X/Z Song Trader: "Ready Steady Go"
A Gen X Rocker Discusses Music With His Gen Z Daughter
About X/Z Song Trader: Steve is a music journalist, author and musician. Lucy is a diehard music fan and college student. They have always enjoyed a father/daughter bond over music. Each week one of them picks a song and they both share their perspectives. These are casual conversations based on musical connections. Opinions are their own. Keeping it positive.
Check out the whole X/Z Song Trader series.
Steve’s Perspective
Like many punk fans my age, I was first introduced to the genre through in-your-face early ‘80s artists like Dead Kennedys, Black Flag and DOA.
I still love a lot of those bands and consider them fundamental to my tastes, but I pretty quickly started looking for similar music beyond the strict confines of hardcore. In particular, the intensity of that genre made me want to explore ‘70s punk bands.
That’s how discovered New York bands like Ramones, New York Dolls and Dead Boys (by way of Cleveland); Los Angeles bands like X, Germs and Gun Club (and The Go-Go’s, although I probably heard them on the radio first; same with Blondie from New York); and London bands like Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. Much as I liked the angry energy of punk rock, my ear was always drawn to pop hooks—and many of the bands above delivered the perfect combination of all those elements.
That music, in turn, got me thinking about ‘60s “classic rockers” like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks differently—and that eventually led to discovering all-time favorite bands like Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Big Star and The Replacements. So, in a roundabout way, getting into hardcore punk in my early teens is what turned me into a lifelong guitar pop fan. (I think my early fascination with hard rock and heavy metal helped too.)
Of all the pop-oriented punk bands I first discovered during those formative years, Generation X has always been a favorite.
I remember occasionally riding my bike several miles from your grandma’s house to a cool record store by the beach on summer afternoons. The place was staffed by a handful of unbearably cool, older punks who would casually let you know if they approved of the albums you selected. The memory of holding up Generation X’s self-titled debut album to the guy wiping down used vinyl behind the counter and getting a thumbs up in return is still seared into my brain.
And you know what? He was totally right! It’s a truly amazing collection of songs featuring standout tracks like “Day by Day,” “One Hundred Punks,” and the moody punk ballad “Kiss Me Deadly.” Lead singer Billy Idol was already a solo artist and MTV star by this time, so I’m sure that helped drive my interest in Generation X. Have I mentioned that I’ve always loved guitar-oriented pop music?!
When it comes to blending snarling punk energy with world-class British Invasion hooks, I can’t think of a better example than “Ready Steady Go.”
For starters, the song is named for the mid-‘60s British TV show that featured performances by most of the coolest bands of the era (many of them name-checked in the lyrics). This track is both a love letter to the musicians that a young Billy Idol would have seen performing, as well as the show’s presenter (aka “host”), “Queen of the Mods,” Cathy McGowan:
I'm not in love with television
I'm not in love with the radio
I'm not in love with The Kings Road, oh-ho-ho
Because I'm in love with Cathy McGow-wow-wow-wow-owan
Singing about a crush? Check. Making pop culture references? Check. Snarling vocals, killer guitar and great drumming? Check, check and check! It still sounds as exciting to me today as it did the first time I dropped a needle on it in the early ‘80s.
I know I’ve joked with you in the past about choosing punk songs for this series, but I honestly think that “Ready Steady Go” is a pretty gentle intro to the genre. I know you never really loved punk, and I honestly can’t remember if I ever played this one for you, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on Generation X.
Lucy’s Perspective
Although I don’t consider myself to be ‘into’ punk music, I have definitely started branching out in that direction since coming to college.
I have a few really good friends who love punk music. They have introduced me to a brief selection of songs by bands like Black Flag and The Clash.
I think that since the biggest influences on my music tastes (Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, etc.) are so heavily based in the lyrics, the actual music (in this case, an intense sort) was lost on me for a lot of my life. But this song seems like a positive transition into punk music since its lyrics also hold resonance.
One thing I appreciated a lot about this song was the interesting instrumentation throughout.
I like when a song doesn’t follow a stagnant pattern and adds a little excitement to the various instruments. In my opinion this song does a pretty great job of keeping the listener interested through both lyrics and music.
I really love the visual you painted from me both because it is hilarious and also because it shows how much these songs impacted the way that you grew up and continued to view music for the rest of your life. I think when you find a song or an artist to carry with you for such a long period of time, it continues to be the most influential music you might ever hear.
I have definitely found that in some my own favorite songs.
But, like you said, it took time and effort to get to the point where I could look at the music I liked and find a genuine pattern. I switched through genres and sounds within those genres until I found myself between lyrics and beats.
I love that this song is a reminder of you doing the exact same thing. Though I don’t see myself loving punk in the near future, there are definitely songs out there, like “Ready Steady Go,” that I might find myself listening to and enjoying. This was a perfect way to segue into your more hardcore tastes.
Great read about a great song - this sentence hit home for me "I switched through genres and sounds within those genres until I found myself between lyrics and beats." Perfect wording on finding the bands and music you love. Just perfect.
I saw Gen X at the end of the '70s. The venue was notoriosly rough and the shabby dressing room was notoriously cramped. They had to convert the cloakroom into a private dressing room for Billy because he had so many female guests ... top band!