Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank Generation
Psst. Want to hear a secret? I don't want to spoil the party, but I think I can tell you. It's just that Blank Generation by Richard Hell & the Voidoids, well it isn't actually very good. Oh, I know, it's heresy to say so, but give it a listen and you'll see what I mean.

I suppose it's a good enough tune, but it always sounds so conventional. Then there are those cheesy backing vocals - someone explain to me exactly how a trio of Motown-sounding "Ooh-ooh-oohs" are supposed to complement Hell's snotty, abrasive tone. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not denying Blank Generation's place in the hall of classic songs, I just think it fits there for the usual reasons.

It's not the overall sound, it's not the singing, and surprisingly it's not the lyrics either. Sure, there are some neat phrases, but as a whole they don't really come together. No, what makes this such a classic is Robert Quine's extraordinary abstract guitar solo. Quine, who sadly committed suicide a few years ago, is one of the largely unsung heroes of the electric guitar. He was an innovative and vital musical force, who would seldom get a chance to be this creative again.

Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank Generation