any early 80's alt/soft punk fans out there?


great time for music imo. new sounds, edgy but musical and sometime.....downright deep/moving. never got into the really hardcore punk seen. liked the softer side destruction alot better =)

just finished a psychedelic furs binge tonight. had joy division/early new order on all weekend. planning on reminiscing with lou reed/velvet underground and early rem later this week.

haven't really listened to this stuff much in recent memory. not sure why?. i own almost everything these bands ever put out but still rarely give them a turn anymore?.

early furs with all that sax and mr butler's near painful voice =). i'm gonna grab some tickets for their upcoming show at house of blues (chicago). i'm sure it won't be as crazy as the shows back then but the music will still be great. didn't even know they were touring.

really enjoyed joy division and after the death of Ian....early new order stuff. incredible music considering their roots. new order eventually lost their edge but back then....they were it!

any other fans out there?
levy03

Showing 6 responses by waltersalas

The Feelies, especially "The Good Earth," would qualify, I think. The Church also put out some good stuff around then. I'd like to have a dollar for every time I played "Murmur" in those days. Ah, college!

Loved the Gang Of Four and XTC suggestions.

Since we are moving away a bit from the "soft punk" category--which sounds kind of like an oxymoron, even though I think I know what the OP is getting at--the floodgates really do open. How about Sonic Youth, the Replacements, Black Flag, the Minutemen, Husker Du, the Wipers? Heck, why not the Clash?

Oh yeah, the Waterboys definitely belong in the conversation as well, and probably could fit the soft punk label.

Bongofury,
How could you mention Cow Punk without making reference to Jason and the Scorchers? Best live band I've ever seen...

Marqueemoon (great moniker, by the way),

Man, that is a fantastic catch on the Go Betweens. One of my very favorite bands from that period. The solo albums of Robert Forster and Grant McLennan (especially the acoustic-driven "Horsebreaker Star") are also excellent.
Like the Soft Boys, too, and Robyn Hitchcock's earlier solo records.

Marty,
I couldn't agree more on Rank and File, and I agree with you on the Bottle Rockets. You want good songwriting, check out "The Brooklyn Side," which "reads" like a book of excellent short stories.

I never could get into the Uncle Tupelo/Son Volt branch of the tree, although Wilco is a notch better. The Jayhawks and Silos are more my speed as far as alt country goes.

Have you heard the Handsome Family out of Chicago?

One of my favorites from the period was the Human Switchboard's "Who's Landing In My Hangar?" Just a phenomenal record, which, unfortunately, has never been released on CD to my knowledge.

jaybo,
I do not know how to express my envy that you got to see them live. Talk about a great, short lived band!