Hailing from Derbyshire, England, Anti-Pasti were part of the commercially successful but critically reviled second wave of punk. The group signed to the punk/heavy metal…

Fronted by exuberant vocalist Alison ‘George Cheex’ Roberts, Action Pact originated from Essex and took their musical cues from the likes of The Ramones, The…

Starshooter was one of the most famous bands to come up with punk rock in France, releasing Pin-Up Blonde, their first single, as early as 1977.…

While many of the punks with whom they shared a stage opted for a brand of anger that was – at best – cosmetic, Ulster’s Stiff…

Slaughter and the Dogs emerged from the Manchester punk scene in 1977, led by Wayne Barrett (vocals) and Mick Rossi (guitar). With Brian Grantham on drums and…

Siouxsie Sioux (real name Susan Janet Ballion) grew up in Chislehurst, Kent. When punk rock hit the UK she was part of the now-legendary ‘Bromley Contingent’ -…

Formed in Hersham, Surrey in 1975, Sham 69 was the ultimate “lads” band. All pints of lager, football terrace chants and menacing cocksure attitudes. Jimmy…

A favourite of the late great John Peel, The Ruts emerged from Southall, a heavily Asian-populated west London suburb. Their anti-racist stance fused punk and…

This punk/skinhead band from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was led by vocalist Dunk. Formed in September 1981, the band had their own label, called Rot, which they…

With album titles like Pissed and Proud, The Mating Sounds of South American Frogs and The Loud Blaring Punk Rock LP, Brighton nutters Peter & The Test Tube Babies were…

In 1977, following exposure to The Sex Pistols, Penetration sprang out of Durham pit village Ferryhill only to find themselves allergic to the music industry.…

The Newtown Neurotics hailed from Harlow in Essex; a stereotypically inhospitable and lifeless post-war “new town” of grey concrete and roundabouts (a la Stevenage or…

Johnny Moped formed in Croydon, south London, in 1974 and bridged the gap between mid-seventies pub rock and punk with their amalgam of free festival boogie…

Formed in San Francisco in early 1978, the Dead Kennedys became American public enemy number one right from the start. A creation of Jello Biafra…

Crass was formed in 1978 by Steve Ignorant and Penny Rimbaud, who lived a commune-type life in a farmhouse called Dial House at North Weald near…

This energetic punk band originated from Hitchin in Hertfordshire in 1978 and kept their good-natured Sex Pistols-inspired vision active well into the mid-1980s. The band released their…

A punk outfit formed in London in 1977 by vocalist Gene October. Original members Billy Idol and Tony James swiftly departed to form Generation X, but…

A bunch of complete punk loonies from Bristol who started out as Vice Squad’s road crew plus some mates. The line-up eventually settled down as Ampex,…

The Damned formed in London in 1976. Former cemetery worker and aspiring graphic artist Dave Vanian (abridged from ‘Transylvanian’; real name Dave Lett) teamed up…

Tongue-in-cheek good-time Geordie punks The Toy Dolls contributed two songs to the most infamous Oi! album, Strength Thru Oi!, and released a self-financed single (Tommy Kowey’s Car) on…