Punk Books

[Maltodextrin]

The author isn't dodgy but I'm not sure how you would get it from him anyhow.  I got my copy from his brother.

Malto: the author is indeed the amateur military historian who you're thinking of, but the serious punk collector is his brother.   

It's both of them! Sean still orders every UP release, but I interacted with Robert a lot circa 2000-- I think he was really into Japcore-- and was aware of his books then too.

[N]

Right that makes sense.  He also wrote a book about Death in June that's impossible to track down apparently.

[pdxpaul]

While the author might not be dodgy, a simple search resulted in more than dodgy people selling the book. In fact, I couldn't come up with one legitimate one until I stumbled upon Feral reissuing it. The fact is, that the subject matter is beyond marginal and a good percentage (if not the majority) of the prospective buyers are going to be members of "the white power movement" or what's left of it anyway. Regardless, I am interested in reading it

The author isn't dodgy but I'm not sure how you would get it from him anyhow.  I got my copy from his brother.

Malto: the author is indeed the amateur military historian who you're thinking of, but the serious punk collector is his brother. 

Apparently that Hollywood Brats book is great.

I just finished reading John Lyndon's new book, which was excruciatingly painful to read aside from the odd tidbit about his youth in North London and his little-discussed football hooligan connections.

[erickelric]

I always thought that Brits using "dodgy" as code for "racist and/or fascist" was hilarious. Dodgy sounds cute, not curb-stompy. Humans and language, what a pair.

[Matt]

Children's Picture Book 'What Is Punk?' Introduces Toddlers to Way Better Music Than Raffi — IMAGE REVEAL | Bustle




http://www.bustle.com/articles/115158-childrens-picture-book-what-is-punk-introduces-toddlers-to-way-better-music-than-raffi-image?utm_source=FBOnsite

[rustbelthammer]

I need the Mike Hudson book.

[Krautrock is Dead]

Not sure it has been mentioned on this thread already or if it fits in, but ''Songs They Never Play on the Radio'', James Young's book about Nico's days in England is great.

[rutabowa]

I just picked up Future Days by David Stubbs, book about krautrock from last year. will see what it's like I guess.

[Spacecase Records]

Any books written by Jon Savage, Robert Gordon and Greil Marcus that touch on punk rock will be the best books on punk rock in print.

Jon Savage is one of the best non-fiction writers to come out of the punk milieu. Teenage is simply incredible. He's just a great writer, period. England's Dreaming is the best book on punk rock I've come across.

Stranded in Paradise if you're into Kiwi punk rock (not exclusively punk but covers it). 

Alex Ogg isn't a great writer like Jon Savage, but he does his research and is doing music fans a service. Independence Days is great.

The James Young book on Nico is good. Especially the portions on playing in the East Bloc and stuffing heroin up bodily orifices at border crossings.

[Scrod Prickknee]

I cannot stand Greil Marcus. I don't care what anyone in the "rock establishment" says, dude straight-up sucks. Can't write about music at all. Sociology 101 bullshit.

[Charlie M]

The dullest punk book I own is "Buzzcocks - The Complete Story" by Tony McGartland. Totally non-narrative diary style fact fest. And very dull. Avoid.
Ian Glaspers books Burning Britain, The Day The Country Died and .....the other one,  are good factual overviews (band by band, Alex Ogg style) of the 80s UK punk scene but unlike Alex Oggs warmth and engagement suffer from a cold unengaging and bland writing style. Without any sense of narrative.

Never did understand the hatred for American Hardcore by Stephen Blush. Some obvious errors as well as some twattish opinions but an excellent overview of US HC 


(waiting)

[Charlie M]

All totally excellent as previously mentioned -
Cranked Up Really High - Stewart Home
Our Band Could Be Your Life - Michael Azerrad
Give The Anarchist A Cigarette  - Mick Farren
Rip It Up And Start Again - Simon Reynolds

[Spacecase Records]

I cannot stand Greil Marcus. I don't care what anyone in the "rock establishment" says, dude straight-up sucks. Can't write about music at all. Sociology 101 bullshit.

I totally disagree. His ability to weave wider sociological events into the history of music -- or underground currents, and I'm thinking of the Situationists here -- is excellent. (Someone recommended the Roxy Music book by Michael Bracewell on this board and it was another masterful work in a similar vein. It was actually a bit better than Lipstick Traces but, of course, not on punk rock.) Marcus also championed great music, like Kleenex/LiLiput and the Mekons.

Save the vitriol for Christgau.   

[Maltodextrin]

Greil Marcus is a case study in how not to write about rock music. Insufferable windbaggery at its most self-indulgent, this shit lives in its own critical theory parlour game, entirely removed from, and equally untroubled by, the realities of the music/people/impulses ostensibly in discussion.

[Spacecase Records]

Fucking please. He introduced a whole new way of thinking about punk rock to a group of people benighted to King Mob and Guy Debord. He certainly didn't come up with it and it's not the only approach -- Jon Savage did follow him up a short time later -- but Marcus' writing on the subject was really early on and important. It's what the Consumers were hopped up on in Arizona and McLaren was in England. His valuable contributions to the understanding of popular music and punk rock are irrefutable. Again, he certainly doesn't have the market cornered -- oral histories, autobiographies and biographies are equally important -- but, man, that's some bullshit if I've ever heard it. Then again, perhaps you're confusing Lipstick Traces with Meltzer's Aesthetics of Rock. If that's the case, my eyes sort of glaze over too. That's about the only thing I can think of. It's ridiculous how flippantly folks can write off such a serious contribution to punk rock and Situationist theory, especially considering the total bullshit being pumped out by most mags/weeklies/rock bios, both then and now.