Richard Hell And The Voidoids: Richard Hell (vocals, electric bass); Robert Quine, Ivan Julian (electric guitar, background vocals); Marc Bell (drums). Recorded at Plaza Sound and Electric Lady Studios, New York, New York. BLANK GENERATION is now widely regarded as one of the seminal points in the punk explosion, along with the Sex Pistols' NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS and The Ramones debut. It is a startling, urgent record filled with the pent-up frustration and nihilistic despair that earmarked the potency of the late '70s punk movement. Former Television member Hell, however, was considerably more well read than the bulk of his punk counterparts, a circumstance that ups the ante on BLANK GENERATION. The title track has become one of punk's signature tunes, and it certainly seems to embody the entire spirit of the movement in one fell swoop. Although Hell has repeatedly insisted that the title refers to "blank" as in "fill in the...", it was taken literally, and the deep-seated nihilism struck a resounding chord. The Voidoids themselves helped in no small part make BLANK GENERATION a touchstone. Guitar greats Ivan Julian and Robert Quine provide a searing backdrop on the title track, "Love Comes In Spurts," as well as a weirdly straight reading of Sinatra's "All the Way." Format: Vinyl Genre: Pop
