The Ongoing History of New Music, encore presentation: 14 incredibly important Canadian punk bands
We’ve all heard the stories about where punk came from. Here’s the precis: The New York Dolls and a few other bands started playing gigs in a crappy area of New York City that attracted musicians, artists, and various degenerates looking for places with low rent. This leads to the opening of CBGB in 1973, which becomes the centre of a scene that gave home to bands like Television, Blondie, Talking Heads, and most importantly, The Ramones.
In July 1976, The Ramones fly to London to play a show at the Roundhouse attended by curious kids who then either continue with their nascent punk plans–that would include The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and a few others–and inspire others to form their own groups. And from there, punk spread across the world.
That’s the elevator pitch for punk’s origin story. What’s missing is Canada’s involvement. And believe me, The Great White North had a lot to say about punk in those early days. And I mean a lot.
Toronto was the third leg of a punk triangle that extended to New York and London. Ideas, trends, and music were constantly being exchanged. Meanwhile, out on the West Coast, there was a fierce Vancouver scene that worked largely along north-south routes into the US. And then across the country, there were pockets of punk that had their own spheres of influence.
This history needs to be told. And we’re going to do it by looking at the stories of 14 incredibly important Canadian punk bands from back in the day.
Songs heard on this show:
- Teenage Head, Picture My Face
- Viletones, Screamin’ Fist
- The Diodes, Tired of Waking Up Tired
- B-Girls, Fun at the Beach (Live)
- Demics, New York City
- The Curse, Shoeshine Boy
- D.O.A., My Old Man’s a Bum
- Dishrags, I Don’t Love You
- Young Canadians, Hawaii
- The Subhumans, Urban Guerilla
- Pointed Sticks, The Marching Song
- Forgotten Rebels, I’m in Love with the System
- SNFU, She’s Not on the Menu
- Propagandhi, I Vant U 2 Vant Me
Naturally, Eric Wilhite has a playlist for us.
The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on these stations. Don’t forget that there’s a podcast version, too, in case you miss any episodes. Get them for free wherever you get your podcasts.
- 102.1 The Edge/Toronto – Sunday night at 7pm
- Q107/Toronto – Sunday night at 9pm
- Live 88-5/Ottawa – Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 6pm.
- 107.5 Dave-FM/Kitchener – Sunday nights at 11pm
- FM96/London – Sunday nights at 8pm
- Power 97/Winnipeg – Sunday nights at 10am and 10pm
- 107-3 The Edge/Calgary – Sundays at 10am and 10pm
- Sonic 102.9/Edmonton – Sunday at 8am and 8pm
- The Zone/Victoria – Sunday at 8am and 9pm
- The Fox/Vancouver – Sundays at 10anm and 10pm
- The Goat Network/Interior BC
- Surge 105/Halifax – Sunday at 7pm
- WAPS/WKTL The Summit/Arkon, Canton, Cleveland, Youngstown – Mon-Fri at 9pm
