Does there have to be a reason?

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Well, in this case, yes.

Have recently been re-reading Rip It Up And Start Again, and for the first time, Totally Wired, which are the interviews that Simon Reynolds conducted to write the former book.

Utterly awesome and both are well worth it if you have any interest in the music that came from Europe and America after punk between 1978-1984. The years where the music was ‘post-punk’ and then evolved into ‘new pop.’ In fact my only gripe would be that the Cure and Kate Bush aren’t considered important in this period by Reynolds. And Gary Numan doesn’t seem to get much of a look in either. Other than that, great stuff, covering an era that shows Reynolds is right in saying that it vies with the sixties for quality and creativity.

So a few songs from the era concerned…

Propaganda -‘Dr. Mabuse.’ mp3 (This band bridge the gap perfectly between post-punk and ‘new pop.’ )

Human League -‘Being Boiled.’ mp3 (both ‘post-punk’ and ‘new pop.’)

Gary Numan -‘Cars.’ mp3

The Cure -‘A Forest.’ mp3

Kate Bush -‘Wuthering Heights.’ mp3

Gang Of Four -‘Damaged Goods.’ mp3

Delta 5 -‘Mind Your Own Business.’ mp3

Depeche Mode -‘Master and Servant.’ mp3 (in which the subversive ideas of wreckers of civilisation like Throbbing Gristle enter the top ten and Top Of the Pops)

Finally, one of the true pioneers, Green Gartside of Scritti Politti, deserves two entries, one for his none more post-punk and DIY and the second for being one of the best songs ever, bridging the gap between post-punk and new pop:

Scritti Politti -‘Skank Bloc Bologna.’ mp3

Scritti Politti -‘The ‘Sweetest Girl’.’mp3

Great compilations #1: Rough Trade Post-Punk Vol 01

The legendary Rough Trade Shops in London have also put out some amazing compilations over the last few years. In 2003, this was one of them. The album was a mixture of acts from the ‘first’ wave of ‘Post-Punk’, such as Public Image Limited, Essential Logic and Magazine, as well as acts from more recent times, whose sound owes a lot to post-punk, such as Chicks On Speed, The Futureheads and The Rapture.

It’s disc #1 I’d like to present some choice cuts from today.

First up, Ari Up from The Slits features on the New Age Steppers version of the Junior Byles reggae classic.

New Age Steppers-‘Fade Away (Junior Byles cover).’ mp3

Kleenex hailed from Switzerland, but legal action from the tissue makers forced them to change their name to Liliput. This trak shows just how cool whistling is.

Liliput -‘Die Matrosen.’ mp3

Chicks On Speed later covered this number from Leeds’ Delta 5. a song that makes you sit up straight, apologise for mumbling and stutter apologetically (wonder of I can find a way to teach some of my students to do this?)

Delta 5-‘Mind Your Own Business.’ mp3

I don’t know how many other songs have been written about the police harassment of prostitutes (there is a comments box if you know about them, and no, ‘She Works Hard For The Money’ does not count). The Au Pairs are one of mnay of the first wave of post-punk bands I wish I had seen (mind you, given that I was only four when this came out. Ah well…)

The Au Pairs -‘You.’ mp3

if you like what you hear, please buy the album and investigate what you hear.