Richard Hell and the Voidoids “Blank Generation” 1977. Today, October 2nd, is Richard Hell’s 70th birthday (b. Richard Meyers, 1949). A punk rock classic, both Richard Hell and Blank Generation solidified the tone – in style (punks are still imitating his look 40+ years later) and sound – of non-conventional rock: punk, art and experimental rock, post-punk, etc. Its title track, “Blank Generation,” even provided a punk rock anthem. (In an interview with Lester Bangs, Hell stated “To me, blank was a line where you can fill in anything … It’s the idea that you have the option of making yourself anything you want, filling in the blank. And that’s something that provides a uniquely powerful sense to this generation. It’s saying ‘I entirely reject your standards for judging my behavior.’” On a more nihilistic note, Blank Generation can also be interpreted as the meaninglessness and depressive state of the late 70′s youth, particularly in New York. Hell actually wrote “Blank Generation” back when he was with Television, around 1975. Other classics on Blank Generation include “Love Comes in Spurts” (so adolescent, so funny, so clever), “Liars Beware,” “Who Says?” and I even like their cover of “Walking on Water” by John and Tom Fogerty – and I can’t stand Creedence Clearwater Revival. I probably like Hell’s version because he and the Voidoids utterly destroy it.