Buzzcocks or The Undertones?

Every time I do one of these band battles, I think it's going to be a close contest. And somehow it usually ends up a blowout. Here's one, finally, that should be about 50/50. Or maybe I'm way off and it will be a total rout. You never know.

So as stated above, I think this one's really tough. Outside of The Ramones, these are probably the two premiere "classic" pop/punk bands. You can certainly make arguments in favor of either contestant. If we're just talking about each band's classic period, the Buzzcocks probably made a larger number of quality albums. But if I had to name the single best album made by either band, I'd go with Undertones self-titled. If you put both bands' singles head to head, I'd have a hard time declaring a winner. "Teenage Kicks" or "Orgasm Addict"? "Get Over You" or "What Do I Get?"? "Here Comes The Summer" or "Ever Fallen In Love?"? "My Perfect Cousin" or "Promises"? At least for me, some of those are just too close to call. A possible advantage for The Undertones in my opinion is that they had a lot of songs that weren't released as singles that could have been great singles. I don't know if the Buzzcocks had many deep cuts or B-sides to rival the likes of "Male Model", "Girls Don't Like It", "Mars Bars", or "There Goes Norman". If I lined up the best 20 Undertones songs against the best 20 Buzzcocks songs, I'm thinking The Undertones would prevail. But if we compared each band's best 30 or 40 songs, I'd lean the other way.

Ultimately, though, it really comes down to a gut feeling. Yeah, we know they're both great. But if you have to pick one, which way are you going? Traditionally I tend to abstain from voting on these things unless I have to break a tie. But in this case, I'm going to cast the first vote. Buzzcocks were probably more influential, and certainly have a more impressive body of work over the long haul. But I've never been one to equate longevity with greatness. At their very best, The Undertones achieved a level of perfection within their genre that will never be topped. From start to finish, that first album defines what poppy punk rock should sound like. And as great as those classic Buzzcocks albums were, sometimes a few of the tracks got a little too "arty" for my tastes. I'm a pure pop guy. I vote Undertones.

Next vote is yours!

-L.R.

Stooges or Ramones?

Whether or not you like football, you deserve a Super Sunday. So here we go then. It's not just another band battle. It's the Super Bowl of band battles! A steel cage has been constructed. No weapons will be brought inside. Just two titans slugging it out for the heavyweight belt of punk rock (Yeah, I know: I'm mixing my sports metaphors. Sorry).

So who you got? The mighty Ramones or the incomparable Stooges? Sometimes with these band battles, I just wanna know who you actually listen to more frequently. But this is the Super Bowl! There's more at stake. I wanna know who you think was the greater band. You can consider all the usual elements: importance, influence, body of work, etc. You can pit Raw Power against Ramones self-titled, "I Wanna Be Your Dog" vs. "I Wanna Be Sedated". But ultimately it comes down to a gut decision. If you had to pick, which of these two bands could you not live without? All things considered, who was the better band? Who emerges victorious in this epic battle?

As always, you can cast your vote in the comments section or come join the Blog Alliance Guild on Facebook! Have at it!

-L.R.

Sham 69 or Cock Sparrer?

How about a band battle on the classic Oi! front? This one ought to be a heavyweight fight for the ages. Of all of my battles so far, this one may be the most evenly matched. We're talking about bona fide titans squaring off. In one corner, you have the definitive Oi! band of all-time. In the other corner, you have the band that gave us Shock Troops, one of the greatest albums ever made. In real life, you don't have to choose one or the other. But on the band battlefield, somebody has to win. I love both. You love both. But if you had to pick one of the two, which band would get your vote?

As the "impartial" moderator, I will for the time being refrain from taking a side. You, dear readers, have the power of vote. Sham 69, I think, has the slight edge in overall body of work. But Shock Troops is certainly the single best album made by either band. Single best song? I'd probably go with Sham's "Borstal Breakout". But a strong case could be made for Cock Sparrer's "Where Are They Now?". I know, I know: we could do this all day.

Clearly, these are two of the greatest punk bands ever. I'd say they've been equally influential and equally important. But when push comes to shove, which of the two do you listen to more often? If you were banished to a deserted island and could only take along music by one of these two bands, who are you picking? If you could go back in time and witness only one of these bands in its prime, who would you see?

We are nearing a day of great decision. Now is not the time to sit on the fence. Let your voice be heard. Who are you taking: Sham 69 or Cock Sparrer?

-L.R.

The Clash or the Pistols?

It's been a while since I did a band battle post. This one's kind of an old chestnut amongst punk rock debaters, but that's okay. I do enjoy the classics. Let the heavyweights slug it out!

My personal stance on this topic is no secret. The Clash is not just my all-time favorite punk band but also my all-time favorite band of any genre. The only band that matters! But the Sex Pistols are right there behind 'em - my second favorite punk band ever. So, then. Who are you taking: The Clash or the Pistols? I know you love both. But what if you had to choose? There's no wrong answer here. Just a matter of personal preference. Rotten or Strummer? "White Riot" or "God Save the Queen"? Mick Jones or Steve Jones? Never Mind the Bollocks or London Calling? Sid's sneer or Simonon's smashed bass? The debate has raged for decades in regards to who was the greater band. But I'm more interested in who you like more. Forget arguing about influence or importance or even musical talent. When push comes to shove, which of the two do you listen to more often? Whose music does more for you personally? If you could take a time machine back to 1977, which band would you be more excited to see? No pun intended, we've got ourselves a veritable clash of the titans. I have cast the first vote. Now it's your turn.

Have it at!

-L.R.

Husker Du or Sugar?

This debate started on Mike Frame's Facebook wall. Mike wondered if he's the only person who likes Sugar better than Husker Du. This got me to thinking. I love Sugar. They were one of the best and most underrated bands of their time. But I've always considered Husker Du one of the two or three greatest bands of the entire 1980s. Moreover, Husker Du is my third favorite band of all-time, trailing only The Clash and AC/DC. Could Sugar possibly be better?

When I really break it down, it's a closer call than it seems. For starters, in Sugar's favor the sound quality of their recordings is far superior. Husker Du, as great as they were, suffered from some lackluster production on record (especially their Warner Brothers releases, with that awful mid-'80s tinny drum sound). And if we're comparing rhythm sections, Sugar wins that one going away. And probably, if I had to name the single best album that Bob Mould has ever played on, I'd go with Sugar's Copper Blue. My favorite Bob Mould song? "If I Can't Change Your Mind".

But then we turn to some points in favor of Husker Du. There was a point in my life when I never imagined I'd say this, but here goes: Husker Du is better than Sugar because Sugar didn't have Grant Hart. I'm not talking about his drumming. I'm talking about his songs. Husker Du would not have been the same without songs like "Turn On the News", "Books About UFOs", "Diane", "Pink Turns To Blue", and "It's Not Funny Anymore". I'm still more of a Mould fan, but I like the yin/yang effect that Hart brought to the group. And if Copper Blue is the single best Bob Mould record, the rest of my top five would all be Husker Du titles: Zen Arcade, New Day Rising, Metal Circus, Everything Falls Apart. And if Metal Circus doesn't count, Flip Your Whig is next. The gist of Mike's argument was that Sugar in general had a higher percentage of A-grade material versus filler/throwaways. That may be true (except for Beaster, which should have been called Bob Mould Shits On Your Eardrums). But for me, I just can't ignore the sheer volume of incredible Husker Du songs. Perhaps it's not a fair comparison since Sugar only made two proper albums and Husker Du made six or seven. But if I was going to make a compilation of both bands' best 20 songs, I think the Husker collection would be considerably better. Plus I love the variety of Husker Du's body of work - how they started out doing thrash/speed punk, then practically invented melodic hardcore, then became icons of "alternative" rock.

All things considered, I give the edge to Husker Du by a hair (off of Greg Norton's mustache). Who's with me? Who's with Mike? Speak now!

-L.R.

Westerberg or Weller?

It's battle time again. Call this one the Battle of the Pauls. Westerberg or Weller: who are you taking? They both have to number amongst the 10-20 greatest songwriters this world has ever known. And while both are best known for their early work, neither guy has been a slouch in old age. So we're not just talking Replacements vs. The Jam (a tough call in its own right). Look at the complete bodies of work. Which of the two is the greater talent? Whose music do you listen to more often? Who would you rather sit next to on a trans-continental flight? Perhaps a lot of people on my side of the pond will consider this one a slam dunk for Westerberg. But in England, where Weller is more appreciated (my friend Dave Getzoff once said, "He's like their Bruce Springsteen"), it might be the other way around. As I do in most cases, I will remain neutral for the time being. I may vote in the case of a tie. But the real decision is in your hands. Two Pauls, two all-time greats. But there can only be one winner. Choose wisely!

-L.R.

Buzzcocks or The Dickies?

Here’s a band battle that should get you thinking. Sure: Boys vs. Buzzcocks or Undertones vs. Buzzcocks might have been the more “obvious” way to go. But that might have been too easy. And what fun would that have been? We’re going from to coast to coast, and across the pond, and complicating the question. Outside of The Ramones, these might be the two greatest pop-punk bands of all-time. These days we’re hearing lots of bands that worship at the altar of both. But the two are so different that it makes it harder to choose. “Where Did His Eye Go?” or “Orgasm Addict”? “Waterslide” or “Promises”? One mastered the punk rock love song. The other was non-stop laughs. Both were beyond great. If you’re looking at consistency and complete body of work, it seems the Buzzcocks may have the slight edge. But for a 1-2 punch of classic albums, I don’t know if The Incredible Shrinking Dickies and Dawn of the Dickies can be topped. I’m tempted to give it to the Buzzcocks for writing the greatest lyric in the history of time: “You even made it with the lady who puts the little plastic bobbins on the Christmas cakes”. But then I want to give it to The Dickies for writing a song about a talking penis. Both bands played crucial roles in my punk rock education, and neither’s worth has been diminished by the passing of time. At the end of the day, though, it really comes down to who I listen to more often. It’s really, really close. By the smallest of margins, I cast the opening vote for The Dickies. Now it’s in your hands! 

-L.R.

Fun House or Raw Power?

One of them is quite possibly the greatest rock n' roll album ever made. The other is quite possibly the second greatest rock n' roll album ever made. But which is which? If you're going to listen to The Stooges, do you usually reach for Raw Power? Or do you prefer Fun House? Do you get your kicks off of "Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell", or does "1970" fire up your soul? Are you a James Williamson mind-blowing metallic noise guy, or do you go in for the minimalist proto-punk guitar pounding of Ron Asheton? Lord knows that the Raw Power Stooges were a destruction machine on a wholly unprecedented level. Yet there's something about The Stooges in their infancy that's almost more dangerous. They could barely play, they could barely hold it together. But man oh man, they set the world on fire. If "Search and Destroy" was a neutron bomb launched by a diabolical super villain, "Loose" was a scud missile assembled from junk parts by a rag tag bunch of degenerates. Raw Power made punk rock possible. But didn't Fun House make Raw Power possible? Perhaps Raw Power would be the slam dunk winner if it hadn't been so woefully misproduced. And surely there are some of you who'd tell me that The Stooges' first album ought to be under consideration as well. I wouldn't debate the point. But for the purposes of today's exercise, the question remains: Fun House or Raw Power? Pick your poison!

-L.R.

The Registrators or Teengenerate? (Or Guitar Wolf?)

The Japanese may not have invented rock n’ roll, but they damn sure perfected it. Outside of the British Invasion and the first wave of punk rock, I don’t know if one country, in a single era, has ever produced a greater trio of bands than Teengenerate, The Registrators, and Guitar Wolf. If you’ve followed punk and rock n’ roll music within the last 15 years, surely you bow down to the indubitable supremacy of all three groups. You know where I’m going with this, don’t you? It’s band battle time again, and since it’s the holiday season I figured I should take it to an epic level. So, then! If you had to pick one of the above, who would it be? Teengenerate, godheads of garage-punk? The Registrators, who took punk music a thousand years into the future? Or would it be the prolific and all-powerful Guitar Wolf? I know, I know: it seems almost cruel to make you choose. So I’ll play along.

You could make a strong case for The Registrators, who may have released the best two Japanese punk albums in Terminal Boredom and Sixteen Wires. You could make an equally strong case for Guitar Wolf, who’ve been criminally underrated in spite of a two-decade run of unceasing greatness. But I’m going with my gut here. Teengenerate demonstrated that the best rock n’ roll doesn’t necessarily come from sophisticated composition or technical proficiency. Instead, it comes from the heart and the soul. Rock n’ roll is freedom. It’s danger. It’s sex. In all those respects, Teengenerate “got” rock n’ roll. Hell, Teengenerate WAS rock n’ roll! With just three chords, crappy production values, and sloppy instrumentation, Teengenerate made some of the most exciting and inspired rock n’ roll music this world has ever known. If they weren’t the single best punk group of the 1990s, they were at least in the conversation. Guitar Wolf may have outlasted them, and The Registrators may for a time have surpassed them. But all things considered, Teengenerate was the greatest.

The floor is yours, dear reader.

-L.R.

Black Flag or The Circle Jerks?

Continuing along epic lines, how about a band battle that’s positively hardcore?! Sometimes I propose these throwdowns and kinda think I know how they’ll turn out. But this one is a total mystery to me. I can’t even begin to guess who’s gonna take it. We’ve got THE two preeminent California hardcore bands facing off. Someone could get hurt! Both helped define hardcore punk as we know it. Both made some classic records and some not-so-classic records. Both featured Keith Morris on vocals at one point. We’ll call this Battle Keith. It’s so close. 51 percent of me is leaning one way, and 49 percent is leaning the other. Black Flag, especially the early stuff, cannot be fucked with. But the C.J.s’ Group Sex, man, that might be the one album that best epitomizes hardcore punk for me. Wow. This is difficult! By the slimmest of margins, I’ll give it to the Circle Jerks! There's nothing quite like cranking up Group Sex to ear-shredding volumes on a day when I'm pissed off at the world and jonesing to punch someone in the face.

Alright, then, my friends! The power is in your hands. Vote early and often!

- L.R.

Sex Pistols or The Damned?

Another band battle! And it's a veritable clash of titans! I've got no idea who's gonna take this one. Both bands are among my favorite groups of all-time. Both bands were near the top of the class of my favorite era of music: '77-'79 punk rock. Do I give it to The Damned because of longevity? Do I go with the Pistols due to "historic importance"? Hmmm. I love Damned Damned Damned, but Never Mind the Bollocks could be my favorite punk LP ever. How many times, in the formative years of my punk rock education, did I play that tape?! Hundreds, probably. This one's so close that I won't even attempt to make a logical case. The logical case would be for The Damned, who continued to make good-to-great records long after the Pistols disbanded. But my gut says the Sex Pistols. The Damned were cool, but the Pistols were even cooler. I like Dave Vanian, but I love Johnny Rotten. Some may slight the Pistols by saying their fame was largely the product of marketing and controversy, but that's b.s. considering the music more than lived up to the hype. If I had to pick just one song to play for visitors from another galaxy who wanted to know what "punk rock" sounded like, I'd pick "God Save the Queen". And when you consider that certain legendary-in-their-own-right bands like the Buzzcocks and X-Ray Spex became what they did largely because they'd seen the Pistols, it kind of blows the mind.

So there's my vote. You're up next!

- L.R.

Husker Du or The Replacements?

You had to know this one was coming. This one’s a stone cold classic in the annals of band battles. It’s a Twin Cities throwdown! And it’s hard! You’re talking about two of the greatest bands of all-time. You’re talking about two of the most influential acts ever on this punk/indie/alternative thing we’re all so crazy about. You’re talking about two bands that flat-out changed the world.

Let me say that I love, love, love, love, love, love The Replacements. In my list of all-time favorite bands of any genre, The Replacements come in at #4 or 5. But Husker Du is my #3. If I had to pick here (which is the whole point of the exercise!), I pick Husker Du without a moment of hesitation. Husker Du was my gateway band into the world of punk rock. “I Apologize” literally changed my world forever. I heard it, and it was as if this was the kind of music I’d been waiting for all my life. I loved buying all their tapes (yes, back then we listened to tapes!) and discovering the many phases of their much-too-brief career. The early hardcore punk stuff, the epic boundary-pushing of Zen Arcade, the classic melodic punk of New Day Rising, the more “adult” proto alt-rock of their Warner Brothers albums...I loved it all. The Replacements would come on my scene later, and no doubt that was a life-changing development in its own right. But a man never forgets his first love. It’s a cliché to say, “There will never be another band like that again”. But in the case of Husker Du, it’s the truth.

Now it’s your call. Who ya gonna take: Husker Du or The Replacements?

- L.R.

Dead Boys or The Pagans?

Time for another band battle. And let me tell ya, this one is tough. I’ve lost sleep over this decision. I consulted my therapist, my parents, and Dick Clark, and still no one could help me. I knew I was on my own. Cleveland’s greatest beer is Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. Cleveland’s greatest athlete is Jim Brown. Cleveland’s greatest actor is Paul Newman. But who’s Cleveland’s greatest band: the Dead Boys or the Pagans?

I’m guessing that if you polled the public, the Dead Boys would win in a landslide. But given my highly informed and most specific readership, I’m anticipating a photo finish. Unlike the Dead Boys, who recorded two LPs for a major record label, The Pagans never even made a proper album during their 1977-79 heyday. Their legacy is an extraordinary run of self-issued singles that rate with the best 45s of any early punk band. The Dead Boys may have coined the phrase “young, loud & snotty”, but the Pagans were just as loud and no less snotty.

Any way I look at it, it almost itself feels like it has to be a tie. I’d list Mike Hudson amongst the ten greatest punk singers of all-time. But I’d say the exact same thing for Stiv Bators. “Sonic Reducer” is one of my favorite songs ever, but I can’t say I like it any more than “What’s This Shit Called Love?” or “Street Where Nobody Lives”. The Dead Boys are to me the definitive American-style ’77 punk band with their flamethrower guitar leads and degenerate rock n’ roll stylings. But the Pagans, with their thumping ferocity and guitars that spewed noise like alien destruction machines, were the archetypes of Midwestern punk. I maybe give the Dead Boys a slight edge in terms of quantity of killer tunes. But then again, I can’t really say they had a third-or-fourth best song as good as “Eyes of Satan”, “I Juvenile”, or “Boy Can I Dance Good”. The Dead Boys took the influence of the Stooges and New York Dolls to the logical next step. The Pagans played rock n’ roll as if inspired by a chemical-induced rendezvous with God or perhaps the devil. But who was better? Hmmm.

Oh well, I guess it’s just like choosing between kielbasa and bratwurst. There is no wrong answer. I love both bands. But if you put a gun to my head, I’ll cast my vote for the underdog Pagans. The ball is in your court, dear voters!

- L.R.

The Dictators or the Dolls?

The Dictators or the New York Dolls? I mean, if you had to pick one of the two. It’s a compelling question, is it not? My partner in bloggery, one Gunther8544, likes to pose this query to friends, associates, and people on the street. I’m guessing the majority response is the Dolls, given that they along with the Stooges and MC5 are generally considered the immutable holy trinity of proto punk. G himself would vote for the ‘Tators, as would I (What’s the name of this blog?).

Here’s how I see it. It’s almost too close to call. You’re talking about two of the greatest rock and roll bands this world has ever known. There’s no wrong answer here. So it comes down to personal preference. I really like the Dolls. But I fucking LOVE The Dictators! The Dolls’ gender-bending urban sleaze aesthetic was cool. But the ‘Tators world of TV and wrestling and fast food and babes was even cooler. Maybe if I were more into guitar playing, I’d favor the Dolls and the world-altering greatness of Thunders/Sylvain. But I’m more into great songwriting, and in that department it doesn’t get any better than Andy Shernoff. The dude belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

The concept of greatness by association is quite subjective, but it usually works. If I meet someone who’s into the Dolls, I know right off this person has awesome taste in music. But if I meet someone who’s into the ‘Tators, I know right off this person and I were meant to be friends. True story: my long friendship with Now Wave consigliere Dave Getzoff actually began a decade ago when he burned me a copy of D.F.F.D. Dave’s favorite song of all-time is “Stay With Me”. I’m betting he’d pick the ‘Tators over the Dolls too! How about you?

- L.R.