Anarchy in the UK...

But the rise of punk rock wasn't the only thing making headlines 50 years ago. MARION MCMULLEN takes a look back at what was happening in 1976

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THE birth of punk left the music world reeling 50 years ago.

The Damned released the first punk single, New Rose, on Stiff Records in 1976 and Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Captain Sensible and Brian James went on to play their first show supporting the Sex Pistols at the 100 Club in London.

Dave said: “The 60s had ended and 16 and 17-year-olds were looking for something of their own.”

The former grave digger recalled: “I was always in London and around music, and would go and see bands playing and I fell into the whole thing. It was very lucky timing in a way.

“I ended up in a studio with Chrissie Hynde and a guy who was the exact opposite of me. He had white hair and blue eyes and I was all in black.”

Dave added: “I basically lied. I said I had been in a band that no one had ever heard of, but really I had never sang before apart from putting a record on and dancing around in my bedroom pretending to be someone else.

“But the audition went well, they took a gamble, luckily I found I could sing and, as they say, I've never looked back.”