I belong to the _____ generation

I tried to come up with something ambitious for today’s post, but I ended up drawing a complete blank. It’s better than shooting blanks, I suppose. Or stealing an experimental forcefield belt, becoming The Blank, and drowning while fighting the West Coast Avengers.

I am such a freakin’ nerd.

The Dils – You’re Not Blank (from the b-side of a 1977 single, collected on Class War, 2000) – The Dils tried to be the American equivalent of The Clash, but were held back by muddy production and excessively earnest politics straight out of Vulgar Marxist Sloganeering 101. If you can get past those two hurdles, this track is a great piece of melodic punk bristling with hippie hate. Some of the members of The Dils later tried their hands at roots rock/cowpunk with Rank and File. The results were…soporific.

ADULT. – Blank Eyed, Nose Bleed (from Anxiety Always, 2003) – I never get nosebleeds. I also hardly ever vomit. This has been your Too Much Information About Andrew moment of the week.

Voodoo Glow Skulls – Blank Expression (from Spare Shells: A Tribute to the Specials, 2001) – I admire bands who pull out all the stops when it comes to doing cover songs. On this track the Voodoo Glow Skulls crash through one of the slower numbers from The Specials’ debut LP with manic abandon.

Richard Hell and The Voidoids – Blank Generation (from Blank Generation, 1977) – One of my fondest wishes is for Richard Hell and Screaming Jay Hawkins to team up and record a cover of “Do Wah Diddy”. It would blow Nick Cave and Shane MacGowan’s “What a Wonderful World” clear out of the water as the best duet performance ever.