Rimbaud III wrote:

SecondEdition wrote:

DazeyDiver wrote:Throbbing Gristle?
Birthday Party?

The Birthday Party were from Australia. I don't think that's technically the UK.

Look at their flag, dude! We pwn them.

i kinda qualified them on account of them moving to london before they changed their name to the Birthday Party.

the jesus and mary chain is not listed, so
+1 for the fall.

DazeyDiver wrote:

Rimbaud III wrote:

SecondEdition wrote:

DazeyDiver wrote:Throbbing Gristle?
Birthday Party?

The Birthday Party were from Australia. I don't think that's technically the UK.

Look at their flag, dude! We pwn them.

i kinda qualified them on account of them moving to london before they changed their name to the Birthday Party.

They're still disqualified on a technicality. But that's fine: we know they'd probably own this thread if they were included. For good reason.

It's so hard for me to choose here, because so many of these bands have made albums that will always remain among my favorites. Almost all of them have, actually; except for The Fall, but that is only because they are my newest discovery (I only have Live at the Witch Trials, which is great), and the Pop Group, because I always thought they were unfortunately inconsistent and never made a totally perfect album.

However, you could easily make a plausible case for the Pop Group's best material as the best material of the entire movement. Side 1 of Y is practically an exorcism - which is why much of Side 2 of that album comes as such a disappointment. Where's that lunatic energy? Strangely enough, I just realized that I have Live at the Witch Trials and Y in my car today.

Why isn't This Heat here? Deceit is also a total masterpiece of the genre.

In the end, I'll probably have to go with PiL by default, because Second Edition was my entry into postpunk, and one of the greatest musical experiences of my life thus far, and, hell, the origin of my alias. I love all of these bands to death, however, and hate voting against any of them, because they're all so great.

The Libertines

PiL gets my vote because I spin their first three records a lot, always, still.

Wire was a close contender, and instantly comparable to PiL's hit-or-miss discography.

Gang of Four is an excellent band, but in my opinion only on two records.

Joy Division would've gotten my vote if this was a "Steve V.'s-Nostalgic-Fluffy Pink Lined-Hindsight-Towards-UK-Post-Punk" poll. It is not (thank god). Two excellent albums, no more, no less.

The Fall has such a massive discography filled with some bonafide classic gems and some naked turds. Their huge hit-or-miss factor doesn't make them a favorite.

The Pop Group has that insane factor that I love with bands. They don't, however, have that many good records. "Y" can't beat "First Issue/Metal Box/Flowers of Romance."

Peripatetic wrote:The Libertines

You cunt.

andyman wrote:

Peripatetic wrote:The Libertines

You cunt.

Wha?

i'm kinda with steve on all of this except for the fall. which of those bands consistently made good, nor great, but good, consistently for ten+ years? only the fall. then they made a few crap ones, then they made 4 more scorchers. the gems by the fall far outnumber the turds.

given the choices, and as much as i love metal box, and pink flag, i have to go with the fall.

I wouldn't have made it through being 17 years old w/o those 2 awesome Joydivision albums.

IMO there isn't a better song from that era than Dead Souls.

CURSES ON NIN for covering it lamely