Request a record from 1976-1981

Three men, one studio and nine records. Co-hosts Tim Young (Ipswich Town fan) and Steve Green (Colchester United fan) are joined by producer and third man Luke Fitch (Ipswich Town fan) for another loud, affectionate rummage through punk rock's golden years of 1976 to 1981. As ever, football loyalties are left at the door, though not very far.

The show opens at full throttle with Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer", the sneering, Cleveland-by-way-of-New York classic that sets the tone for the hour. Tim and Steve debate how American punk compares with the British version, and whether anyone sounded quite as dangerous as Stiv Bators fronting a band at their snarling best. That thread pays off later when Bators returns with his solo track "It's Cold Outside", a darker, more melodic side of a man usually remembered for his stage antics.

In between, the playlist swerves into smarter territory. XTC's "Statue of Liberty" prompts a chat about the band's quirky, art-school take on the new wave, while The Records' "Starry Eyes" gets the "how was this not a bigger hit?" treatment, with the panel agreeing that power pop deserves more love than it gets. Elvis Costello's "Mystery Dance" closes the show in breathless style, a reminder that his debut sounded like it was recorded by a man in a hurry with plenty to say.

The Boomtown Rats' "She's So Modern" brings some swagger, and the conversation turns to Bob Geldof's band as the Irish contingent of the punk and new wave class. Devo's "Whip It" provides the episode's biggest left turn, an Akron oddity that somehow became a global novelty smash. Is it punk? Is it even rock? The three of them argue it out, and nobody wins. The Stranglers' "Sometimes" brings the menace back, with Tim making the case for the band's keyboard-heavy sound as the most underrated in the genre.

Stiff Little Fingers feature with "Strummerville", the band's heartfelt tribute to Joe Strummer. It's a later track than the rest of the playlist, but it fits the episode's spirit, and it leads into a reflective moment about what The Clash and their peers meant to a generation of kids picking up guitars in towns like Colchester and Ipswich.

Throughout, the trio swap stories about first gigs, first records and the local scenes that shaped them. Expect the usual good-natured banter across the A12, plenty of music nerdery and a few strong opinions about which tracks aged best.

Whether you're a lifelong punk, a casual new wave fan or just here for the rivalry, this episode delivers nine tracks, three voices and one very loud argument about what counts as punk. Crank it up.

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