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The Trash Collector, Everett, WA (2026)

06/24/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

08: BAD BRAINS

Before I get into the thick of it, I want to point out that--during the mid-to-late 1980s, I honestly thought that this band had little influence outside of the punk and hardcore scene in which I was immersed, and that their general importance to music was virtually unrecognized except by a handful of listeners like myself aware of what was going on within the underground music scene. Boy, was I wrong. (It wasn’t until much, much later I became aware of how they impacted not just punk and hardcore, but also thrash metal, funk metal, nu-metal, and other loosely affiliated genres. Countless “mainstream” bands like Metallica, Living Colour, and Korn have cited them as an invaluable influence throughout the decades. Love them or hate them, they had an indelible impact of alternative music, underground or otherwise.)

In late-1983 or early-1984, I purchased a well-used copy of the punk-leaning compilation Let Them Eat Jellybeans--released by Jello Biafra’s label Alternative Tentacles--purely on the merit that it included tracks by Dead Kennedys, D.O.A., Subhumans, Black Flag and Circle Jerks, the only bands offered in which I was I was familiar with at the time. Despite the contributions from the aforementioned and affluent names, the one song that stood out for me above almost everything else was a track by a (for me) unknown jazz-rock outfit turned punk going by the moniker of Bad Brains, their name admittedly lifted from a song by the Ramones. (This track--or, more specifically, this early recording of this track--had only been previously released on a small-pressing seven-inch, now a vinyl grail for me and countless other fans and collectors.)

Even though punk and--moreso--hardcore was known for its speed and brevity, this was the fastest, most hyperactive representation of the genre I had heard up until this point, yet it was performed with a precision and clarity that I was not accustomed to. Suffice it to say, I was taken aback, immediately falling in love with the Bad Brains, with subsequent offerings being even more impactful.

Shortly thereafter, I tracked down the band’s first full-length LP, which--at that time--had only been disseminated as a cassette-only release from ROIR Records, a label who (for apparently financial reasons) eschewed vinyl. As mind-blowing as their contribution was to the Alternative Tentacles compilation, their debut album--which included a re-recording of said track--was, for me--absolutely life-changing.

In addition to its sheer intensity and musical brilliance, I would soon discover that the band consisted entirely of “African-American” musicians, surprising at the time since black representation in punk and hardcore was extremely limited, if virtually non-existent. (At the time, the only examples I was immediately aware of were vocalist Poly Styrene from X-Ray Spex and drummer D.H. Peligro from Dead Kennedys. Early forerunners like Death and Pure Hell wouldn’t enter my purview until decades later.)

Even more interesting, despite their aggressive thrash punk approach, the Bad Brains were--like many of the early UK punk bands--directly influenced by reggae, which manifested itself in their full-length debut via three laid-back, outright reggae/dub tracks which acted as something of a much-needed breather between the otherwise jet-fueled, yet positively-charged blocks of pure punk/hardcore bliss. (This was also the album that introduced me to reggae, a genre which I began feverishly exploring for a few years thereafter, and which prodded me into tracking down vinyl releases by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and the like, all bands and albums which I still cherish and revisit on those occasions I need a break from “heavier” fare.)

I continued to religiously follow the band throughout their next four full-length releases, all of which are exceptional, albeit flawed. Their follow-up, 1983’s Rock for Light, proved to be a bit disappointing, despite the inclusion of some stellar new tracks. (Re-recordings of select tracks from their first LP proved inferior to my ears, despite the “improved” production by Ric Ocasek, noted frontman of The Cars.) 1986’s I Against I was--in retrospect, mostly--an amazing album that incorporated the band’s various musical influences, although it had dispensed with much of what made the debut so electrifying. 1989’s Quickness successfully documented their constant musical evolution, incorporating influences from other rock genres, but highlighted some unfortunate lyrics from frontman H.R., whose growing religiously-oriented, intolerant views spurned by onset schizophrenia were becoming dominant. 1993’s Rise--the first album recorded by the band without founder singer and songwriter H.R. at the helm--was decent in most regards, but not considered “canon” by most fans.

Once the mentally unwell H.R. returned as the frontman around 1995, Bad Brains released the occasional album, which--in my opinion--have proven far inferior to anything they put out during the 1980s and early 1990s. (Yes, I have revisited Rise far, far more times times than I have reluctantly forced myself to sit through the musically uninspired, lyrically cringe-inducing releases of 2007’s Build a Nation and 2012’s Into the Future. Thankfully, singer H.R. has made personal progress when it comes to his declining mental health, and has performed with the band live in the years since, but I have yet to hear any new material from the Bad Brains that has caught my interest.)

Regardless--forty-plus years later--the self-titled Bad Brains LP never fails to amaze me. This untouchable release remains one of the very few albums that I consider perfect from beginning to end, with no skips whatsoever. Forty-plus years later, I still revisit it on a regular basis, and--as much as I still love and adore “some” of their later output--it will forever be not only their best release, but one of the best punk and/or hardcore albums of all time, bar none.

All that said, Bad Brains have cemented themselves as one of the top-ten musical acts that not only influenced and inspired me musically (in particular guitarist Gary “Dr. Know” Miller), but one of the very few bands that--through just a handful of albums--undeniably altered my love and appreciation for music, whether it be through punk or otherwise.

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for BAD BRAINS Self-Titled LP (1982) ROIR Records

06/24/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

07: DEAD KENNEDYS

Within a year of discovering punk rock, the same friend who introduced me to the Ramones and the S*x Pistols did the same for the Dead Kennedys with their first 7” single, California Uber Alles backed with The Man with the Dogs. (Better yet, he sold me an extra copy of this rare first-pressing 45--and which I still own to this day--which he had obtained from a fellow ex-comic dealer who eventually became the band’s manager for a spell.)

This was at a time when the Pistols opened my eyes and ears to the more socio-political side of punk rock, so DK made a mark on me being one of (if not the) first American punk band I heard that reflected this approach to the genre. In addition to the scathing, socially-aware lyrics (delivered by frontman Jello Biafra displaying his inimitable vocal talents), the music was heavily influenced by my beloved surf music, both contributing to a sound that was truly unique within the genre.

After getting my sweaty palms on a couple of compilation LPs that included single tracks by the Dead Kennedys, I finally managed to obtain copies of their first two full-length LPs, namely Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and Plastic Surgery Disasters. Although I liked their freshman debut from 1980 (very much, at first), it was their sophomore release from 1982 that had the greatest impact. Whereas Fresh Fruit seemed like a collection of short-sighted singles and B-sides ranging from experimental punk to early hardcore, Plastic Surgery Disasters was a thematic masterpiece that displayed them at their best, and clearly delineated their evolution as both songwriters and musicians.

The DK’s first LP is--undeniably--groundbreaking within the annals of punk rock history, despite any flaws I may have with it. The second LP I feel, however, raised the stakes considerably. The A-side included eight tracks--all clocking in between two-to-three-plus minutes--that improved upon the sound and delivery they had established a few years before, but with more musical and lyrical focus. The B-side--with only five tracks, from three-plus to six minutes in length--displayed not only their far-ranging influences and musical evolution as a band, but also a more mature thematic depth, within losing any of the sturm und drang that made them punk pioneers to begin with. (The opening track, Riot--with it’s intense build-up and almost jazz-like approach--remains my favorite DK track of all time, as well as one of my absolute favorite pieces of music… punk, hardcore, or otherwise.)

The band’s junior release in 1985, Frankenschrist, was an extremely admirable attempt to continue with the direction they had established with Plastic Surgery (particularly the B-side), but due to various factors that resulted in lawsuits (most notably with the PMRC), this release cost the band and their own label several years worth of time and money that would eventually spell the end for the Dead Kennedys and their original line-up.

They released one more album, Bedtime for Democracy in 1986, in a desperate attempt to not only raise funds with which to compensate for their immeasurable financial losses, but also as a middle-fingered response to the powers-that-be and the increasing dumbing down of music in general. Unfortunately, this final LP--in my humble opinion--displayed an unfortunate step back, losing much of the creative progress they had made with their prior two albums. (Alas, I have revisited Bedtime a handful of times over the last four decades, hoping I was premature with my initial disillusionment, but still found myself let down with every attempt at making a fresh reassessment.)

In spite of their fall, and a first album I consider to be overrated (not due to its overall importance within both punk and hardcore, but to it often overshadowing it’s outstanding follow-up), the Dead Kennedys remain one of bands that had a profound influence on me as troubled teenager, and as a band that has had an indelible impact on how I perceive music, especially as a means to convey uncomfortable ideas often glossed over or outright ignored by the medium.

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for DEAD KENNEDYS Plastic Surgery Disasters LP (1982) Alternative Tentacles

06/20/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

06: THE DICKIES

First, I want to point out that music clearly founded in humor was never a big draw for me. Whether they be egregious novelty acts, or rock-oriented bands whose sole identity is rooted in eliciting a laugh or two, even those artists whose work tickles my funny bone on the first one or two listens have never had any real impact on me, and have never engaged me enough for repeated listens. The one (and possibly only) example--within the genre of punk or otherwsie--was The Dickies, whose very lyrical existence was founded on sophomoric humor.

I was introduced to The Dickies early on during my punk education. Unlike the vast majority of their peers, their hyperactive, fast-tempo iteration of punk completely eschewed social and politically aware lyrics for silly meanderings and crude jokes. Yet--much like the Ramones--their egregiously immature work still appeals to me, no doubt due to their thoroughly infectious, pop-punk music. Back then, it was easy to look past their occasionally sexist and racist undertones if only because the songs themselves were so damn catchy. And even as troublesome as some of the lyrics prove to be almost forty years later, the music has never ceased to be immensely listenable.

Like many, my initiation was through one of their many covers, from their hyperactive re-imaginings of theme songs from beloved childhood TV shows like The Banana Splits or Gigantor, or the irreverent yet surprisingly faithful covers of classics originally recorded by Black Sabbath, The Monkees, and Simon & Garfunkel. (They are still the only band whose covers I find just as appealing as the timeless rock songs they’ve reworked.) When it came to their original material, their blistering yet accessible, aggressive yet light-hearted approach stood them apart from their more serious and (comparatively) sedate peers.

For Christmas in 1984, my mother tracked down and gifted me with copies of the band’s first two albums, namely The Incredible Shrinking Dickies and Dawn of the Dickies, two LPs which I still cherish and consider near-prefect albums (in spite of an abundance of cover tunes), and which I still consider the best of their full-length efforts. During a time when lyrics started to hold as much weight with me as the music in which they were delivered, The Dickies remained a constant on my primitive turntable. Even when I became disappointed with much of their later output (some of which I have since become quite fond of and still listen to semi-regularly), rarely a month goes by that I don’t revisit these first two albums, enjoying them just as much as did during my initial exposure to them in the early-1980s.

After numerous break-ups and reformations of the band over the last few decades (resuscitated by founding members Leonard Grave Phillips and Stan Lee), The Dickies have continued to record and perform, unhindered by a tumultuous career, never sacrificing the core sound that once made them virtual stars during the first wave of American punk rock. (Unsurprisingly, many second-wave punk acts--especially those now labeled as pop-punk--have cited the band as a major influence, not the least of which were Green Day.)

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for THE DICKIES Dawn of the Dickies (1979) A&M Records

06/20/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

05: THE S*X PISTOLS

When I first discovered punk rock as a young teenager, it was simultaneously through the Ramones and the S*x Pistols. Not surprisingly, it was the Ramones that first appealed to me from the onset, being the more musically and lyrically accessible of the two options. But--being a troubled teen whose musical and socio-political world was put into question, the Pistols soon proved to be a relevant wake-up call. With the inequalities of the modern world becoming more and more evident, the abundant dissatisfaction voiced by these unlikely “heroes” through DIY creativity soon struck deeper than the enjoyable yet admittedly dim-witted musical outings of my previously favorited band.

Much like the Ramones, the Pistols were a truly revolutionary musical act. Whereas the US’ godfathers of punk simply challenged rock music on a musical level, the Pistols--guided by Johnny Rotten’s abrasive lyrics--challenged the listener on a more intellectual level, however blunt and B&W it seemed. This “selling point” became an integral part of punk music that, prevalent to the UK scene at the time, dominated stateside punk soon thereafter as well. The message was no longer limited to personal dissatisfaction, but a plaintiff response to the powers that be that had not been properly voiced since the insurgent 1960s. As much as the Ramones were aggressively altering the musical landscape, the Pistols were instilling this new genre with a sense of meaningful urgency.

Even though I may not have fully grasped the band’s lyrical content at the time, their attention to current issues would soon become an integral part of punk music for years to come, carrying over into the genre’s predecessor, hardcore, with even more ferocity and single-minded conviction. It was this intent that--for many like myself--would become just as powerful a motivating factor as the music itself. Like the 1960s counter-culture, music became a convenient medium in which the youth could voice their dissatisfaction with a broken world established by the previous generations.

Maybe it was because of their more challenging, thought-provoking nature, but the S*x Pistols soon became my primary musical interest, opening me up to a number of other UK-based bands whose music was often a convenient means to share ideas of a socio-political nature that was largely glossed over by early punk, especially from those early bands formed on this side of the pond. (Possibly as a result from this, it wasn’t until hardcore took root that American bands fully embraced punk’s inherent political standing, mirroring that of 1960s music, but in a far more aggressive fashion.)

Punk rock--despite its many, often hypocritical faults--was a viable creative outlet for the disenfranchised youth during the tail end of the 1970s. Musically, the S*x Pistols weren’t a particularly “progressive” band, yet--like the Ramones--they offered a raw alternative to mainstream music at the time. Lyrically, they were brash and unapologetic, rebels with a cause lacking any sense of nuance or compromise, doing away with the niceties of “civilized,” public discourse. They were everything that a frustrated yet ignorant teen like myself could easily associate with, for better and for worse.

Until I discovered hardcore--which took the genre to a louder, faster, angrier conclusion--the Pistols were the pinnacle of underground music, and the very antithesis of the complacency that had become rock music. With only a single album and a handful of 7” singles under their belt, this pre-fabricated band of virtually illiterate teenagers changed the face of music and how we perceived it, not only for disenfranchised teens like myself, but also the world at large. The musical prowess of the band was barely competent (much like every other punk band at the time), but their songwriting skills, lyrical content (as supplied by frontman Johnny Rotten), and anger-fueled, DIY ingenuity helped spark a musical revolution that can be felt to this very day.

Even though the band’s limited discography rarely surfaces into my current playlists fifty-some years later (aside from a couple of timeless tracks), I still harbor a deep reverence for their output, even though far too many--punks included--tend to sweep the S*x Pistols aside, relegating them as insincere poseurs and musical incompetents in favor of more “talented” artists from the same era. (With such media darlings as The Clash and Billy Idol breaking the charts with watered down examples of “punk” being prime examples. There, I said it, and I’m not taking it back. lol)

Regardless of how it may have aged, with any shortcomings being taken into account, Never Mind the Bo****ks is an both an important time capsule and an invaluable turning point in the history of rock music, and a foundational release for punk. And it remains one of the very few albums that I can safely say (with no hesitation whatsoever) inextricably changed my life forever during my formative years, both as an avid music listener and as an over-the-hill punk rock kid.

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for S*X PISTOLS Never Mind the Bo****ks… Here’s the S*x Pistols (1977) Virgin Records

06/16/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

04: RAMONES

Yes, I know how predictably base it sounds, but the Ramones were my introduction to the genre of punk rock, alongside the the S*x Pistols (who would not cement their influence until a few months thereafter.) Their then-aggressive, two-chord re-imagining of rock music founded on catchy hooks established by 1960s music, with lyrics that often amounted to little more than rebellious, sophomoric drivel, proved to be the antidote to the complacency that had infiltrated mainstream music at the time. The Ramones were almost single-handedly attempting to re-introduce the raw vitality that rock-n-roll had established during the 1950s, whilst incorporating a buzz-saw sound that spoke to a new generation of young disgruntled listeners.

During the summer of 1984, I was introduced to punk and--more specifically--this disruptive four-piece from New York whom would inadvertently change the course of rock music despite never having a top-forty hit within the States. Their extremely simple, yet insanely catchy, guitar-driven hooks were the antithesis of popular music during the mid-1970s, offering a visceral alternative to the more-technically savvy, albeit long-winded bands that dominated the charts. They were also the first punk band I ever saw live--and the headliners for the second concert I ever attended in late-1983 at the Eagles Hippodrome in Seattle--and were so loud that I suffered additional hearing loss for days thereafter. (This was also one of the very last concerts that this venue held before closing it’s doors forever just a few months later. Coincidence?)

The Ramones were an ideal choice when it came to introducing me to punk rock, with their blistering deconstruction of rock and pop music. Despite the aggressive approach, their songs still displayed much of the pop sensibilities of 1960s radio-friendly fare, which already appealed to me. These four youths from the New York suburbs displaying very little in the way of musical skills instantly appealed to me more than all of the over-produced musical acts I had acces sto. Their lack of technique and complex songwriting capabilities proved inconsequential in light of their ability to deliver potent, adrenaline-laced, under two-minute foot-stompers that spit in the face of mainstream music, whilst attempting to remind fans what rock’n’roll was all about.

The first album I acquired from the Ramones was their seventh album, Subterranean Jungle, which I still consider to be the last great album they produced… nostalgia aside. Their first three albums--the Self-titled LP, Leave Home, and Rocket to Russia--are untouchable, albeit virtually inter-changeable, having been recorded back-to-back within just two-short years. Their next three full-length releases--Road to Ruin, End of the Century, and Pleasant Dreams--are admittedly disjointed at times, but showcase the band’s attempts to move forward past their blistering, two-chord anthems, with undeniable success. Their seventh LP, Subterranean Jungle, is something of a musical retrospective, if not a balancing act between their more hardened punk rock origins with their more pop-rock 1960s inspirations. Although they would continue to produce some occasionally exceptional tracks over the next decade-plus until they called it quits in 1996, I still argue that this 1983 LP stands as their last notable album, despite the many fans and critics who consider it sub-standard.

Of all the (what I consider) exceptional bands included in my previous, current, and forthcoming life-changing musical artists, the Ramones may just lead the pack. As simple and silly as they were, they not only furthered my education as to what music could be, they also were the first band that inspired me to actually take up music as a creative outlet. Love them or hate them, it’s impossible to argue how they changed the face of rock music, much like The Beatles before them, and Nirvana thereafter.

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for RAMONES Subterranean Jungle LP (1983) Sire Records

06/16/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

03: BLACK SABBATH

An obvious deviation from my other interests at the time, Black Sabbath didn’t immediately hit home with me when I was introduced to them as a child in the late 1970s, but still had a tremendous impact on me when music ultimately began shaping me and my education just a few short years later. Like countless other Gen-Xers, the downbeat, guitar-driven, dirge-inspired efforts from this Birmingham foursome was the antithesis of radio-friendly pop that had dominated my early years. The catchy, feel-good tracks that embodied childhood ignorance had been replaced by generational dissatisfaction, a sound which I was not able to fully relate to until I reached a level of awareness that only years lived could facilitate.

I initially heard this “hard” rock, blues-inspired, proto-metal band by an older neighborhood friend during the late-1970s. Although my love for said band wouldn’t truly take hold until the mid-1980s once I dove into the music that instigated my obsession with harder-edged music, they definitely left an impression early on. Eventually, they would become a reoccurring part of my musical landscape, despite my then-current attentions being otherwise dominated by punk and hardcore. (Their album Paranoid was probably the first “metal” album to not only become a regular listen in my extremely limited vinyl collection, but which also proved to be a musical gateway into all things now deemed “metal.”)

Like countless other punks and hardcore kids, Black Sabbath’s early efforts opened up a musical landscape that wasn’t limited to the beloved genre/s that limited our musical interests. Even though the band’s output was obviously removed from the underground music scene that defined us, Black Sabbath’s music was an acceptable outlet that was almost universally embraced by my punk peers. Tracks like “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” and “Children of the Grave” encapsulated the anti-authoritarian messages which were the foundation of the genre/s, and the heavy, down-tuned riffs reflected a similar disdain for 1970s’ pop sensibilities. (Like KISS, their music provided an inescapable influence on all of rock’s many sub-genres that surfaced in later decades, particularly noticeable with not only the metal genre it inspired, but also many of the “grunge” outfits that dominated the musical landscape of the early-1990s.) The band was also something of a re-introduction to psych-related music, which would become a growing obsession of mine with late-1960s/early-1970s rock fare just a few short years later.

As much as I have become intensely disgusted by frontman Ozzy Osbourne (for reasons I’d rather not go into here), it was his involvement with the band as their primary vocalist during the 1970s that I love most, and continue to revisit most often. (Black Sabbath’s first six studio albums stand as musical treasures, outshining their other releases in subsequent years, of which only a few featured the founding member’s vocal contributions.)

Much like The Beatles before them, few (if any) can with any level of clarity or historical knowledge argue the impact that this band had on rock music over the last fifty-plus years. (In addition to the swath of metal-oriented bands that owe their entire existence to them, they even single-handedly became the inspirational prime-mover for such sub-genres as stoner rock and--more so--doom metal.) With their heavier, slower approach relying on dirge-like riffs and minor key progressions, punctuated with equally dark lyrical contents, Black Sabbath provided a disquieting, somber approach to popular music that was rarely acknowledged, especially during the 1970s.

To this day, the band’s rudimentary, yet hard-hitting riffs, and darker themes marks a significant shift in the evolution of music during the latter half of the previous century, as well as giving me cause to further explore such musical outlets as psychedelia, blues rock, and thrash metal, among other styles and sub-genres.

Additionally, guitarist Tony Iomi was instrumental in pioneering the heavily-distorted, palm-muting, open power chord technique that has become an integral part of the metal genre. (Early on, I always referred to this sound as “grinding,” but--as I later learned--it is more commonly referred to as “chugging.” Regardless, it became a prominent technique employed in thrash, crossover, groove metal, metalcore, and djent music during the last forty-plus years.) Although sparsely employed by hardcore bands during the 1980s, this particular sound is what initially drew me into crossover and thrash metal, especially since it was consistently exploited with great success by crossover outfits like Sacrilege UK and The Accused, and thrash’s most prominent band, Metallica, all of which were directly responsible for my induction into the metal genre. (Suffice it to say, without “Children of the Grave,” we would not have “Battery” or “Damage, Inc.” Just saying.)

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for BLACK SABBATH Paranoid LP (1970) Warner Brothers

06/14/2026

THIRTEEN MUSICAL ARTISTS/GROUPS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE DURING THE 1980s

02: DEVO

Growing up, it wasn’t until I discovered Devo in 1982 that I became as obsessed with a musical act as I had with KISS in 1977. I don’t recall if I was already infatuated with synth-oriented “new wave” when their presence became known to me, but I’m guessing that--even if that wasn’t the case--they were responsible for cementing my interest in said musical style, as well as opening my eyes to more subversive forms of musical expression.

Devo’s quirky, unorthodox music was both confrontational and appealing to me, lyrically and sonically. They were a true enigma: both whimsical and thought-provoking; alluringly progressive whilst being respective of their musical precedents. They had few recognizable peers, whether it be within the more aggressive punk movement, or the often pretentious prog-rockers that gained widespread acceptance during the latter half of the 1970s. Devo inhabited a curious niche often ridiculed by the mainstream press and radio listeners, only to gain international recognition through an unexpected hit in 1980 with “Whip It,” a decent but not entirely representative track from their third full-length album. For a short while, Devo became the misunderstood poster-boys for the New Wave movement, their curious stature soon giving way to the more watered-down, synth-pop bands that now embody the official sound of the early-1980s.

Like many others, Devo’s most recognizable track was my introduction to the band--for better and for worse--but unlike others who never stray from radio-friendly, one hit wonders, it was their previous output that had an even greater impact on me as a burgeoning music lover. As excellent if not groundbreaking as their third album--Freedom of Choice--was, it was their previous two full-length releases that made me a life-long fan. (I continued to follow them religiously for their next two albums, but soon lost interest immediately after.)

The first Devo album I purchased was their fifth full-length effort, Oh, No! It’s Devo in 1982, which I listened to religiously until I was gifted their other four albums the Christmas that same year. The band was also the headliners of the first concert I ever attended, in 1982 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, barely a week after my fourteenth birthday. For the better part of the following year, they were my favorite band… until I discovered punk rock.

Devo’s first full-length album, Are We Not Men?, has gained critical attention for being a landmark release, which I feel is fully deserving. Their second album, Duty Now for the Future, hasn’t received nearly the accolades that I feel it deserves, as I strongly see it as a quintessential landmark for the band and everything they hoped to achieve with their unconventional vision, musically and lyrically. In my humble opinion, if one were to shear off two-or-three of what I consider to be sub-standard tracks, this would be a perfect album. Period.

Although I would be hard-pressed to consider Devo “punk” overall, they undoubtedly inspired and influenced countless genre acts with their non-conformist, socio-political lyrics, and aggressively confrontational musical approach, especially as it pertains to their earlier output. (The sheer number of bands who cite them as a direct influence will attest to this, from Nine Inch Nails to Nirvana.) Still, a few of their earlier tracks could easily and comfortably be included in the genre alongside some of the more artier outliers during the late-1970s.

When all is said and done, Devo was an incredible, visionary band that remains in my top-ten favorites of all time, regardless of genre, with their “hits” far outshining any and all of their unfortunate “misses.”

Photo Credit: Original LP Cover Art for DEVO Oh, No! It’s Devo LP (1982) Warner Brothers

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