Crate Digging is a recurring feature that takes a deep dive into music history to turn up several albums all music fans should know. In this edition, Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba shares his list of 10 essential post-punk LPs.
Alkaline Trio have been going strong since 1996, but slowed down a bit during the seven-year period (2015 to 2022) that frontman Matt Skiba was in Blink-182. With that band’s classic lineup reunited, Alkaline Trio are back in full swing, having just released Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs, their first full-length album in nearly six years and 10th overall. Moreover, they’re gearing up to kick off North American tour later this month.
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On the heels of that new LP and after 25-plus years in the game, we wanted to know what albums inspired him on his musical journey. While Alkaline Trio have been classified as punk rock, pop-punk, alt-rock, and emo over the years, it turns out Skiba’s experience growing up during post-punk’s ’80s heyday had a profound impact on his musical sensibilities.
Speaking with Consequence over email, Skiba offered up an exclusive list of 10 essential post-punk albums that greatly influenced him. From the “dark poetry and atonality” of PiL to the “so iconic and so beautiful” Siouxsie and the Banshees to how Talking Heads “out-punked the NYC punk scene,” the singer-guitarist cited some of the greatest bands in the genre.
See below for the 10 post-punk albums Matt Skiba thinks every music fan should own, along with his personal insight into each selection. Pick up Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs on vinyl here, and grab tickets to Alkaline Trio’s upcoming tour via Ticketmaster or StubHub.
PiL (Public Image Ltd) — First Issue
The first show I ever saw was PiL in 1989 at the Riviera in Chicago on their 9 tour, but it was the First Issue record that really changed things for me and for the punk genre. It was the first time I’d heard such a blend of dark poetry and atonality to create undeniable hooks. I believe that this album woke a lot of artists up to the possibilities of taking a very angular approach to the pop song.
The Psychedelic Furs — Talk Talk Talk
The perfect record for a rainy day. I love Psychedelic Furs and all of their records, but if I have to pick one, it is Talk Talk Talk. I love Richard Butler’s voice and his delivery. His songwriting has and always will be a huge inspiration to me. He knows how to tell a sad story without sounding like a drip — a slippery slope executed perfectly on this album.
Talking Heads — Remain in Light
Talking Heads were a band that MTV introduced me to at a young age, so it was their hits I first heard before discovering Remain in Light. I love how they take otherwise normal or “square” looking and sounding things and turn them on their heads to make something that comes across as completely oddball. Both their aesthetic and their music out-punked the NYC punk scene in a way never before seen.
The Cure — Pornography
My favorite record by one of my favorite bands. Almost everything The Cure release is golden, but the dark vibe throughout Pornography makes it their most menacing and sexiest album, in my opinion.
DEVO — Freedom of Choice
Another of my very early loves. Older, cooler cousins of mine turned me on to so much great music at a young age through mix tapes. They actually met at a DEVO show and later took me to see PiL as a kid. Freedom of Choice was the first DEVO record I bought and remains a favorite. They’ve always been a huge influence on me and the world of individuality.
The Cult — Electric
Pro-skater Kevin Staab turned me on to The Cult. He used to appear in ads for his decks with Ian Astbury at his side, so I asked my folks to add one of their 45s to our family’s jukebox. I later bought Electric on cassette tape with money I earned from mowing lawns. Such a killer rock band that defies genre. A perfect record, for sure.
