

Definetly one of my favorite at the moment. I, unfotunately need a Dolls T-shirt. This band was a revved up, high-energy, rock and roll bunch of chicks.  As Jonny Thunders once put it "looking like a lesbian'. But they pulled it off and their sound was as captivating as their look. Unfortunately like the Runaways they were only around for a short while until they fell apart. Perhaps my favorite doll would be Johnny Thunders, a second-class Keith Richards, but a keeper nonetheless. Their such a highly underrated band, its quite tragic really. If you like glam, it all stems from here, baby. Just take a look, go ahead. Chicks, right? Hot though, YES.

Best tracks would probably be Personality Crisis, Pills, and Lonely Planet Boy

Iggy Pop & the Stooges:

If there ever was a "godfather of punk", thats Iggy Pop. Beginning with the Stooges in 1968, he still continues to tour and may i say DAMN he still looks fine. He's known as the first to stagedive, and was rather a character on stage. He's my personal favorite and always will be. With a tough punkrock image with yet such a rhthymic voice that can still scream its lungs out harmoniously, none the less. Theres nothing this man cannot do. Unfortunately, its near impossible to find a Stooges record as they only made 1 or 2, but i'm still looking. nothing beats vinyl. Iggy was at his best with the Stooges. And he will always remain one of the greatest of the protopunk era, and one of my greatest personal influences. His charisma in conccert and the album Raw Power flaunt some of his greatest acheivements. Search and Destroy, I Wanna Be Your Dog (featured on the runaways soundtrack), and Ann; by far my favorite transy love song. If you don't know Iggy Pop, you dont know music. That's that.

The Who: 

Its like when the kid asks mr. owl how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop. How many guitars has Pete Towsend smashed? The world may never know. I have to say of all the bands, the who are the classiest group of mods who coined 60's rock and roll. The first to trash hotel rooms, to break instruments on stage, to stutter, to be loud and obnoxious noise, but still with a purpose. Some even say they were the seed of punk rock.

True.

This legend, along with Joan Jett's I Love Rock & Roll is the reason I took up rock and roll as a hobby. Nobody windmills like Pete Townsend or wails like Roger Daltrey. Then theirs bassist John Entwhistle-whos a beast, enough said, and pyschotic drummer Keith Moon. Literally one of the most influential band who knew their stuff and new how to rock. Props.

Best tracks: My Generation, Substitute, I Can't Explain.
(Most prefer Won't Get Fooled Again or Baba O'Riley but thats just balogna. Way to be a conformist. "Led Zep? uhhh...Stairway to Heaven. Questionmark?")

The Rolling Stones:

Ok, how have I not added these guys yet. By far, the most influential band out there. Say what you want about the Beatles, these guys come out on top. Apres, 40 years and man, they can still PLAY. Just pounding it out. Kets start with their beginnings, old blues rockers, finding influence among Chuck Berry, Muddy Watters, etc. As all the true great rock and rollers do. Listen to the solos on Time is On MySide or Heart of Stone. None of that steel 40 minute 80's shit, but just enough to leave you wanting more. Than of course, there's the classic licks of Satisfaction and Bitch. And, my personal favorite, Gimme Shelter. Keith Richards really knew how to fuckin play that guitar, especially at his Blues & Danger peak during the Exile recordings, with Mick Taylor still in the band. The Stones with Bryan were bitchin but naive, Ron doesn't push Keith enough, yet with Mick there was a happy coexistence of pure 70's rock & roll. Its just impossible to express my admiration from the Stones, like no known picture of them can capture everything they represent, damnit. What a fine group of Englishmen.