Various Artists

NWOCR – The Official New Wave Of Classic Rock Volume One WWW.NWOCR.COM

Geoff Barton, who first coined the term ‘NWOBHM’, weighs in on its similarly acronym-d successor.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave in Borneo this past year or so – and, given these covid-troubled times, it’s perfectly possible – you’ll likely have noticed that the latest so-called ground-breaking musical phenomenon is (peal of trumpets ahoy) the New Wave Of Classic Rock – or NWOCR for short shorts. But let’s ignore that surprise Royal Teens/Freddie And The Dreamers reference and instead suggest that said phenomenon should be called ‘Knocker’ – in much the same way as the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, or NWOBHM, is pronounced ‘Ner-wobbum’. (That enough acronyms for ya, Line Of Duty fans? Not if this OCU – Old Critic, Undeniably – has anything to do with it.)

Now S-CG-BMPs, they come and they go. Some leave? Thought not. Meanwhile, was Futurism ever even a wotsit? The mod renewal? Third-wave ska? Skunk rock? Crunkcore? Romo? Bonk rock? Coastal lifestyle acoustic rock? Kawaii metal? Hawaii Metal? The above musical inventions – because they were inventions – withered on the vine and singularly failed to impress Joseph and Josephine Public.