The Box Tops- "The Letter" (1967) "Live" on Upbeat

Alex Chilton and the boys looking a little bored to be lip-syncing on another low-rent variety show, but it's a great clip nonetheless (though it gets a little glitchy toward the end).

Penetration- "Lovers of Outrage" (1978) Live at Reading Festival

Before recording one of the lost gems of the post-punk era with Factory in-house producer Martin Hannett in 1980, Pauline Murray fronted a British punk band called Penetration, a more Patti Smith- influenced contemporary of early Siouxsie & The Banshees. Their first album, Moving Targets, deserves a far more prominent place in the annals of early punk than it has received. Her story is coming soon...

Tyrannosaurus Rex- "Sara Crazy Child" (1967) Live at King Street Covent Garden

Here's some amazing early live footage of Tyrannosaurus Rex, Marc Bolan's acid-folk duo with Steve Peregrin Took, which would eventually metamorphose into T. Rex (minus Took) and play a major role in ushering in the U.K. glam scene of the early seventies. Oh yes, and decades later, a young man calling himself Devendra would learn "Salamanda Palaganda" by heart. The story of Tyrannosaurus Rex coming soon...

The Pretty Things- "Rainin' in My Heart" (1966) Live TV Appearance

Blues enthusiasts much like the early Rolling Stones (in fact, guitarist Dick Taylor had played bass in an early version of that iconic band), The Pretty Things tended to be more dark, scruffy and dangerous than their peers and in doing so, were arguably one of the more original bands of the "British Invasion." Judging from lead-singer Phil May's appearance and stage persona in this clip, I think Jim Morrison might have caught "The Pretties" on TV once or twice.

The Au Pairs- "Come Again": Live in London, 1981 from Urgh! A Music War

The Au Pairs: imagine Gang of Four fronted by a magnificently militant lesbian and you've got some idea of what The Au Pairs were all about, but if you're not into the politics, don't be put off because this was one fierce post-punk band. Their story is coming soon.

Dean & Britta- "I'll Keep It with Mine (Scott Hardkiss Remix)" from 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests (Nico)

Good news! The V.U. Series I had started on the old blog is going to see a resurrection very soon. For now, enjoy your Nico!

Crispy Ambulance- "The Presence" (1980) Official Video

Let's start with a clip from a brilliant post-punk band from Manchester that was a more experimental contemporary of the Joy Division, and who were fated, quite undeservedly, to toil in the considerable shadow of Ian Curtis & co. This version of the single, "The Presence," is a little more straightforward than the Martin Hannett-produced studio version found on Live on a Hot August Night, and finds the Crispies thoroughly mining the Joy Division sound, but putting their own languid stamp on it.