³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

If I was asked to do a diagram of punk rock and its influences (for a GCSE History of Punk exam, say) I would probably draw two distinct timelines for American punk and British punk. Velvets, MC5, Stooges, New York Dolls at the top of the US column.
Kinks, Creation, Dr Feelgood, Eddie & The Hot Rods atop the other.The very occasional crossover, of course - Malcolm McLaren, managing both the New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols being the most obvious. But after reading an , guitar player with Dr Feelgood, I have to redraw the whole thing.Ìý
"We started out as a 1950s-style rock'n'roll band, and used to get gigs backing Heinz, the singer Joe Meek produced," Johnson says. "In 1972, we backed him at Wembley. The MC5 were also booked. I'd never seen a band play with such aggression and force. The teddy boys hated 'em, pelted 'em with beer cans. It was a life-changing experience, and Dr Feelgood found their sound after that."
I was unaware that Motor City and Canvey Island had such a close connection. MC5 were Detroit primeval rock n roll. The Feelgoods were British R&B , the only pubrock band that you could listen to on record. Separated by an ocean and different voltages. It's like discovering that The Beatles saw Elvis live at the Louisiana Hayride in 1954. I now have to go back and listen to the MC5's 'Back In The USA' LP and look for traces of Wilko Johnson's skittering Telecaster (or is it the other way round ?) Did Lee Brilleaux, singer with the Feelgoods, have a White Panthers badge under the skinny lapel of his suit jacket ? And what other punk rock revelations are there out there ? Were Eater the house band in Andy Warhol's Factory ? Did Pere Ubu appear on The Geordie Scene ? I think we should be told.