Zachary V. Sunderman

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Weirdos / Weird World, Volume One: 1977-1981 / Frontier, 1991 / repress

The weird-ness of #theWeirdos lies in the ironic synthesis that resulted from their Trojan invasion of the pop song.

#frontierrecords #punkrock #punkrecords #punkvinyl #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Testors / “Together” / 1980 / 2012 (Windian)

On more than one occasion, I have played the A-side 10-20 times - or more - in a row.

#testors #thetestors #sonnyvincent #punk #punkrock #punkrecords #punkvinyl #vinylcommunity #vinylsky #windianrecords

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Television / Marquee Moon / 1977 / reissue (Rhino/Elektra)

My favorite song of all time. Must be heard in the 10+ minute restored full-length version on reissues.

#televisionband #elektrarecords #artrock #punkrock #punkrecords #punkvinyl #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Social Distortion / Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past / 1995 / 2019 (Craft)

It was the release of this comp that allowed me to understand why #SocialDistortion were such a revered punk band.

#punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #LApunk #americanhardcore #vinylsky #ushc

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Patti Smith Group / Radio Ethiopia / Arista, 1976 / 1st US

If #punk is an aesthetic as much as an attitude, then the ferociously creative, gloves-off “Radio Ethiopia” is Patti’s true punk LP.

#pattismith #pattismithgroup #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Sex Pistols / Never Mind the Bollocks... / 1977 / 1980s US (Warner Bros./Virgin)

Few artists represent the ambivalence of punk’s radical cynicism better than the Pistols.

#sexpistols #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #punk #virginrecords #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Screeching Weasel / Kill the Musicians / Lookout!, 1995

It's a shame Ben Weasel loves the Ramones so much: it led him gradually to destroy the unique and anarchic personality of the old #ScreechingWeasel.

#lookoutrecords #punkrecords #punk #punkrock #musicsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Screeching Weasel / Boogadaboogadaboogada! / 1988 / Lookout! CD & 2024 Legacy Edition (Striped)

It may not scream "greatness," but it’s tightly connected to cherished memories of #punkrock youth.

#ScreechingWeasel #lookoutrecords #stripedrecords #punkrecords #musicsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Ruts / The Crack / Virgin, 1979 / 1st UK

“Punks can’t play,” you say; but the punk of #theRuts succeeds exactly because of how precisely it's executed - especially when they go reggae.

#punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #virginrecords #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Replacements / Let It Be / Twin/Tone, 1984 / 2016

Well, there’s a bold move - but not an inaccurate one.

#replacements #thereplacements #twintonerecords #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Ramones / Loco Live / Sire/Warner Bros., 1991

A few years later, I would see the #Ramones perform a set much like this one at Cleveland State University. It was like witnessing gods incarnated.

#sirerecords #punkrecords #punkrock #punk #musicsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Ramones / Ramones Mania / Sire, 1988 / US

This faultless comp is how I was introduced to the #Ramones way back when, and it's still my default when I want to party with these weirdos.

#sirerecords #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #punk #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Ramones / Ramones / 1976 / 2011 US (Sire/Rhino)

Punk was rock & roll's spirit absurdly reasserting itself in a society since stripped of its innocence, its naivité, even its hope. Case in point: the #Ramones.

#punkrecords #punkvinyl #vinylsky #punkrock #vinylcommunity

Punk (1976-present): A-list
The Pack / "Heathen" b/w "Brave New Soldiers" / 1979 / 1991 (Burning Rome)

Later a “big music” figure, the grandiosity of #KirkBrandon takes this gnarly #punkrock to another level.

#thepack #theatreofhate #punkrecords #punkrock #punkvinyl #punk #vinylsky

Home of Halldór Laxness, Nobel-winning author (and one of my favorites), in the Icelandic countryside. #iceland #halldorlaxness #halldórlaxness #literature #independentpeople #gljúfrasteinn

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Operation Ivy / Energy / 1989 / '90s repress (Lookout!)

Sometimes I feel short-changed by the promise of punk, but #Operationlvy unfailingly remind me of what I saw in it.

#lookoutrecords #punk #punkrock #punkrecords #punkvinyl #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Operation Ivy / Hectic / 1988 / repress (Lookout!)

"Energy" may be their masterpiece, but the much shorter "Hectic" is everything that's great about that LP in miniature.

#operationivy #lookoutrecords #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #punk #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
The Jam / Sound Affects / Polydor, 1980 / 1st US

The devastating affectiveness of this album is a power #theJam achieve through their newfound nuance, not in spite of it.

#punk #punkrock #punkrecords #punkvinyl #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

That, too. There’s an ambivalence here that I can’t settle. It’s important for radical culture to maintain its independence & purity, but it’s also important that it not become gatekept territory. And so I’m encouraged to remember that an underground continues to flourish alongside mass popularity.

Yes, I agree. In my personal life, I have absolutely zero qualms about listening to whatever the hell I want. I just pause for a moment when I think about the bigger cultural issues raised by punk going mainstream - represented by this album and the 11 million+ people(!!) who own it.

Understand: Donald Trump is the King of the United States.

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Green Day / Dookie / Reprise, 1994 / 1st US edition (with Ernie)

It’s ok to be torn. Besides, the radical is never truly compromised by co-option, no matter how many people don’t get it.

#GreenDay #repriserecords #punkrecords #punkrock #punk #musicsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Green Day / 39/Smooth / 1990 / early '90s press (Lookout!)

The #GreenDay I love is the one that gave my young punk soul a much-needed anthem not of defiance, but of sensitivity.

#lookoutrecords #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #vinylcommunity #emo #vinylsky

It’s an old irony in postmodern garb, but the rise of #artificialintelligence has still shocked me with its demonstration of how passionate humans can be about dehumanization.

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Gorilla Angreb / Gorilla Angreb / 2006 / 2017 (Svart)

It may be true that there's nothing new under the sun, but creativity is alchemical.

#gorillaangreb #svartrecords #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #punk #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Generation X / Perfect Hits 1975-1981 / Chrysalis, 1991

Learning how many popular cultural figures had punk roots was like confirmation that I'd stumbled into a very special secret.

#generationx #billyidol #punkrecords #punkrock #punk #musicsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
Dils / Dils Dils Dils / 1990 / 2022 (Radiation)

To hell with the Internationale, vive les Dils.

#thedils #radiationrecords #radiationreissues #dangerhouserecords #dangerhouse #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #punk #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Punk (1976-present): A-list
The Damned / Damned Damned Damned / 1977 / 40th anniversary (BMG, 2017)

It’s only rock & roll, but I like it. Besides, rock & roll doesn’t need any justification beyond itself.

#thedamned #stiffrecords #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #punk #vinylcommunity #vinylsky

Incredible! That’s my favorite Clash song.

Punk (1976-present): A-list
The Clash / Combat Rock / 1982 / 1st US (Epic)

No one saw this coming in 1977 - and that’s because “the future is unwritten.”

#TheClash #punkrecords #punkvinyl #punkrock #vinylcommunity #postpunk #postpunkvinyl #vinylsky