20 pulverizing punk essentials from the 1970s

“Lexicon Devil” by the Germs (1979)

The Germs were not post-punk. They were not melodic pop punk. They were going in the more obvious direction. They were going louder and faster and messier. They were hardcore punk. In frontman Darby Crash they had a seminal punk rock screamer. In Pat Smear, they had a guitarist who would leave a major impact on Nirvana. In Lorna Doom and Don Bolles, they had a pounding rhythm section that was short on nuance but long on power.

“Lexicon Devil” comes from their first and only album. It starts fast and doesn’t let up for its 100-second run time. It seems fitting to close on the Germs since they would be hugely influential on the hardcore punk of the ‘80s, as well as the ’90s grunge that came next.

And Darby Crash, who did not live to see his 23rd birthday, became an icon of the DIY, down-and-filthy lifestyle that so many hardcore punks would try to emulate. His reputation would have been big anyway, but it was etched into history by Penelope Spheeris’1981 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, an unblinking chronicle of LA punk rock around 1980, which led to two sequels.

That brings us to the end of the decade. However, I will note for the record that perhaps the greatest punk album ever recorded was also released just before the calendar turned over to 1980. The Clash’s third album, London Calling, came out in December and its title track, along with many other songs, could have easily been included here. But I figure you already know that, so just consider it a bonus.

We’re not done with the ‘70s yet, though perhaps we’ll take a little break to catch our breath.

More music news and analysis: