Tom Verlaine, the founding singer and guitarist of the seminal New York City band Television, passed away on January 28th, 2023 at the age of 73 after “a brief illness”. Verlaine was born in Danville, New Jersey on December 13, 1949 and began his career as a musician in New York City in the 1970s, […]
Peaches: A Chronicle Of The Stranglers 1974-1990 (Review)
Disclosure: Reflexively Contrarian is reader-supported. When you buy something through one of the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more I first learned about The Stranglers as a teenager in the early 1990’s, having picked up a compilation of early U.K. punk by Rhino Records that included them. I thought […]
Disappointments: Were These Hardcore Punks From Michigan G.G. Allin’s Best Backing Band?
Muskegon, Michigan Hardcore Punks Were G.G. Allin’s Backing Band from 1989-1991 To many people, the Midwest region consists of a smattering of flyover states that are filled with endless stretches of corn fields, smell of livestock manure, and are home to dangerous right-wing militias. While these things are true, the Midwest is also home to […]
The Specials’ Terry Hall dies, aged 63
Terence Edward Hall, singer and songwriter, born on March 19th, 1959; died December 18th, 2022 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Terry Hall, the former lead singer of The Specials. Hall passed away on December 18th, 2022 at the age of 63. Hall was born in Coventry, England, and rose […]
Was Billy Idol Really a Punk Rocker?
With his spiky blonde hair and trademark sneer, Billy Idol is one of the most recognizable pop stars of the 1980’s. But was his punk rock style authentic, or artful deception? With a rebel yell, Billy Idol wanted more, more, more. And he got it – becoming a bona-fide pop rock superstar in the 1980’s. […]