Playlist 24 November

Richard Hell record tonight to mark the 35th anniversary of his debut with the Voidoids at CBGBs , November 1976. Mr Hell came up with the Blank Generation title - a great single for Sire Records, and a label for a whole, er, generation. He was in an early version of Television, along with his friend Tom Verlaine, before they fell out. He was also in the Heartbreakers with Johnny Thunders in the year or so before they were allowed into a studio. He didn't last long with either band, who went on to make great records. Would the records have been as good if Richard had stayed around ? Would they have been worse ? Impossible to tell but I suspect he didn't like to play second fiddle (or bass) to either singer - and no one in the Voidoids had any of the talent or charisma of either Tom or Johnny. Although if I ever run into a Voidoid, I'll deny I said that.

X - Make The Music Go Bang
Sex Pistols - I Wanna Be Me
Germs - Media Blitz
Chefs - Sweetie
Animals And Men - Render Us Harmless
Mighty Lemon Drops - Into The Heart Of Love
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Overground
Decline Of The Reptiles - Don’t Look Down
Richard Hell - Betrayal Takes Two
Wedding Present - Nobodys Twisting Your Arm
Birthday Party - Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow)
Specials - Concrete Jungle
Palace Guard - All Night Long
Stooges - Shake Appeal