These mind-blowing 60s singles predated punk rock's sound by a decade
by Mark Frauenfelder · Boing BoingThe YouTube channel Yesterday's Papers has a video about 10 proto-punk tracks released in Britain in 1966 and 1967. The video description says, "Most punk rock bands from the late '70s were influenced by bands and artists from the 50s and 60s but there are plenty of recordings from the 60s which already sounded like Punk recordings from the 70s and were at least 10 years ahead of their time."
I think they sound better than most of the '70s punk bands. (The Buzzcocks were better, of course).
Here's the list, with a quote about each single. I also found a YouTube link for each song:
"The Train to Disaster" by The Voice (1966)
"Several members of the group were members of a religious cult called The Process… and the songs apocalyptic lyrics were apparently influenced by the message that the religious cult used to preach."
"What's Been Done," "Save My Soul," and "Rumble on Mersey Square South," by Wimple Winch (1966-1967)
"It's safe to say that most of the record-buying public from 1966 was probably not ready for this type of sonic assault."
"Searchin' in the Wilderness" by Allen Pound's Get Rich (1966)
"In fact, it wouldn't be strange to mistake this single for a punk or even post-punk single from the late 70s or early 80s."
"You're Holding Me Down" by The Buzz (1966)
"One of the wildest and most way-out freakbeat tunes from that period."
"I Take it That We're Through" by The Riot Squad (1966)
"The sound is so unusual that it doesn't even sound like a 60s recording. Certain parts of the song even seem to predate the sound of bands like Roxy Music by at least six years."
"The Addicted Man" by The Game (1966)
"Pete Murray commented that it was one of the most disgusting songs he'd ever heard."
"It's Shocking What They Call Me" by The Game (1966)
"Certain parts of the song even sound like the sort of material that the New York Dolls recorded on their first album."
"She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies" by Him & The Others (1966)
"One of the most aggressive and psychotic British singles of 1966."
"Bad Little Woman" by The Wheels" (1966)
"It keeps building up in tempo until the song turns into a truly anarchic slice of punky rhythm and blues."
"Crawdaddy Simone" by The Syndicats (1965)
"Probably the noisiest recording of 1965"