TG PICKS...

RON ASHETON

He formed the Stooges with Iggy Pop, giving him a better claim than most to having invented punk.

JOAN JETT

Jett’s power chords and anthemic songwriting paved the way for women in punk rock.

TOM VERLAINE

‘Punk virtuoso’ might sound like an oxymoron, but Television’s frontman incorporated avant garde influences to prove punks could play.

GREG GINN

Black Flag’s founder was pivotal to developing hardcore and post-hardcore, bringing to punk jazz influences, breakbeats and, most shockingly, playing slowly.

JOHNNY THUNDERS

Not many people can say they influenced The Smiths, Guns n’ Roses and The Sex Pistols, but Thunders can.

CHRIS STEIN

Blondie’s six-stringer expanded his palate by drawing on reggae, disco and punk simultaneously.

DAVID BYRNE

Talking Heads were so experimental there was barely a sound they didn’t try, starting new wave in the process.

GEORDIE WALKER

Equally a hero to the metal and industrial genres, Geordie gave Killing Joke haunting arpeggios and remains a cult figure.

ROWLAND S. HOWARD

The goth genre might never have been born without this top Jazzmaster exponent and his band, The Birthday Party.

JOHN MCGEOCH

Mcgeoch’s un-guitarlike sound landed him gigs with Magazine, PIL and more.

ANDY GILL

The Gang Of Four founder’s influence dwarves his sales. REM, Nirvana, RHCP and Franz Ferdinand owe him a great debt.