New Wave Time Warp

The Mo-Dettes’ debut single, “White Mice,” was...

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The Mo-Dettes’ debut single, “White Mice,” was released December 14, 1979. A video made at the time turned up on YouTube recently, and it is fantastic on all sorts of levels.

The Yobs’ third annual Christmas single,...

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The Yobs’ third annual Christmas single, “Rub-a-Dum-Dum,” came out December 11, 1979.

Throbbing Gristle’s 20 Jazz Funk Greats came out December...

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Throbbing Gristle’s 20 Jazz Funk Greats came out December 10, 1979. Here’s one of its catchier moments, “Hot on the Heels of Love.”

The first most listeners heard of Joy Division’s...

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The first most listeners heard of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” was the Peel session version, first broadcast December 10, 1979.

The Plastics’ “Copy” was their first non-Asian...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:30:00 -0800

The Plastics’ “Copy” was their first non-Asian single; it came out in the U.K. on December 7, 1979. They were not the only band to come up with the idea that moving and acting like robots would be a good idea, but they were one of the funniest.

The Clash’s London Calling album, as well as the single of...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The Clash’s London Calling album, as well as the single of the same name, were released December 7, 1979. The B-side of that single was a cover of Willie Williams’ “Armagideon Time”; here’s a live performance of it from right around then.

Misty’s second Peel session was broadcast December 6,...

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:30:00 -0800

Misty’s second Peel session was broadcast December 6, 1979. Here’s “Judgement Coming on the Land” from it.

Pulp, a.k.a. Pulp Music, a.k.a. Anne Bean and Paul Burwell,...

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:30:00 -0800

Pulp, a.k.a. Pulp Music, a.k.a. Anne Bean and Paul Burwell, released their “Low Flying Aircraft” single December 5, 1979.

The Raincoats’ self-titled debut album came out December...

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The Raincoats’ self-titled debut album came out December 5, 1979. Here’s their cover of the Kinks’ “Lola”—a gesture that never stops being beautiful and hilarious.

Holly and the Italians released their first single, the immortal...

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Holly and the Italians released their first single, the immortal “Tell That Girl to Shut Up” (later covered by Transvision Vamp) on December 3, 1979. This is also clearly not the original video. If Blondie had kept going in the direction suggested by “Rip Her to Shreds,” they might have ended up with something like this…

Delta 5’s debut single “Mind Your Own...

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Delta 5’s debut single “Mind Your Own Business” came out December 2, 1979, and this is clearly not the original video—I don’t think there was one. I also don’t care, because it is just about the greatest thing ever recorded. Those guitar breaks are unbelievable.

The Greedies were a one-off band that did a holidaysploitation...

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The Greedies were a one-off band that did a holidaysploitation single, “A Merry Jingle,” released December 1, 1979. They included half of the Sex Pistols and a few members of Thin Lizzy. Nobody’s finest hour, but amusingly crass.

The Leather Nun’s first EP came out November 30, 1979;...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0800

The Leather Nun’s first EP came out November 30, 1979; here’s “No Rule,” which kind of splits the difference between industrial grind and cock-rock.

I hadn’t even realized that Squeeze had ever recorded a...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

I hadn’t even realized that Squeeze had ever recorded a Christmas single, but “Christmas Day’ here came out November 30, 1979.

The Scientists released their “Last Night” EP on...

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

The Scientists released their “Last Night” EP on November 28, 1979. Here’s a TV performance from right around then. No microphones visible, though…

New Musik released their second single Nov. 28, 1979:...

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0800

New Musik released their second single Nov. 28, 1979: “Living By Numbers.” Here’s the promo video.

Eberhard Schoener’s Video Flashback album, on which he was...

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Eberhard Schoener’s Video Flashback album, on which he was backed up by the Police, came out November 28, 1979. Here’s a video for the extremely weird “Video Magic,” a song whose lyrics appear to have been “found” in a “B.C.” strip.

Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons’ “Shape I’m...

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons’ “Shape I’m In” single came out on (or, okay, about) November 27, 1979. Here’s the original promo video. I can see why Elvis Costello liked this band.

Pink Military’s first Peel session was broadcast November...

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0800

Pink Military’s first Peel session was broadcast November 26, 1979. Here’s “Did You See Her?” and “Stand Alone” from it.

The Mekons’ debut album, the brilliantly titled The...

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

The Mekons’ debut album, the brilliantly titled The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strnen, came out Nov. 26, 1979. Here’s its opening track, “Like Spoons No More”—kind of the missing link between Gang of Four and Mission of Burma.