Richard Hell & The Voidoids

One of the most important and original bands to emerge from the first wave of New York punk in the '70s, Richard Hell & the Voidoids had a relatively brief run and didn't enjoy the lasting success of fellow punk pioneers the Ramones, Blondie, or Patti Smith. But the dark bohemian smarts of Hell's lyrics and the jagged, bracing attack of lead guitarist Robert Quine gave them a sound and a point of view that set them apart from their peers. Hell also anticipated punk style with his embrace of ripped clothing and T-shirts with confrontational slogans, while showing an uncommon literacy in his songwriting. Their small body of recorded work -- 1977's Blank Generation and 1982's Destiny Street -- is among the strongest the CBGB scene produced.