Wire Vinyl Records
Emerging from the British punk explosion, Wire resisted easy categorization from the start, and would for decades to come. Focused on experimentation and process, Wire's musical identity constantly changes. Their first three albums alone attest to a startling evolution as the band repeatedly -- and rapidly -- reinvented themselves. Pink Flag (1977) found them twisting punk's simplicity and rawness to their own arty designs; on Chairs Missing (1978) they added frosty atmospheres and more melodic songwriting, both of which they heightened on 154 (1979). This capacity for self-reinvention, and their willingness to stop recording when ideas aren't forthcoming, is crucial to Wire's longevity and continued relevance.