1976: The Arse End of Old Wave (the New Wave barely in sight)

Feels like any week now it ought to be kicking off in terms of Punk Fiftieth Anniversary coverage. Magazine retrospectives, TV programs, exhibitions, books, documentaries... But what will they pick as the commemorative fulcrum? The Ramones arriving in London for their July 4 1976 concert at the Roundhouse, all the fledging British groups in attendance? The 100 Club Punk Festival in late September? The Damned's "New Rose", released October 22? Sex Pistols's "Anarchy in the U.K.", November 26? As you've probably noticed, I spend a lot of time perusing old music papers. And recently - mainly because I've never seen many of that year's issues until now - it's been the weeklies from 1976.And here's the thing - judging from the contents of NME and Sounds that year, you would hardly know that something new and revolutionary is budding. The overwhelming preponderance of the coverage is Old Wave. Which of course doesn't know itself to be Old Wave yet, since the term New Wave doesn't exist and…