I’ve been listening to a lot of Punk Rock.
I’ve really been diggin’ a lot of punk rock here lately. As a teen I was mainly into heavy metal and classic rock, never really got into the punk scene as much for whatever reason. At that time I just wanted heavy and in your face death metal that bordered on noise.
Now as an adult, who still enjoys death metal and grindcore, I’ve also been exploring the rich catalog of punk music that’s out there… And holy shit have I been missing out! There are so many talented bands and some killer albums that I love.
There’s always new music waiting to be discovered. I don’t know of many things better than the euphoric feeling I get when I find a new album or artist I like.
Even if you have heard these songs this is a good time to get reacquainted with them.
1. Story of My Life by: Social Distortion
I felt it was only right to start off this list with Social Distortion. I was first aware of them in middle school and I’d heard their song “Mommy’s Little Monster” from the Tony Hawks Underground video game, and their self-titled album is consistently on g.o.a.t. rock albums lists.
This song is ear candy. A lot of their music is. The soothing polished production of those guitars is something to behold. Plus Mike Ness’s vox are kick ass, full of that authentic punk attitude that I gravitate to when I’m wanting to rock the fuck out. I have been listening to this song everyday for the last several weeks. Something about those lyrics just really speaks to me… Life goes by way too fast.
2. Holiday in the Sun by: Sex Pistols
As with Social Distortion I also learned of the Sex Pistols from the Tony Hawks Pro Skater video games. I love a good riff, and boy does this album have plenty of good’n’s. Plus, that guitar tone! It’s razor sharp, so crispy it sounds like the tone is slicing through to escape the amplifier.
It was hard to really choose only one particular song from this album. I have loved this album for a long time. Even though it’s a straightforward punk rock album it is quite catchy. So many sing along anthems, and Holiday in the Sun is no exception!
3. Rise Above by: Black Flag
This is probably the most popular Black Flag song out there. And it’s a good place to start with their style of punk. The thing that has been really driving me to listen to so much punk music lately is by the sheer amount of fun it sounds like they are having performing the music. This song is a great example of that.
This song makes me want to crank up my amp and play along. I just need to find a few other people to join me and we will takeover!
4. Ruby Soho by: Rancid
A kick ass song! This makes me crave for a good ol concert. I will be happy for the day when we can all go to shows again. I hope these guys are still out there plotting a tour because I wanna jam along to this song in person.
5. Beach Blanket Bongout by: JFA
This song makes an excellent choice to skateboard to. Really good sunny California skate punk vibes with this one. So it should be no surprise that this song was on Tony Hawks Pro Skater 4… You’re probably seeing the theme of a lot of these songs. You’d be right!
What can I say? I love skateboarding and those games and soundtracks were literally the soundtracks of my life at different times. This cut reminds me of those good ol’ days. I’m gonna have to bust out the PS2 soon.
6. Penetration by: Iggy Pop & The Stooges
Iggy! What more is there to say? He is a rock n’ roll legend. This song is as sleazy as the title suggests. The haunting guitar riff just floats above the drums like a plume of smoke.
7. Holiday in Cambodia by: Dead Kennedy’s
Fast, in your face, and what a killer guitar riff! There are some truly great riffs in this selection and this song has one of my favorites. The reverb that echoes throughout and the clear surf rock staccato that just cuts through the air… Whoo! Makes me wanna get up and swing my fists.
8. 500 Channels by: Choking Victim
If there’s one thing about punk music I’m really coming to love is the way that a lot of bands utilize the bass lines in their songs. There are some incredible bass lines running through this song. It’s so clear and buttery and melts perfectly with the crunchy guitars and crashing drums. Classic punk vocals bark out of the singer’s mouth and I love it. The whole album is packed with attitude and energetic songs that hype me up to work out and ride my board. This album is one of my favorites right now. You’ve gotta check out the whole album if you like this song.
There’s more where this came from, folks. I’m only scratching the surface here myself. I listened to only a handful of punk bands back in the day. Giving this genre another listen has made me ask myself several times why it took me so long to dive deeper into this fun and exciting music. I hope this list has rewarded you with a new song or band to vibe with. And if not, well, suggest me something you know I need to check out. I love getting music suggestions.
My next music post will be coming soon so please subscribe for more content. I hope you have a great day. 🙂
Were YOU There today? Let me know in the comments and shoot over your music suggestions.
Sincerely yours,
Ross D. 🙂
Cool!