Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s, 00s
Although the best-known band of the early Australian punk scene of the late '70s was the Saints, the first band to wave the punk rock flag in the land down under was Radio Birdman. Formed by Australian émigré Deniz Tek (originally from Ann Arbor, MI) and Aussie surfer-turned-vocalist Rob Younger in 1974, Radio Birdman's approach to rock & roll... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s, 00s
Quick, who's Australia's best rock band? If you guessed Midnight Oil, you probably have the most supporters. But for my money, there's never been an Australian rock & roll band better (or more consistent) than Sydney's Celibate Rifles. Playing stripped-down, loud, and fast Ramones-inspired guitar rock, the Celibate Rifles were one of the... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
Led by the raffish and slightly scuzzy romance-obsessed Peter Perrett, the Only Ones were one of the punk era's most underrated bands. Not as confrontational as the Sex Pistols, as politically indulgent as the Clash, or as stripped-down as the Ramones, the Only Ones played not-so-fast guitar rock that sounded deeply indebted to the New York... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s, 90s
The Ramones are the first punk rock band. Other bands, such as the Stooges and the New York Dolls, came before them and set the stage and aesthetic for punk, and bands that immediately followed, such as the Sex Pistols, made the latent violence of the music more explicit, but the Ramones crystallized the musical ideals of the genre. By cutting... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
This Boston-based punk-rock band is led by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter John Felice. Capable of writing great, catchy pop-rock material, Felice and Real Kids opted for sloppy, beer and drug-induced "who cares" punk attitude, making them darlings of local CBGB's-styled scene (also revered in France), but ultimately keeping them from larger,... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
The Replacements initially formed in 1979, when Paul Westerberg joined a garage punk band formed by brothers Bob (guitar) and Tommy Stinson (bass) and drummer Chris Mars. Originally, the band was called the Impediments, but they changed their name to the Replacements after being banned from a local club for disorderly behavior. In their early... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s, 00s
Led by the literate singer/songwriter Mike Scott, the group's sole constant member, the mercurial Waterboys formed in London in 1981. Born December 14, 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Scott first became involved in music as the creator of the fanzine Jungleland, and later played in a series of local punk outfits. After college, where he studied... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s, 00s
World Party began as an outlet for the pop infatuations of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Karl Wallinger, previously best known for his tenure with the Waterboys. Born October 19, 1957, in Prestatyn, Wales, Wallinger grew up enamored not only of the Beatles but also of the Motown and Merseybeat sounds, and made his professional debut in 1976... [+] Read More
