1977 Back in Punk - driven London

I returned to London to start my career in earnest, and had the huge good fortune to fall into the house-share in Twickenham where I would make friends for life. Far from creating anarchy, the Sex Pistols had been the trigger for a creative explosion. New punk rock bands had given a reason for disco venues to convert back to live music. Capital Radio, led by DJ Roger Scott, did its best to air the new bands, despite their often controversial lyrics. The announcement  of a new Sex Pistols single always caused a sharp intake of breath. They scorned the Jubilee festivities with "God Save the Queen" and scorned the entire music industry with "EMI". But some other bands were emerging. The Damned and the Clash were not quite my cup of tea, but the Stranglers captured the sound of the summer, with "Peaches" and No more Heroes. It was probably a bit crass of the BBC to expect a band like that to go along with the sham miming session that was Top of the Pops...

And then there was The Jam. "In the City" added to the rich tapestry of new music that summer, and Paul Weller lasted (has lasted) in my musical hemisphere long after punk became history

and then from the USA came the perplexing Jonathan Richman and his "Roadrunner". It was the first of several punk-influenced songs whose sense of humour appealed to me, and still make me smile today. It was also a favourite on our party tapes, back-to -back with Tom Robinsons' "2-4-6-8 Motorway"