3 Must-Hear One-Album Wonders From the 1970s

The one-album wonder. A unique species in rock history. A short-lived triumph, leaving behind an iconic collection of songs, and then moving on. Rock and punk are names of musical genres. But they’re also used as adjectives—rock-and-roll spirit or punk attitude. When you see an image of Johnny Cash throwing the middle finger, that’s both.

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Check out these three artists who released only one studio album, which is as “rock” and “punk” as you like.

The Modern Lovers: ‘The Modern Lovers’

The Modern Lovers’ self-titled debut is more of a document than a proper studio album. During chaotic recording sessions for Warner Bros., singer and songwriter Jonathan Richman wanted to pursue a softer sound than the band’s Velvet Underground-inspired garage rock. At odds with everyone around him, Richman also refused to perform his popular songs, and eventually Warner Bros. gave up and dropped the band. This iteration split up, and Richman formed a new version of The Modern Lovers.

But Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers and the original Modern Lovers’ sessions were each released in 1976. (Richman’s view of his former band’s debut is as complicated as the history is confusing.) However, John Cale-produced tracks like “Roadrunner,” “Pablo Picasso”, and “She Cracked” became proto-punk classics, inspiring the Sex Pistols, Siouxsie And The Banshees, and Echo And The Bunnymen, among others. The Modern Lovers, recorded in the early 70s, features Richman, bassist Ernie Brooks, soon-to-be Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison, and drummer David Robinson, who soon after joined The Cars.

Sex Pistols: ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’

Probably the most punk rock thing you can do is drop one incredible album and then implode under the weight of self-induced volatility. Sex Pistols seemed to seethe at everyone and anything around them. Banned, censored, blacklisted, and loathed, but also adored and deeply influential, the Sex Pistols’ legacy remains.

Despite the pearl-clutching, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols debuted at No. 1 in the U.K. and was certified platinum, and rare feat for a first-wave punk record. If you wanted to introduce an alien world to punk rock, “Anarchy In The U.K.” and “God Save The Queen” would be perfect ways to show what happens when unhinged earthlings get ahold of guitars.

Derek And The Dominos: ‘Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs’

Shifting gears to the blues rock despised by punks, Eric Clapton was busy hopping from one band to the next early in his career. Following his brief supergroup Blind Faith, he formed Derek And The Dominos with fellow musicians who’d played together in Delaney & Bonnie And Friends. Keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle, and drummer Jim Gordon also played on Clapton’s self-titled debut solo album. But the four musicians found their groove while backing George Harrison on his post-Beatles masterpiece All Things Must Pass.

Working with legendary producer Tom Dowd at Criteria Studios in Miami, Clapton’s new band recorded one of the defining tracks of his sprawling career, “Layla”. While most artists go out of their way to promote an album, Clapton wasn’t interested in using his fame to sell records. Instead, the band was called Derek And The Dominos to keep the guitarist’s popularity from overshadowing the group’s music. Few think of Eric Clapton as being punk rock, but that’s a pretty punk move if you ask me.

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