Teenage Kicks

The Undertones formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975. Belfast record shop owner Terry Hooley released this EP on his own label in September 1978. The EP was a major means of expression for the punk-new wave movement where the emphasis was on such brevity that a single would seem like a financial gyp. The EP allowed people a greater insight into a band’s musical mission. The tune “Teenage Kicks” became a legendary hit, as Britain’s most influential DJ, John Peel, fell under the song’s spell and played it regularly (he would go on to call the band’s self-titled debut album his favorite of all-time). Teenage Kicks is a brilliant and essential punk EP, introducing a band as important as the Buzzcocks, Clash and Sex Pistols, but who never received the widespread acclaim. Feargal Sharkey is the perfect singer — full of pain and neuroses. John and Damien O’Neill patch together an impenetrable wall of sound. Hardcore punk enthusiasts know this EP by heart and tunes such as “Smarter Than You,” “True Confessions” and “Emergency Cases” are as essential as the better-known anthems.