Today’s installment of my Top 20 Bands:
16. Descendents [UPDATE: moved to number 20.]
Descendents are amazing and have been greatly overlooked for their role in the historical progression from punk rock to hardcore. Their lyrics aren’t often phenomenal (and sometimes downright explicit!), but their material has a mysterious attraction and drive behind it for me. I listen to gems like ‘My Dad Sucks’ and ‘I Like Food’ and think, ‘This was 1981?!’ They probably aren’t a band for everyone (though they should be!), but I encourage everyone to give them a shot (or five – it has taken some friends several listens before they ‘see’ the light…some never see it). Their record Milo Goes to College (1982) is one of my absolute favourites and is featured on my Top 50 Albums list.
‘Suburban Home’ from Milo Goes to College:
‘Descendents’ from their 1985 album I Don’t Want to Grow Up:
+++++
15. The Velvet Underground [UPDATE: moved to number 16.]
The Velvet Underground are an incredibly influential group. Mixing exceptional songwriting and uncommon and difficult subject matter (such as prostitution and drug use), they influenced the subsequent generation of both popular and independent music. Their record The Velvet Underground (1969) is found among my Top 50 Albums (and it’s cover features and incredibly Andrew-looking Lou Reed, though Lou is certainly less handsome).
‘I’m Waiting for the Man’ from their 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico:
‘Sunday Morning’, also from The Velvet Underground & Nico (as it is so difficult to find a good track off of their other records on Youtube):
+++++
Lost in the Cloud 
This is awesome. I just noticed the pingback here, and when I pulled up the album cover I was like, “Whoa, I do kinda look like Lou Reed there. I’m way cooler than I thought.”
So thanks for letting me know.