Alternative Music Playlists – Vol. 1: Origins – 1976

Listen To The List: Alternative Music Playlists – Vol. 1: Origins – 1976

While there was not a true alternative music scene prior to 1977 there were a handful of artists that would lay the groundwork for the idea and sound or alternative music and those artists are the ones we will explore on this playlist.  This playlist will cover the formative years from 1966-1976 that laid the groundwork for later alternative music scene and will look at artists who were either the direct forerunners of it (and could be considered the original alternative rock artists) or that were major influences on later alternative music even if they may or may not be considered alternative themselves.

1. “Venus In Furs” – The Velvet Underground (1967)     From the album The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground practically invented the idea of alternative rock and had few, if any, real peers in the late 1960’s.  Their combination of artistic integrity, taboo subject matter, experimental instrumentation, literate lyrics and do it yourself aesthetic all became integral to the sound and spirit of alternative rock.  “Venus In Furs” is a superb example that The Velvet Underground were amazing from the start.  Lou Reed’s deadpan, emotionless delivery of (for the time) quite shocking lyrics combined with John Cale’s wicked viola and the perfect backbeat provided by Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker come together to create a song that became one of the very first examples of a song that could be called alternative rock (although nobody did until later).  Brian Eno once said of the debut album by The Velvet Underground that although it only sold 30,000 copies initially “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band”.  While this may not literally be true many of the artists who will show up on these later lists cited The Velvet Underground as a major influence.

2. “Starman” – David Bowie (1972)     From the album The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars

David Bowie had already had a few hits prior to “Starman” but it was a major hit and helped him introduce his new persona of Ziggy Stardust, an androgynous alien rock star.  The song is a classic, but equally important was Bowie’s performance of this song on the British television music program Top of the Pops where Bowie’s appearance (as Ziggy Stardust) and his performance left a deep and lasting impression on many young viewers.  Many artists who later were foundational to the glam rock and early alternative scenes would cite Bowie’s performance as striking a musical nerve they never knew existed before, while his physical appearance was seen as powerfully shocking by some and liberating by others.  With “Starman” Bowie opened a new window for many into what rock could be and what a rock star could look like.

3. “Blitzkrieg Bop” – The Ramones (1976)     From the album Ramones

While The Sex Pistols are often credited with starting the punk revolution in 1977 (and in a sense they did as their music, attitude and image immediately changed the landscape of rock and inspired legions of new punk bands to spring up) back in the USA The Ramones actually beat them to the punch releasing their self-titled debut album and its infectious lead single “Blitzkrieg Bop”.  With its opening chant of “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!”, fast tempo and three-chord simplicity “Blitzkrieg Bop” became an underground hit and a blueprint of sorts for the sound and spirit of punk rock; a movement that in many way marks the true beginning of alternative rock as a genre.

4. “Personality Crisis” – New York Dolls (1973)     From the album New York Dolls

The New York Dolls burst onto the underbelly of the rock scene in 1973 with a trashy rock sound that would be the starting point for countless 70’s punk bands and 80’s hair metal groups, not to mention a wide array of other alternative artists who found their sound powerful and their image (the band regularly dressed in drag) intriguing.  In fact, the number of bands, alternative or mainstream, that trace their musical and/or visual roots back to The New York Dolls is astonishingly high.  Like The Velvet Underground, The New York Dolls had a major impact on the sound and direction of rock without ever really finding much success themselves.

5. “Rip Her To Shreds” – Blondie (1976)     From the album Blondie

With their simple, do-it-yourself vibe Blondie borrowed from the nascent punk rock scene and shared many of the same roots.  However, Blondie added keyboards and blatant pop hooks to give their music a candy-coated neon glow that was missing from the nihilism of punk.  In the process Blondie pioneered the sound and spirit of what would become new wave, a sound they would hone over their next few albums.  Furthermore, band leader/singer Debbie Harry’s brash and naughty tough girl image was something new in rock and roll:  A girl who could hang with the boys and hold her own.  With Debbie Harry a new rock icon/image was born.  With Blondie a new rock genre would emerge.

6. “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us” – Sparks (1974)     From the album Kimono My House

Sparks strange combination of piano driven glam rock, vaudevillian music hall, classic pop, and sarcastic wit created a sound that was quite unique.  Add to the mix lead singer Russell Mael’s powerful falsetto singing voice and Sparks’ music became a very unique mixture indeed, one that found some commercial success (mostly outside of the USA) but had a major impact on the new wave, new romantic and synthpop scenes that would later develop, with everyone from Morrissey to Martin Gore of Depeche Mode calling them a major influence.

7. “Redondo Beach” – Patti Smith (1975)     From the album Horses

Patti Smith straddled the line between being a New York City poet and a punk rock princess and in the process created music that was both bracing and appealing.  Unafraid to tackle difficult subject matter and taboo topics “Redondo Beach” marries a reggae/ska beat to a punk rock aesthetic while telling the story of a girl’s suicide after an argument with her lesbian lover.  Musically catchy and emotionally powerful “Redondo Beach” offers up a perfect juxtaposition of the sweet and the sad, a potent combination that would be oft copied in the alternative rock world in the years ahead.

8. “September Gurls” – Big Star (1974)     From the album Radio City

Big Star was short-lived but their later impact on the sound of college radio and indie rock is almost immeasurable.  Big Star’s hook-laden pop/rock and chiming, ringing guitars was a direct inspiration for 80’s groups like R.E.M., The dB’s, Game Theory, Let’s Active and The Grapes of Wrath and 90’s groups such as Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Ryan Adams, Toad The Wet Sprocket and others.  In fact, Big Star’s sound became a model for much of the American alternative scene of the 1980’s (and to a lesser degree the 1990’s) where jangly pop songs with lovelorn lyrics became a staple.

9. “Suzanne” – Leonard Cohen (1967)     From The album Songs of Leonard Cohen

The Canadian poet and musician released this song as his debut single in 1967.  Stark, stripped and poetic Cohen’s songs and style became a pattern for the nakedly confessional and emotionally confrontational music that often was created by alternative rock musicians.  Haunting, gorgeous and unique, Cohen’s songs would have a lasting impact on a variety of musicians working in different areas of alternative music.

10. “I Wanna Be Your Dog” – The Stooges (1969)     From the album The Stooges

Iggy Pop’s original band The Stooges were a primal force.  Powerful, pummeling and primitive The Stooges attacked songs (and sometimes their audience, each other or themselves) with a restless and reckless spirit that helped to lay the groundwork for both the punk and grunge movements, as well as Iggy Pop’s own storied solo career.  “I Wanna Be Your Dog” was the lead single from their landmark, influential debut.

11. “20^th Century Boy” – T. Rex (1973)     Originally released as a non-album single, later included on the album Tanx

Marc Bolan’s glam rock stomp has echoes heard throughout alternative music.  “20^th Century Boy” has a wicked bass groove that propels the song forward and foreshadows the more non-traditional bass parts of many alternative rock bands.  Furthermore, glam rock had a direct impact on the new romantic and new wave scenes that would soon sprout up, as well as on other alt stars.  For example, it is hard not to listen to R.E.M.’s underrated Monster album without hearing T. Rex running all through it.

12. “The American Ruse” – MC5 (1970)     From the album Back In The USA

Equal parts pop-oriented indie rock and proto-punk MC5 came from the same Detroit underground scene as The Stooges.  MC5’s early work more closely resembles The Stooge’s visceral sludge but MC5 moved towards a more streamlined and simple approach with politically charged lyrics.  Not quite punk, but certainly a foreshadow of what was coming.

13. “Pablo Picasso” – The Modern Lovers (1976)     From the album The Modern Lovers

Built off of a Peter Gunn inspired riff “Pablo Picasso” exudes a slinky, sexy coolness.  Johnathan Richman’s deadpan, speak/sing vocals predicting later alternative rock vocalists like Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes and Nick Cave among others.  The Modern Lovers tackled a variety of styles across their career and echoes of many of them can be heard throughout alternative rock where Modern Lovers are regularly name-checked as an inspiration.

14. “Radioactivity” – Kraftwerk (1975)     From the album Radio-Activity

The electronic music pioneers followed up their groundbreaking near 23-minute long classic “Autobahn” with this more succinct, although no less radical, offering a year later.  Featuring synthesizers and electronic elements to shape the music and ambience Kraftwerk are the forerunners of synthpop and all other electronic music genres.  The impact of their music, and the use of computers within their music, was absolutely groundbreaking.  This song is incredibly catchy too and still stands up today.

15. “Virginia Plain” – Roxy Music (1972)     From the album Roxy Music

Roxy Music’s influence on early alternative rock is strong, especially in the UK, and the early days of the band saw the shared vision of singer Bryan Ferry and keyboardist Brian Eno, both musical geniuses that would go on to have long and successful careers, although they would only work together in Roxy Music for two albums.  Here, on “Virginia Plain”, we hear the experimental nature of their work and Ferry brings in a strong glam rock presence while Eno adds the synthetic and electronic textures that he would become famous for.  Manic fun.

16. “Hanging On The Telephone” – The Nerves (1976)     From the album One Way Ticket

The Nerves were a very short-lived but influential band who combined elements of what would become indie pop, new wave and punk rock.  If “Hanging On The Telephone” sounds familiar that is because Blondie would hear The Nerves’ version and then do a very faithful cover for their 1978 classic album Parallel Lines.  However, The Nerves original version is the superior one and a great example of their impactful sound.

17. “Cortez The Killer” – Neil Young & Crazy Horse (1975)     From the album Zuma

Neil Young was already a long established rock star by the mid 70’s with a strong connection to the country and folk rock scenes and the politically charged music of the 1960’s.  However, Neil Young had also always exhibited a strong sense of artistic independence that would become common among the punk, grunge and college rock genres of the alternative rock movements.  Furthermore, when working with his noisy, garage rock back Crazy Horse, Neil Young and his associates pioneered the sound and aesthetic of grunge rock.

18. “I Hate You” – The Monks (1966)     From the album Black Monk Time

The Monks were a band made up of 5 American soldiers stationed in Germany who formed the band to give themselves something to do.  Removed from the American music scene of the times and exhibiting a dark sense of humor (the band dressed as actually monks, going so far as to shave tonsures into their hair) The Monks definitely still contain echoes of 60’s psychedelia.  However, their music also has a sludgy sound and independent vibe that foreshadows both punk and grunge.  A band with no real musical peers (they were as unusual as The Velvet Underground and existed at the same time but, separated by an ocean, didn’t know of each other.  They also offer a similar aural pummeling as groups like The Stooges would pioneer a few years later.  Definitely a cult band whose innovativeness was only really discovered years later.