Frequent Flaming Pablum favorite Robyn Hitchcock (mentioned several times in the last few weeks, notably here, here, here and here) is the most recent guest on an episode of Damian Abraham’s Turned Out a Punk podcast, and while I agree with Damian that Robyn is a sorely underpraised songwriter of the highest caliber, I’m not entirely sure he belongs on this podcast … and, clearly, neither was the great man himself.
While certainly born of Punk Rock, Robyn’s first proper band, The Soft Boys – by his own, oft-repeated admission – were not really Punk Rock by any tangible standard. Their influences were comparatively arcane and unfashionable, their hair was too long, they messed about with harmonies and melodies, and, by and large, they weren’t very aggressive (or at least not compared to, say, Sham 69 or the Stiff Little Fingers). In any case, it’s still a great episode, as Robyn’s knack for effortlessly surreal wordplay and whimsically sardonic observations (one favorite being that his native England is simply a nation of “thugs and grannies”) keep proceedings lively.
This all said, I think some of my very favorite bands of the era, and of the era just afterwards, were those that didn’t completely adhere to the rigid doctrine of Punk Rock – bands such as the Stranglers, XTC, Killing Joke … Hell, even The Police. The bands that dared the disregard the dogma.
With regards to Turned Out a Punk, though, I would say this, though: Damian’s intros to each episode need to be significantly shorter. There’s really no need to repeat the same, lengthy schpiel every time. Still, it’s a pretty consistently entertaining podcast.
Robyn’s actually playing here in New York City in a few weeks. I may or may not go, although I’m disappointed that I cannot find a way to smuggle my 17-year-old son Oliver into the gig. I’m sure he’d quite dig it. Below is the Soft Boys at the arguable height of their punkiest hour. You be the judge.
Recent Comments