It is commonly stated that the original punk rock movement started as a reaction to the bloated dinosaurs of the 70's and to bring raw passion and feeling back to music. You didn't need to know a billion notes and study for years to get up on stage. Three chords and the truth was a mantra of the scene.

In a 1977 radio interview though Sex Pistols bellower Johnny Rotten probably threw people for a loop when he played a couple songs by Peter Hammill, the former leader of legendary prog rock cult band Van der Graaf Generator and stating "Peter Hammill's great. A true original. I've just liked him for years. If you listen to him, his solo albums, I'm damn sure Bowie copied a lot out of that geezer. The credit he deserves, just has not been given to him. I love all his stuff".

One of the songs Johnny played was the title track from Peter's 1975 Nadir's Big Chance. Listening to it today, on Hammill's 67 birthday, you can hear elements that Johnny took with him when he reverted back to his surname Lydon in 1978 and formed Public Image Ltd.

What are you listening to this evening?