Given that the Sex Pistols coverered tracks by the The Who and Small Faces, Matlock's Mod roots and Lydon's love of Reggae, it was invevitable there would be some funky fallout following the Punk explosion. (An early Pistols gig was billed as Machine Bubble Disco, and the Seditionaries Vive le Rock (version 2) T shirts featured a scrawled "Punk Rock Disco" slogan). Disco and Punk were both driven by a sweaty energy,manic dance routines and a highly stylised dress code as escapism from the bleak prospects of 'No Future', 'dead end' jobs and long term unemployment - unheard of for teenagers in the 50's and 60's.
For all it's trademark jerky, angular clangings, New Wave recycled the uptempo high-hats and handclaps of Disco and Funk, with the dress down charity shop trimmings of Punk - PIL, The Clash, XTC, The Slits, Talking Heads, Eno and Byrne, Blondie, Adam and the Ants, The Police, Ian Dury and the Blockheads all dabbled with Dance or Dub rythms and Rock riffing.
And after visiting New York, the Professor Pat Pending of Punk Malcom McLaren was instrumental in bringing Hip Hop, scratching and break dancing to the UK (and as a consequence the rest of the world) in 1982 following an appearance on 'The Tube' and the release of his single 'Buffalo Girls' (McLaren also put World music on world stage on his 1983 album 'Duck Rock')
Two years later Lydon and Afrika Bambaataa put their heavily coiffeured heads together, mergered Rock, Rap and the omnipresent 80's terror of nuclear armageddon to create 'World Destruction' the first 'Rapcore' track pre dating Run DMC and The Beastie Boys by two years.
Time Zone - 'World Destruction'
The 'Hardest Part' was only ever released as a single in America, which is probably for the best as I would have become a complete wobbling hormonal mess - if this vid' had popped up on 'Tiswas' with Debbie Harry swishing and snapping her way through it like a brunette Bardot .
Blondie - 'The Hardest Part'
Click on the highlighted links below to download or the Divshare link to preview
Time Zone - World Destruction
The Hardest Part
9 comments:
Man, that Debbie Harry makes me all warm and fuzzy... Great job!
Damn blondie were a good band and this is a great track. So, so much better than 'Heart Of Glass'.
Its a stormer isnt it ? and she looks super slink' - scuse typo's been on the works Xmas booze and schmooze in kIngs Rd where i bored everyone pointing out rock locations...Bowie, Mick n keef's houses. Mary quant, chelsea drugshtore....and lost me scarf...huzzah!
Grrr... Debbie Harry. Oh yeah baby, she's got 'it'.
I saw her about year ago and even now she's still got stage presence and something about her that most women would die for.
Excellent blog Mondo Dude. As you know I'm a sucker for some cross-over genres. PIL and Blondie showing how to go about it here and some cool videos to boot.
P.S Due to the rain, I should finally get round to some more posts this weekend. See you there.
I also meant to say that the idea of 'punk rock disco' as a theme for a blog is a particularly fine one in my eyes. Nice.
Thanks 56 S - Have you seen the Roberta Bayley book Blondie: The Early Years 1976 - 1980 It's all Roberta's Blondie pic's - stunning.
One for the Xmas list
been filling me boots with those new postings on your blog - real winter warmers
Paul Jones (Manfred Man bloke) released a chronic, crossover, cash-in single on A&M in a camp, string heavy, Studio 54 disco style.
On the double A side were covers of 'Pretty Vacant'and 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker'!
It was as toilet as it sounds.
I forgot to add. Deb in that video...........I've been watching it too often to comment..............Good work.
Thanks LEB - She looks stunning, have you seen the new Roberta Bayley book about Blondie? (mainly Debbie Harry pics at her peak) get it on your Chrissie list if it's not too late.
That's torn it - I'm gonna have to track down that Paul Jones cover now
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