Album: Blank Generation : The New York Scene (1975-1978) Album Review

 Album: Blank Generation : The New York Scene (1975-1978)

Artist: V/A

Released: 1993

  When i got this record, on 10/16/95,  i was already deep into American Hardcore music , with the likes of Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, Minor Threat, Black Flag , or American Punk Rock like The Descendents, Bad Religion and The Ramones....and the importance of this album meant to me as much as the first punk rock album i got, few years prior...

Understanding the difference of the Brit Punk scene and the American punk scene with the aid of old zines flying around back then... how it  blossomed, and who are the pioneers of it is what i was trying to dug deeper..  (aside from music , im a big story/history buff)

yeah music is great and contagious indeed, but as they say , for  everything good that happens, theres an even great story behind it... and during pre-internet days we rely only on album sleeves info, cheap old magazines and some local and imported zines to get the story.

The album however is self explained through music , 1975 to 978, The early years of  American Punk Rock scene. 

 CGBG the famous music club in NY have been a home for most of the artists  included on the album , the likes of The Ramones, Television, Blondie.. and this was what was happening in the US , before punk rock broke internationally  via the Sex Pistols , 

(Although the Sex Pistols were not the first punk band, the few recordings that were released during the band's brief initial existence were singularly catalytic expressions of the punk movement. The releases of "Anarchy in the U.K.", "God Save the Queen" and Never Mind the Bollocks are counted among the most important events in the history of popular music.)

While the Brit Punk scene was a totally different story, This album, The Blank Generation esentially got me by it's different appeal, and vibes,  it was rock in a different sense.. the rebel in the artform, it was steering away from the norms. Especially from the music that was happening then, It was punk before it called punk 

The album pointed me to listening deeper Patti Smith, Blondie, Television, The Dead Boys, Richard Hell and The Voidoids, The Heartbreakers and  punk rock/glam rock prototypes The New York Dolls and Iggy Pop (not in the album), - (Thanks also to Sid Vicious' Live album and Duff McKagan's punk rock influences, -who was a big Johnny Thunders fan) which made it more easier for me to dig the music .

Fave Tracks:

Sonic Reducer- The Dead Boys

Chinese Rocks - The Heartbreakers

Born To Lose - The Heartbreakers

See No Evil -Television

Ask The Angels - Patti Smith Group

In The Flesh- Blondie

Blank Generation- Richard Hell and The Voidoids

Rating: 8/10