New Rose, The Damned (1976)

I went to a hipster wedding on Saturday. The bride was once in a band with my wife. The groom is into what might be called “vintage punk” — i.e. the stuff I grew up on, while he was probably learning his A B Cs or even how to go potty. I don’t think I will ever again be at a wedding where the bride comes down the aisle to New Rose. Groovy stuff. The first punk rock single ever.

Good luck, kids. We love ya.

(I used to have a copy of this single on colored vinyl, bought circa 1979. I wonder what happened to it?)

Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, Having an Average Weekend (1985)

In effect, it is the alternative national anthem for Canada.

The Beat, Rock’N’Roll Girl (1980)

(The Muffs do a nice cover of this one, btw.)

Geri X – You Always Find A Weak Spot


The Carpenters, Superstar (Live, 1971)

The magic and tragic Karen Carpenter.

Greatest girl pop singer of all time?

The world did not love Karen one-millionth as much as she deserved.