A-side "Blank Generation" Released 1976 Genre Punk rock, punk blues | B-side "Love Comes in Spurts" Recorded 1975, 1976 Length 2:45 | |
"Blank Generation" is the title track of Richard Hell and the Voidoids' 1977 debut album Blank Generation. A rewrite of Rod McKuen's 1959 record "The Beat Generation," Richard Hell wrote the new lyrics during his time with the band Television, and performed it live with another band, The Heartbreakers. The Sex Pistols' song "Pretty Vacant" was directly inspired by "Blank Generation".
"Blank Generation" was previously released on the Another World EP in 1976. Other versions of the punk classic were available as demos and on one 1975 limited-edition pressing as well.
An earlier live recording by The Heartbreakers, recorded at CBGB on July 7, 1975 appeared on the What Goes Around... album. Demo recordings of the song also have survived.
A live March 1974 recording at CBGB with Television can be found on Spurts: The Richard Hell Story.