London, UK · punk · power-pop

The Boys

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First-wave punk with the melodic instincts of a lost power-pop band — London '77 played with a songwriter's care.

The Boys formed in London in 1976 and were among the earliest bands signed during the first wave of British punk, releasing records on NEMS and later Safari. Their line-up drew on members with earlier band experience, and their songs paired the speed and brevity of punk with melodies closer to 1960s beat groups and mid-70s power pop.

Alongside their own catalogue they recorded Christmas albums under the alias The Yobs, a sideline that became something of a tradition. Songs such as "First Time" remain the best-known items in a body of work that has been steadily reissued and cited by later pop-punk bands.

punkpower-pop