Top 10 Punk Compilations
Top 10 Punk Compilations (as picked by Mike E.)
Number 10
Tooth And Nail
Label: Upsetter Records
Released: 1978
I remember seeing this at my Uncle’s place when it first came out. It was the first L.A. or West Coast punk album I ever saw or heard. So, I’m including it for sentimental reasons. Mostly rough & melodic LA punk rock, Germs, Flesh Eaters, Middle Class and Negative Trend stand out. Classic compilation.
Rating: *** ** three out of five stars.
Number 9
Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three
Label: Sanctuary Records
Released: 2002
Buy from Amazon.
I dig Henry’s new version of Rise Above, Chuck D’s intro brings a new level of intensity to the track. The track smokes. Henry’s dialogue before/between songs is real cool, a quick way to get acquainted with the case and still enjoy the music. Rollins really stepped up his game, this is the best I’ve heard him in years. And he did it for a great cause.
Rating: *** ** three out of five stars.
Number 8
Let Them Eat Jellybeans
Label: Alternative Tentacles
Released: 1981
Let Them Eat Jellybeans “17 Extracts From Americas Darker Side,” is one of the earliest compilations of underground music from the Bay Area, and its original release included an insert of all of the punk bands known to be playing in the U.S. and Canada at that time. The first side of the album features songs by a number of bands that formed the canon of the Frisco hardcore punk in the 1980s, while the second side features more of an art rock sound.
Rating: ** *** three out of five stars.
Number 7
Cracks In The Sidewalk
Label: New Alliance Records
Released: 1980
Contains the Black Flag track Clocked In.
Rating: *** ** Three out of five stars.
Number 6
Rodney On the ROQ
Label: Poshboy Records
Released: 1980
I originally bought this to complete my Flip Side magazine collection (a free issue inside), but was stoked to hear one of the very best songs ever written – “Bloodstains” (Agent Orange), Amoeba by the Adolescents, The Circle Jerks doing Wild In The Streets, and Black Flag doing No Values!!
Rating: *** ** three out of five stars.
Number 5
The Decline of Western Civilization
Label: Slash Records
Released: 1981
I remember when this was first released; I had the movie poster on my wall and the soundtrack in constant rotation on my turntable. I believe it was scheduled to open at the Nuart Theatre; I picked up their newspaper listings that came out every month, at Licorice Pizza. I had the date circled, and I was raring to go. A week before Decline was to open my Uncle Rick offered to take me. Here’s where I get bummed: my Mom tells him “No.” I wasn’t, quite yet, fifteen and she reminded me that I had to be seventeen to see it, and she mentioned a few recent police riots at the local shows. I tried to plead my case, and my Uncle promised to look after me, but still “No.” As it turns out the police were outside the theatre when the movie let out, and a small-scale riot did, indeed, ensue; to Mom was right.
Rating: *** ** three out of five stars.
Number 4
Total Noise
Label: Total Noise Records
Released: 1982
I can’t remember how or when I got this exactly. It may have been a magazine freebie; it was my first exposure to The Gonads, and Dead Generation. Stand out track: Blitz – Voice of a Generation!!
Rating: **** * four out of five stars.
Number 3
Punk and Disorderly
Label: Poshboy Records
Released: 1982
Great collection of music, I never understood why the Dead Kennedys were on here though, maybe to help boost American sales? Anyway, great stuff. Stand out track: Blitz – Somebody’s Gonna Die!!
Rating: **** * four out of five stars.
Number 2
Someone Got Their Head Kicked In
Label: BYO Records
Released: 1982
BYO’s very first release, and classic punk album, Someone Got Their Head Kicked In is still one of the best comps around. Some of LA’s “mega stars” and some newcomers share this record; mostly melodic punk rock / HC. While the big bands like Social Distortion or the Adolescents have great tracks, some of the “smaller” bands still have some difficulties.
Rating: **** * four out of five stars.
Number 1
Public Service
Label: Smoke 7 Records
Released: 1981
Like most of my record collection back then, I picked this up at Moby Disc. I saw the ad for it in Flipside in early 1981, and it was a chance to add some more Bad Religion recordings to my collection. I don’t remember if this was first or the Bad Religion EP was, but I ended up owning both. Another reason I bought this was the Circle One tracks.
Rating: **** * four out of five stars.
Honorable Mentions: Charred Remains, and Carry On Oi!
These are my choices, I’m sticking to them, but I’d love to see some comments, the comments section doesn’t get enough action or debates, let’s hear something.
RIP My Uncle Rick White
This was the latest from Mike E. When he’s not writing articles of punk past (or making top 10 lists) he manages an online comic book store. Visit him at Web Comics.
Nice List:
Here be some more:
December 14th, 2007 at 11:47 amHell Comes To Your House
Flex Your Head
Not So Quiet On The Western Front
The Rhino DIY Punk (UK and US) series
The Blasting Concept
The ROIR NY Thrash Comp
Not So Quiet On The Western Front
American youth report
Not so quiet on the western front
A country fit for heroes 1 + 2.
P.E.A.C.E/WAr
Let them eat jellybeans
Really fast vol 1 + 2 + 3.
U-boats attack america
If the kids are united
GBG punk 1977 – 1980
Virus 100 (16 Dead kennedys covers)
Since I´m european maybe it´s two,tree compilations here that could be unfamiliar for you but take my word for it – everyone mentioned above are good!
.
December 14th, 2007 at 1:32 pmI saw the Decline somewhere in the valley when it came out. Can’t remember the name?? Tim Tracy would know, but I haven’t seen him since 1984…oh well. Thanks for the great write ups on great records.
December 15th, 2007 at 2:52 pmThe Decline soundtrack was the first punk record I picked up back in 1982, and it turned out to be the ultimate punk rock starter kit; not only did you get songs by all the big name first wave L.A. bands, but the interview segments were a great primer on how to cop that nasty “punk attitude” and scare the shit out of your parents. It’s funny now to read how certain bands involved distance themselves from The Decline because of it’s negative representation of the scene. To this unhip suburban kid this album defined punk rock, and my friends and I took all our cues from it, both good and bad. Luckily most of us gave up trying to mimick Eugene and X-Head somewhere around the 10th grade…
December 20th, 2007 at 1:40 amgood list, not big on Oi! but who cares what I think. Nonetheless, fer what it worth, growing up in the Bay Area I guess I am somewhat partial to Cali comps, but here goes…no order (fittingly)
“P.E.A.C.E”
“The Future Looks Bright” (got turned onto Shattered Faith from this)
“Flex Your Head”
“Not So Quite on the Western Front”
“Life Is Ugly, So Why Not Kill Yourself”
“Life Is Beautiful, So Why Not Eat Healthfood”
“Them Boners Be Poppin” (Fang…need I say more)
“Burning Ambitions. A History of Punk” Vol 1 on the 2 record set rules…the CD pales in comparison.
“…Jellybeans”
“Rat Music for Rat People Vol. 1″
and one more for good measure just because….
“Copulation” yeah yeah….Mystic records, but a slew of great anti-cop to get you going in anticipation for what to expect when going out of the house back in the day….
Everything else…Decline, Really Fast, all mentioned above certainly epic pics. Enjoy the list and Thank you for a great streaming show. I miss my days doing college radio. All….have a great holiday and a better New Year.
December 23rd, 2007 at 2:00 amYer pal,
Drew…
Can’t forget “Not So Quiet On the Western Front” & “It Came From Slimey Valley”. Between them & “Let Them Eat Jellybeans”, I cut my punk teeth on so many classic bands from back in the day.
December 26th, 2007 at 8:18 pmWell,I´ve already mentioned ten good compilations but somehow earlier punkrock got a bit neglected…
so here´s some additional honorable mentions to enjoy also:
Burning ambitions – A history of punk (I agree with Drew about this one… and the cd-version I´ve never heard).
77 the indie scene – The story of British independent music (…and because The heartbreakers and The ramones were a big influence for the rest bands here even they are on it?).
Murder punk volume 1 + 2 (Australians take on punkrock were good fun too).
and I end with…
December 27th, 2007 at 3:33 pmPunk rock rarities volume 1 + 2 (1977 – 1982).
What’s the Ace of Spades playing card doing on the Rodney On The Roq cover? It was not their on my pressing that I know of …
As for Punk and Disorderly, the album was put together by the music publishing arm of Cherry Red Records in the UK and as Cherry Red controlled the UK rights to the Dead Kennedys, they included the DK’s as a means to bolster UK sales.
It was only accidentally that the record came to be released in the USA and Posh Boy was mistakenly given the DK’s track as part of the package. Posh Boy subsequently worked out a licensing arrangement with East Bay Ray that kept the DK’s on.
Cherry Red made exactly the same mistake when they licensed the second Punk and Disorderly album “Further Charges” to an obscure New Jersey label by including a Channel 3 track, the USA rights being controlled by Posh Boy.
Thanks for all the mentions!
January 25th, 2008 at 4:03 amhey, does anyone remember a punk compilation cd, on the front it had blue and the word chuck? ive been looking for this for forever. please email me !!!
January 30th, 2009 at 10:00 pmNot that I’m totally impressed, but this is a lot more than I expected for when I stumpled upon a link on Furl telling that the info is quite decent. Thanks.
April 15th, 2009 at 11:32 am