OUR BOOKS
A Country Fit For Heroes : DIY Punk in Eighties Britain
Primarily collecting the stories of over 140 UK punk bands from the eighties who only released EPs and demos, or only appeared on compilation LPs, ‘A Country Fit for Heroes: DIY punk in eighties Britain’ is a celebration of the obscure, a love letter to the UK’s punk underground.
Featuring the likes of The Mad Are Sane, Act of Defiance, Solvent Abuse, Assassins of Hope, Dead Rose, Brigandage, Mania, Asylum, Chaos, Seventh Plague, Nox Mortis, Devoid, Revulsion, Carnage, Organized Chaos, Disarm, Corpse, Death Sentence, Mass of Black, On Parole, Anorexia, Indian dream, ethnic minority, the syphletix, post mortem, the accursed, leukaemia, criminal damage, Faction, The Dismembered, Hostile Youth, Life Cycle, Potential Threat, No Defences, Passion Killers, X-Cretas, Pseudo Sadists, Impact, Scorched Earth, Outrage, Sanctuary, Vex, Karma Sutra, Disattack, Political Reform and Vortex, to name but a few, ‘A Country Fit For Heroes’ plugs the gaps in Ian Glasper’s first three books on UK punk in the eighties, performing a truly deep dive into that volatile subculture to create a more complete historical document of a most turbulent time.
With a foreword by Chris Berry, co-founder of No Future Records, this is an essential read for anyone with more than a passing interest in the UK’s grass roots punk scene.
The Resurrection of The Crazed
Join the author as he journeys back to those mutant rockin’, venue wreckin’, snakebite sodden days of the Psychobilly/neo-Rockabilly scene of the 80’s. His fanzine ‘The Crazed’ was right there, reporting on the scene as it grew and writing about bands such as The Meteors, GuanaBatz, Demented Are Go, King Kurt, Long Tall Texans and Restless.
Travel back through those articles and interviews and revisit the experience. Enjoy noisy nights at The Klub Foot, mecca of all things Psychobilly, where many of these interviews were conducted after sweaty gigs. Read the bands own words, full of enthusiasm, excitement and optimism about what the future might hold, and discover what it was like to produce and edit a fanzine back then.
The scene meant so much to so many and ‘The Crazed’ was there to document it.
This book recaptures how it felt at the time.
After lying dormant for over 30 years ‘The Crazed’ has now been resurrected.
Foreword by Craig ‘Bracko’ Brackenridge of Vintage Rock magazine.
Klub Foot cover art by Paskal Millet.
The Dark Chronicles
by James Christie
The Punk Rock years 1988-2006: Music, racism and snogging birds.
He is 100% "anti woke, anti snowflake and 100% anti f***ing politically correct" as he puts it ("Hell, if you can't poke fun at yourself and then poke fun at the shit people that blight society, there's no point in having fun at all"). It's a biography. It's a diary. It's a music history lesson. It's all three things wrapped up and more. Added with savage, sarcastic humour, this is the story of a former punk as told from a non-Caucasian alternative point of view, his time involved in London's punk rock scene and abroad throughout the entire 1990's and up to the early Noughties. How there was, despite the fun and laughs, a more sinister side which is never mentioned, along with the hypocrisy and the occasional violence that tagged along with it. No holds barred. Warts an' all. It will shock. It will be disgusting. It will make you laugh and then it will leave you emotionally detached.
WARNING - some material will be likely to offend.
A Punk Rock Diary. No holds Barred. Tells it like it is. Fun. Humourous. Disturbing.
Nefarious Artists
NEFARIOUS ARTISTS: THE EVOLUTION AND ART OF THE PUNK ROCK, POST-PUNK, NEW WAVE, HARDCORE PUNK AND ALTERNATIVE ROCK COMPILATION RECORD 1976 - 1989
Long before online streaming and even TV music videos, that were beyond the reach of many new bands outside of a lucky spin on the radio, the compilation became the most effective way to access, and be accessed by, the eager new ears and inquisitive minds of the then new punk generation. ‘Nefarious Artists’ is a field study of over 500 punk rock, post-punk, new wave, hardcore punk, and alternative rock compilations from their beginnings in 1976 as major label samplers and live showcases of the ‘new wave’ through their rapid evolution into a documentary art form of D.I.Y. punk rock creativity and expression.
‘Nefarious Artists’ by Welly of Artcore Fanzine (est. 1986) charts the genesis, evolution and art of the punk rock, post-punk, new wave, hardcore punk, and alternative rock compilation vinyl record from 1976 to 1989. Each compilation is discussed and reviewed with accompanying high resolution full colour scans of all the cover art and much more to provide both context and as a journey through the international punk rock music and developing scene of the late 1970s and ‘80s. The compilation record played a pivotal role in the spread of the idea and conversation of the independent punk underground and now remain as audio and visual time capsules that capture the zeitgeist of the music, scene and era.
Featuring background information on the compilations, as well in depth descriptions of the style of the musical content of each one, read as the early major label sampler and live showcase of punk rock and new wave slowly evolved into a burgeoning independent post-punk scene that gradually changed the compilation into an underground labour of love for a developing international underground hardcore punk network. Compilation records for specific cities, countries and causes from labels that went onto global notoriety or merely managed one obscure release are discussed over its 400 plus pages.
The Humanity Trigger
by Mark Humanity
THE HUMANITY TRIGGER : ON THE ORIGINS OF ANTI-SPECIESISM BY MEANS OF DIRECT ACTION A HISTORY OF RADICAL ACTION FOR ANIMALS IN IRELAND 1822-2022.
This book tells the rich story of the struggle against violence against animals in Ireland since records began but with an emphasis on the 200-year period between 1822 and 2022. It was in 1822 that the world’s first Law protecting some animal species from ‘unnecessary’ suffering was enacted. This began a process of actions, from the State and Civil society, designed to protect non-human animals from gratuitous violence from people. What exactly constitutes unnecessary and gratuitous violence has broadened over time.
Evolving alongside the anti-Slavery and Women’s Rights movements and with many overlapping adherents, the struggle for animal rights has always included the tactic of Direct Action, both non-violent and otherwise, legal and not. Ireland, and the Irish diaspora, have played pivotal roles in the development and history of the animal rights movement from its very inception in the 19th century onwards. This is the story of those individuals who braved frequent mockery and sometimes violence by taking decisive action for animals using the resources to hand. They discovered that the antidote to despair is action. Direct Action.
“Humanity Trigger brings to light an exciting radical resistance to animal oppression in Ireland from the anarcho-punk perspective of the late 20th century. As Ireland today grapples with multispecies histories of colonial and capitalist oppression compounded by the current crisis of climate change, this “lost” history holds a particular potency. Written in a personable and engaging style by an activist who was himself on the front lines of “hunt” sabotage campaigns, the untold story of anti-speciesist direct action in Ireland is brought to life through stories of frustration, conflict, danger, and triumph that are amply illustrated with news stories, photographs, and action reports. The postcolonial world may continue to stereotype Ireland as a conservative, meek, and submissive nation-state, but the rich history of Irish direct action suggests that many Irish citizens are ready and willing to push back.”
Dr Corey Lee Wrenn, author of Animals in Irish Society: Interspecies Oppression and Vegan Liberation in Britain’s First Colony, SUNY Press 2021
The Bite
by Jim X Dodge
Thirteen-year-old Mitzie Collins makes a desperate gamble in order to survive in a world full of hungry undead. She uses a childhood scar to pretend to be immune to the Gee-bug so that those who are more capable will see to her continued existence. It doesn’t take long for Mitzie to realize she’s made a horrific mistake and people will die because of her dishonesty.
An eclectic cast of characters makes The Bite a story that’s as deep and thoughtful as it is brutal.
The situations they get into, and occasionally out of, are as varied as the characters themselves. Once you dig your teeth into this story you won’t want to let go until you’ve chewed all the way through to the end.
Domesticated Vol. 2
by James Domestic
In the second Domesticated instalment, East Anglian punk poet, James Domestic, is once again taking potshots at work, so-called-punk-rock, outdoor and indoor pursuits, aging, right wing lunatics, politics, feet, and himself. As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also find his trademark surrealism, sarcasm, and quintessentially British whimsy applied to animals, emails, food, and the power of music, alongside his idiosyncratic illustrations, and photographs from his murky past.
A man in too many bands to count, a solo artist, a vocalist, a songwriter, a DJ, a poet, a painter, and a punk. James Domestic failed miserably at school through the distractions of music, alcohol, and girls, spent his early post-school life between the chemical factory and the dole, and somehow now has a PhD. A square peg in life’s round hole. A face that never fitted. He couldn’t care less. Come along for the ride.
My Punk Rock Life -
The Photography of
Marla Watson
Growing up as a rebellious teenager in the suburbs of Los Angeles, hanging out at gigs and gaining access to the now-legendary bands of the era, Marla Watson is now unleashing her rarely seen hardcore punk photography from the early 1980’s in this new book entitled ‘My Punk Rock Life’.
“I never considered myself to be a professional photographer but more of a historian. Regardless, I took some pretty great photos right alongside some of the greats like Edward Colver, Alison Braun and Glen E. Friedman. In late 1983 I travelled to London for two months and took pictures of all my favourite punk bands of that era. Life is a lot of fun when you are young and unencumbered. My negatives have been safely stored in my attic until the Covid years when I had extra time on my hands to scan them and create a book.”
Marla’s book emphasises the fans point of view. Reaching out to both friends and strangers to write short pieces about what it felt like to be a punk back then, including personal stories and experiences. The feedback so far has been massively positive from the likes of Ian Mackaye, Jello Biafra, Keith Morris, Mike Burkett, Jeff Nelson and others, many of whom are featured in the book.
“A crucial document on the early days of US hardcore!”
“A great archive of that time period. The bands, the people, the venues... everything is so well documented.”
“Marla paints an excellent picture of the SoCal punk scene during the 80s with her photography and anecdotes.”
Marla started taking pictures at Los Angeles punk shows in the early 1980’s, just as the US punk hardcore scene was emerging. This was her salvation. She made a press pass and stood on the side of the stage with her camera during all those amazing shows. She has collected the photography from that experience of a lifetime into this 254 page book.
With over 300 high quality and rarely seen images from the infancy of the hardcore punk scene featuring seminal acts such Black Flag, Minor Threat, The Dead Kennedys, The Misfits, The Damned, Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, The Vandals, Channel 3, The Adicts, Stiff Little Fingers, Shattered Faith, Fear, White Flag, Youth Brigade, Social Distortion, The Angry Samoans, Battalion of Saints, Redd Kross, 7 Seconds, Suicidal Tendencies, Descendents, Bad Brains, Discharge, UK Subs, The Clash, The Varukers, The English Dogs, T.S.O.L, The Lewd, Subhumans, Red Scare, Ill Repute, The Pandoras, The Blades, The Bangs, The Toy Dolls, Sin 34, GBH, The Dickies, DOA, and the list goes on!
These photos have sat in a box, untouched for forty years. Now Marla is sharing her photography with the world in her first book; ‘My Punk Rock Life’.
Time For My Generation To DIE
by E.D. Evans
Imagine finding a dusty, water-stained journal in an abandoned subway station before realizing it was written 20 years in the future. No robot maids or air cars, just capital L, “Life,” through X-ray specs, and don’t hold the band-aid ripping or bemused outrage. There are a thousand novels herein. (Buddy Woodward)
Time for My Generation to DIE from poet and balladeer E.D. Evans takes no prisoners. Evans uses her sparkling, prickly verse to pluck out mournful, bleak, and violent tableaus. Each of her poems—Ballad or not—Is deserving of a hard-strummed guitar and some harmonica across the bridge. This is distilled country and southwestern, sans redemption, sans chaser. (Sean McCollum)
Here we will find necessary truths—Honest evidence of a transformative journey, amusing and disturbing, disarming with a hip, wry wit of personal insight. A reminder of poetry as event, where you will find your lips mouthing the vowels. A nod, and a wink never too far behind, Evans’ artistry holds your hand through the odyssey and the rhyme. (Henry Long)
Pssssst! Hey, You, Yes….YOUR Generation (whichever that may be).
Are you looking for:
Saccharin love sonnets? Maudlin two-line musings? Droning co-opted hip hop lyrics? - You won't find that here.
Do you desire:
Trite overbaked sentiment? Foolish masturbatory banter? Inscrutable word salad? - You won't find that here.
What you WILL find here is an epitaph, of sorts, laced with:
Dark humor, Snide observations, Stark realism, Morbid landscapes, Gamblers and junkies & Punks and thugs.
An epitaph for MY forgotten generation - Generation Jones - who:
Relish obscure banalities, Prefer pencil on paper, Revel in audacious irony and Eschews ‘the good old days’.
It’s no longer time for any of these things.
It’s simply:
… Time for my Generation to Die.
The Grief of Godless Games: Book One of The Godless Saga by J.T. Audsley
Everyone knew the truth all over the world. Religion had died, and gods didn’t exist.
A war on the brink of resolution, the Edokand'i Emperor extends an unprecedented invitation to the King of the invading Solstic. Yet, with peace within reach, the world around them begins to change.
Witnessing the unimaginable, Akkael, the King's brother, can only stand by as mountains rise from the sea, causing fissures beneath his feet. Tragically, he is unable to save his own daughter from the chaos that unfolds.
But that is not the end for Akkael. In death, he awakens to a cruel new reality—he finds himself in someone else's body. More than a mere resurrection, he discovers a staggering ability: the power to inhabit the bodies of those who kill him.
Haunted by the suspicion that his daughter's demise was no mere accident, he is determined to uncover the truth. Some might see his newfound gift as a curse. But, to Akkael, it is ample opportunity for revenge.
The Grief of Godless Games: Book One of The Godless Saga by J.T. Audsley is “The most in-depth and original new fantasy trilogy setting this decade” and “A must for fans of Tolkien, Martin, Sanderson, Gemmell, Eddings, Abercrombie, Donaldson, Brooks and the like.” It's "As if the Vikings invaded Heian period Japan, within an imaginative fantasy setting." Packed with "Time manipulation, body swapping, unnatural disasters, and eldritch horrors. What more could you want?" The Grief of Godless Games is "Funny, heartfelt, and shocking at every turn. You never anticipate what will happen next."
Short Skirts and Whiskey Shots by Andrea Janov
‘Short Skirts and Whiskey Shots : Tales of nights I shouldn’t have made it home alive’ by Andrea Janov is a collection of alternative lifestyle emo-punk poetry about living in New York and going to gigs there. Following on from her forst book, ‘Mix Tapes and Photo Albums’, these eighty-eight pages, split over three sections; A fifth floor walk-up, A forfeited security deposit and A terminated lease, will take you on a gritty, day to day journey through punk rock living in a big city.
Short Skirts and Whiskey Shots captures that liminal part of our lives, that time past adolescence, yet before adulthood. This collection is deeply rooted in the people and the streets of New York City. It thrives in the bars, the clubs, the tenements, the subway. It celebrates the dirty streets, the beer soaked nights, and those who sweat liquor. It explores the idiosyncrasies, the innocence, the excesses of the city.
From a tenement building in Alphabet City that had not changed much since the turn of the century to the trendy clubs and dark bars this collection explores, finds, loses, and regains itself. It claims the space and the right to be reckless, as a woman. It explores the uncertainty of being on your own for the first time, exploring the world, and getting a little lost along the way. It veers off the intended path, it course corrects, it celebrates what we learn on those detours. It does not make apologies.
This collection is for all of us who tried. For those who lived without heat, without doors, with too many roommates, in walk‐ups with tuberculous windows, just to have a shot. For those who made it. For those who decided on something else.
Wisdom of the Punk Buddha
by Sam Marsh
A mixture of very enjoyable punk poetry and Buddhist thought... designed to help you make sense of the world and your place in it. This book shows that a lot of punk rock thoughts and ideas can be found in Buddhism, if you look at it the way Sam Marsh does.
Tony Whatley, Suspect Device
Wisdom of the Punk Buddha teaches us about true punk rock ethos, principles of Buddhism, love, peace, unity, wisdom, and many other topics through a comprehensive collection of thoughtfully written poems. The author shares his thoughts, observations, and criticism but also takes time to explain some background too. Wisdom of the Punk Buddha is a must read for every bookworm punkrocker.
Djordje Miladinović, Thoughts Words Action
"About a year ago
I started doing poems at punk gigs In between songs.
Afterwards
People would come up to me and say 'love the poems mate,
You should do more'.
So I started doing more poems In between punk songs
Afterwards
People would come up to me and say 'You’re doing too many poems mate, You should do less'"
Punks are really nice, but many people are scared of them. Punks definitely have an attitude, and this can be deemed intimidating if you don’t know how to read it. Even though punks are lovely, they are not afraid to vent their anger at the state of the world, and protest against all the terrible things that some people do. This is why punk music sounds so aggressive - it’s getting all that anger out.
At the core of punk attitude is love - yearning for a better world where people can live in harmony and peace, free from suffering. It’s the same attitude that Buddhists have, and that’s why I’m a Punk Buddhist, and I’m not conflicted at all.
Anarchist Atheist Punk Rock Teacher (A Memoir of Struggle, Grief, Philosophy and Hope)
by DaN McKee
Exploring the various ways in which anarchist philosophy, atheism, and a background in DIY punk rock influenced one conflicted teacher's approach to the classroom over twelve turbulent and thought-provoking years, 'Anarchist Atheist Punk Rock Teacher' is more than just a memoir of some teacher you've never met. It is philosophy of education, of anarchism, of authenticity, and of life. Throw in some personal history, the deaths of both of his parents to deal with on top of juggling all the professional absurdities that come with the job (not to mention having to teach through a global pandemic), and you have all the earmarks of a biographical classic.
Sharing frontline insights which help explain why currently one in three teachers in England plan on quitting the profession, and the first-hand experience of being one of those very statistics, this memoir of struggle, grief, philosophy and hope tells a story of why, despite all its endless frustrations and inherent contradictions, there still might be no better job in the world than being an 'Anarchist Atheist Punk Rock Teacher'.
The Revolution Will Be Televised
by Ray Stuart
Ray grew up convinced that we can do better, as individuals, as communities, and as a nation. He has watched the merry-go-round of boom-and-bust economics as left and right, or increasingly right and far right, have used working people as pawns in their power games.
Meanwhile, a class born of privilege and belief in their inherent right to rule, from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords, Parliament, the judiciary, and church, apply rules in which we have precious little say and even less power to resist.
In the past he longed for revolution, dreaming of a day working people would have had enough and would rise up. Latterly he came to realise that if the shower of uselessness infesting Parliament wasn’t going to trigger open rebellion, then nothing would.
Instead, he has embraced his middle-class roots; where he used to be full of passion and rage, he is now full of artisan bread and locally sourced cheese. Meat may be murder but so are his knees. He’s leaving the street fighting and statue tipping to the young.
The Revolution will be Televised is an appeal to people from all backgrounds, those sympathetic to free-thinking and anarchist philosophy, as well as to like-minded people who wish to see a better, fairer society without the reliance on the straightjackets of traditional left-right politics or inherited privilege.
Theta House
by Jim X Dodge
A mysterious invitation from an unknown sender.
“Dearest Fiend,
You are cordially invited to attend the first ever Theta House Experience...”
The email promised an escape-room challenge like no other. $1,000 just to play, another $1000 for the first contestant to complete the challenge. Six kids fresh out of high school find the offer too tempting to resist. Their reasons vary but the goal is the same: follow the clues, solve the puzzle, claim the prize. But will they be able to finish the game before it finishes them?
Those who say Man is the most dangerous game have never encountered Theta House.
Domesticated Vol. 1
by James Domestic
In this often witty, sometimes furious, and sometimes downright surreal collection, James Domestic does - as per usual - whatever the hell he likes, with poetry, prose, lyrics, illustrations, and edited photos all thrown into the mix with abandon. Punk, politics, habit, the nature of work, the environment, nostalgia, aging, and some quintessentially British whimsy, all crammed in together like a last minute bag hurriedly packed for tour. Somehow it works.
A man in too many bands to count (The Domestics, PI$$ER, Da Groins, Tokyo Lungs... that's not even half of 'em), a solo artist, a vocalist, a songwriter, a DJ, a poet, a painter, someone who failed miserably at school, spent his early post-school life between the chemical factory and the dole, and somehow now has a PhD (yep, it's genuinely Dr Domestic!). A square peg in life's round hole. A face that never really fitted. He couldn't care less. Come along for the ride.
Punks in the Willows
by Alex CF
‘Punks in the Willows’ is a colourful guide to the punk rock community, told through the lives of animals.
A collection of illustrations depicting the creativity, music, social justice and above all, friendship that is found in punk.
A forty page A4 hardback of gorgeous artwork and positive verses, inspiring reading for any age.
Silence Is No Reaction:
Forty Years of Subhumans
by Ian Glasper
Formed in Wiltshire, England, in 1980, the Subhumans are rightly held in high regard as one of the best punk rock bands to ever hail from the UK. Over the course of five timeless studio albums and just as many classic EPs, not to mention well over 1000 gigs around the world, they have blended serious anarcho punk with a demented sense of humour and genuinely memorable tunes to create something quite unique and utterly compelling.
For the first time ever, here’s their whole story, straight from the recollections of every band member past and present, and a dizzying array of their closest friends and peers, with not a single stone left unturned. Bolstered with hundreds of fliers and exclusive photos, it’s the definitive account of a much-loved band.
A Hardcore Heart: Adventures in a D.I.Y Scene
by David Gamage
Packed with first-hand stories and unpolished nuggets, this book plots a path through UKHC in the ‘90s as it developed into an underground scene.
Focusing on the people; artists, promoters, venues, record labels and fanzines, and following the evolution of the author’s bands, it looks at the intricacies of the post-punk genre and bursts with ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’ hardcore anecdotes that’ll keep you turning the pages.
You’ll read about touring and gigs with hundreds of bands, including Green Day, NOFX, Alice Donut, Jailcell Recipes, The BBMFs, Majority Of One, Spermbirds, The Babies Three, Understand, Samiam, Down By Law, Alloy, Hot Water Music, Bob Tilton, Tribute, Discount, Blue Tip, Leiah, Leatherface, Spy Versus Spy, Hunter Gatherer, Dismemberment Plan, Burning Airlines, Piebald and many more.
If you were ever in a band, then you’ll recognise and empathise with much of the narrative. And if you’ve wondered what it would be like to tour and release records at the underdog end of the alternative music scene, then this book will take you on an invigorating and enlightening roller-coaster ride.
Nimrod
by Ryan Roberts
Adventures happen when you leave the hive.
In a town where every day is the same…
Rod is a daydreamer with a singular wish: to meet Sting, the rockstar-the only person capable of fixing Rod’s broken family and liberating him from his sheltered existence. It’s the summer before senior year, and Rod has nothing to look forward to but sitting at home day after day, serving as emotional caretaker to his mother. She’s still reeling from the passing of her firstborn son twenty years ago, a death she blames on the band Green Day. Music has been forbidden in Rod’s home ever since.
Enter Cat, the new girl in town who’s everything Rod’s not: confident, adventurous… and Green Day’s biggest fan. When Cat presents him with the opportunity to meet his hero, will Rod risk sneaking out from under his mother’s watchful eye to New York with the girl of his dreams? Rod must decide if it’s worth jeopardising his future to save his mom’s.
Goudvishal:
DIY or Die! Punk in Arnhem 1977-1990.
by Marcel Stol & Henk Wentink
A beautiful DIY or die book all about punk in Arnhem (Netherlands) between '77 and '90 and the punk squat venues Stokvishal and Goudvishal that became the focus of the scene there.
With over 500 pages of beautiful photos and stories that show the power of punk as a counter culture, this is a true document of an era featuring everyone from the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones, Blondie, Johnny Thunders, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Talking Heads, The Selecter, Speedtwins, Plasmatics, UK Subs, Die Kripos, Stiff Little Fingers, Angelic Upstarts, The Skacks, Negazione, Amebix, Raw Power, The Varukers, Chumbawamba, Scream, Government Issue, Kafka Process, Heresy, Chaos UK, Conflict, Social Unrest, Broken Bones, Napalm Death, Newtown Neurotics, Neuroot, The Instigators, Toxic Reasons, Yeasty Girls, HDQ, Culture Shock, Joyce McKinney Experience, Visions of Change, RKL, Jingo de Lunch, Christ on Parade, MDC, SNFU, The Accused, Life... But How to Live It?, Youth of Today, Decadence Within, So Much Hate, Soulside, False Prophets, The Vandals, Disabuse, Fireparty, Verbal Assault, Gorilla Biscuits, Dr and the Crippens, Intense Degree, Bomb Disneyland, DI, DOA, NoFX and many more.
All the gigs, protests and battles, re-written in English with the news-clippings and photos from the time to tell the story of these important venues and the punk scene around them.
Combat Ready
by Tim Satchwell
To celebrate the iconic album's fortieth anniversary this year, Clash aficionado and author Tim Satchwell, has updated his debut book, 'Combat Ready', all about the inspiration behind and making of The Clash's classic album 'Combat Rock'.
This book is a treasure trove of information as well as an in-depth collector’s item, looking at The Clash's biggest and most successful album release; it's background stories, the studios and people involved, containing plenty of hitherto unknown insight and original colour art.
Tim has written three books about The Clash; about Combat Rock (Combat Ready), Give ‘em Enough Rope (All The Peacemakers) and The Clash (First album... Move Up Starsky) and is now working on his fourth, all about Sandinista.
This limited edition all about 'Combat Rock' is for super-fans of The Clash and their fifth studio album, all produced as a labour of love, with plenty of extras for the readers and listeners.
If you've ever wanted to know more about one of punk rock's most celebrated bands, then this book is for you!
Worst. Eurovision. Ever.
by Roy D. Hacksaw
When some plucky underdogs from Moldova unexpectedly won the Eurovision Song Contest, the show’s organisers were instantly worried about how they were going to hold the following year’s competition in such a small and little-visited country. But the location was the least of their worries as a procession of unlikely artists began to be chosen for the show, and everything from Norwegian black metallers, a Saudi Arabian prince performing for San Marino, and an Icelandic bloke dressed as a dog caused a cascade of complications before a single note had even been sung. Can they keep all the egos in check, or is the whole thing going to come tumbling down around them?
That’s the premise of the latest novel from Roy D Hacksaw, but it’s only the tip of a chaotic iceberg that takes a deep dive into the backstage shenanigans at the continent’s favourite singing show. But why would an old punker like Hacksaw want to write a book about such pop fluff? Well it turns out the boy’s got form. As a journalist he’s been covering the contest in person since the nineties, and over those years he’s seen all sorts of unexpected misbehaviour and excess, as well as the incredible efforts of the organisers to keep the whole thing on track in spite of it all. And with so much Eurovision experience under his belt he figured that it was ripe material to base a novel on.
So forget that cheesy old Will Ferrell film - if you want a look into the kind of nonsense that goes on behind the scenes at the contest, Worst. Eurovision. Ever. will take you on a wild ride around the rehearsals, dressing rooms and showbiz parties with such an informed eye that you’ll never look at the dear old contest the same way again.
Early editions of the book will come with a set of Eurovision Trumps cards packed with facts and figures from Eurovision history. So get in there early and play along with your pals!
Terrorized: The Collected Interviews. Volume Two
by Ian Glasper
Terrorizer was the world’s leading extreme music publication from its launch in 1993 to its untimely demise in 2018. Ian Glasper was one of the few constants during the magazine’s twenty-five year reign of terror, and their main correspondent for punk, hardcore and thrash metal (not to mention the occasional death metal band and other surprises along the way), and here - for the very first time - he has collected every single interview of his that ever ran, and even a few that didn’t.
Alongside dozens of rarely seen photos from the relevant periods, and forewords from Therapy?’s Michael McKeegan and OG Terrorizer editor Jonathan Selzer, ‘Terrorized: Volume Two’ includes hundreds of old school interviews that appeared in the mag, including Killing Joke, Killswitch Engage, Knuckledust, Kreator, Liar, Life of Agony, Madball, Malevolent Creation, Medulla Nocte, Megadeth, Merauder, Meshuggah, Millencolin, Misfits, Municipal Waste, Murphy’s Law, Napalm Death, Nasty Savage, NoMeansNo, No Redeeming Social Value, NOFX, Nuclear Assault, Obituary, Offspring, Onslaught, Overkill, Pennywise, Peter And The Test Tube Babies, Power Trip, Prong, Raging Speedhorn, RKL, S.O.D., Sacred Reich, Sacrilege, Sepultura, Sheer Terror, Shelter, Sick Of It All, Six Feet Under, Slapshot, Slayer, Slipknot, Snapcase, SNFU, Sodom, Strife, Suffocation, System Of A Down, Terror, Testament, Therapy?, Throwdown, Total Chaos, Toxic Holocaust, Trivium, TSOL, Unleashed, Vader, Vektor, Vital Remains, Warzone, Witchery, Withdrawn, Your Demise and many, many more.
Terrorized: The Collected Interviews. Volume One
by Ian Glasper
Terrorizer was the world’s leading extreme music publication from its launch in 1993 to its untimely demise in 2018. Ian Glasper was one of the few constants during the magazine’s twenty-five year reign of terror, and their main correspondent for punk, hardcore and thrash metal (not to mention the occasional death metal band and other surprises along the way), and here - for the very first time - he has collected every single interview of his that ever ran, and even a few that didn’t.
Alongside dozens of rarely seen photos from the relevant periods, and forewords from All Out War’s Mike Score and OG Terrorizer editor Nick Terry, ‘Terrorized: Volume One’ includes hundreds of old school interviews that appeared in the mag, including 100 Demons, 25 Ta Life, AFI, Agnostic Front, Amebix, Annihilator, Anthrax, Arkangel, Bad Religion, Born From Pain, Breakdown, Broken Bones, Cancer, Candlemass, Cannibal Corpse, Cause For Alarm, Chaos UK, Congress, Converge, Cro-Mags, Crowbar, The Damned, Danzig, Death Angel, Decapitated, Destruction, Discharge, Disfear, DOA, Down By Law, Dub War, earthtone9, Earth Crisis, Excel, Exodus, Extinction of Mankind, Extreme Noise Terror, Face Down, Freebase, The Fiend, Floodgate, Gama Bomb, Gorefest, The Great Deceiver, Grip Inc., Guttermouth, H2O, Hades, Hatebreed, The Haunted, Hirax, Hypocrisy, Icons of Filth, Ignite, Immolation, Integrity, and many, many more.
Directions to the Outskirts of Town: Punk Rock Tour Diaries from Nineties North America
by Welly Artcore
In 1994 punk rock fanzine writer Welly Artcore jumped in the van with legendary British punk band CHAOS U.K. for a two month tour around the U.S. Four years later he did it all again with his own band, FOUR LETTER WORD, this time also travelling across Canada.
From the impossible drives, to scrapes with the authorities, and the bands they shared stages and floors with along the way, often with nothing more than the name of a club on a scrap of paper that turned out to be a disused unit in an industrial estate, they somehow made most of the gigs.
All the while, he did something so many others don’t, he wrote it all down.
Directions to the Outskirts of Town is a candid and humorous account of life on the road packed into a 6” x 9” paperback with over 300 pages, over 250 unpublished colour photos, flyers and illustrations, and a foreword by Kaos of CHAOS U.K. The book also comes with a poster and a bookmark.
Did you ever wonder what happens to the inhabitants of a building after the artist known as Banksy leaves one of his artworks on their wall? Especially when there's something slightly less than legal going on inside? Join Glyn and Kevin as they desperately try to keep their clandestine business secret after the world's most famous graffiti artist makes his mark on the side of their old barn in South Wales, and their solitude is invaded by an endless parade of unlikely visitors…
We Can Be The New Wind
by Alexandros Anesiadis
‘We Can Be The New Wind’ captures the era when bands throughout the world were blending more melodic and experimental styles whilst heading in an alternative rock direction for hardcore punk. It is the early encyclopaedia of powerful pop-punk. Including in-depth profiles of both the bigger names and more underground players that helped push this new sound forward and interviews with over 150 bands, such as 7 Seconds, Husker Du, Dream Syndicate, Hard-Ons, Camper Van Beethoven, The Plimsouls and To Damascus. More than 900 bands from all over the world, active from 1980 to 1989, get an interesting and insightful mention. Cover artwork by Brian Walsby.
.jpg)
Mass Movement: The Digital Years, Volume 2 is the second half of a beautiful and comprehensive two book collection.
A compilation of the best interviews and features from the second half of Mass Movement’s digital period.
Some of you have probably seen a lot of it before, but we're willing to bet that for the majority of you, this is the first time that you’ve seen most, if not all, of this content. And you know what? It’s good. It’s really good and whilst Tim is happy, well as happy as a miserable old bugger like he can be, that this content is finally available again, what he's genuinely thrilled about is that it shows how varied Mass Movement Magazine was.
This collection includes interviews with Acid Reign, Agnostic Front, Bad Religion, Burn, Dropkick Murphys, English Dogs, Kill Your Idols, Lagwagon, Shai Hulud, Snuff, Voorhees, Youth Of Today, Metal Blade and Revelation Records as well as articles on Vampires, Batman and scary comics!
It captures the spirit and essence of everything Mass Movement was, is and always will be.
Mass Movement: The Digital Years, Volume 1 is the first book of a beautiful and comprehensive two book collection.
A compilation of the best interviews and features from the first half of Mass Movement’s digital period.
Some of you have probably seen a lot of it before, but we're willing to bet that for the majority of you, this is the first time that you’ve seen most, if not all, of this content. And you know what? It’s good. It’s really good and whilst Tim is happy, well as happy as a miserable old bugger like he can be, that this content is finally available again, what he's genuinely thrilled about is that it shows how varied Mass Movement Magazine was.
This collection includes interviews with Attitude Adjustment, Anthrax, Circle Jerks, D.R.I., Funeral For A Friend, Seaweed, Sheer Terror, Steve Ignorant and No Idea Records, as well as articles on Edgar Allan Poe, Fighting Fantasy and record collecting!
It captures the spirit and essence of everything Mass Movement is and always will be.
The Scene That Would Not Die
by Ian Glasper
After covering the UK thrash metal scene of the last forty years with ‘Contract In Blood: A History of UK Thrash’ (2018), Glasper has finally deemed it time to bring his coverage of the ever-evolving UK punk scene to a triumphant conclusion, rounding up the last two decades with ‘The Scene That Would Not Die: Twenty Years of Post-Millennial Punk In The UK’.
An awful lot has happened since 2000 – not least of all the advent of the internet and social media, which has changed the way we create and listen to music, and how we interact with our favourite artists. For many, punk has become a nostalgic pastime, annual festivals like Rebellion giving them chance to reminisce about their youth, but for a new generation it is still a vital voice for protest, a way to rally against the inequality and injustice that remains a tragic constant in society. In more recent years, Brexit and coronavirus have blighted both the political landscape and the live music scene, but punk continues to adapt and survive, and ‘The Scene That Would Not Die’ captures the fierce determination to create vital music in the face of adversity that has epitomised the punk scene since its inception.
Teaming up with new collaborators, Earth Island Books, themselves veterans of the underground music scene, Glasper brings his series of books documenting UK punk to a close in fine style, undertaking in-depth interviews with 111 essential bands from the last twenty years, discussing the challenges they’ve faced, the obstacles they’ve had to overcome, and how they think they still need to evolve to stay relevant in these troubled times – by the end of it, you will understand exactly why UK punk is the scene that will not die.
We very much appreciate all the support an interest we have had for Ian Glasper's new book on UK punk in this millennium, 'The scene that would not die'.
The official launch of the book was on 7th December 2020 and with pre-orders being taken from October the first printing sold out immediately. We shipped over 900 books, by hand, in just a few days. Many with personalised or signed copies, and / or posters, bookmarks and CDs too.
The second print run is already underway and will be with us soon.
You may go ahead and order the book now and we will ship it out as soon as possible, with 'The Scene That Would Not Die' bookmarks and posters too. No orders will be missed.
However, orders received on or after 18th December will likely ship AFTER Christmas now and be received in the New Year. It’ll be asap but depends on delivery times, post office, etc.
For this we are sorry, we assure you we are doing our best. We ship every day and usually the same day orders come in, but we aren't amazon and are now waiting for stock again from the printers.
When we do send the books though we will throw in extra CDs and goodies, and anyway, the book is awesome and well worth the wait!
We appreciate your support and patience.
What Would Gary Gygax Do?
by Tim Cundle
What Would Gary Gygax Do? is the second book from the fevered and over-wrought mind of Tim Cundle. A collection of autobiographical, fantastical and odd essays, short stories and columns. Its rites of passage narrative is unsettling and darkly humorous, although at the same time oddly uplifting, and charts a deeply personal course that its audience will at once be intimately familiar with and instantly able to relate to.
Punk Faction BHP '91 to '95
by David Gamage
Punk Faction BHP ’91 to ’95 is a collection of BHP fanzines that cover a range of subjects that were important to the youth of the 1990s and are still relevant to the alternative scene of today.
Containing short stories and reviews, as well as interviews with Green Day, Rancid, Jawbreaker, Quicksand, Sugar, Samiam, All Down By Law, and many more, as well as articles about issues such as equality, the environment, animal cruelty and politics, this is a look back to 90s youth culture and the UK hardcore music scene.
Contains previously published fanzines and punk rock ideas. Beware!
Compression
by Tim Cundle
Compression is a high octane, true crime novel. A mixture of autobiography, wish fulfilment and twisted fantasy. The story unfolds over the space of 24 hours and sums up the spirit of the punk movement in a fictional novel.
Compression tells the story of Flanagan, a man who, having cracked the music biz with the punk band he started while at school, returns to a reunion in the small town in which he grew up. However, going back to his old stamping ground brings back a lot of memories, many of them disturbing, and some pertaining to his part in the death of a homeless man. Things get really complicated when it transpires that the police investigation has just re-opened...
The Lost Sons Of Penycae
by Barry Jones
Barry Jones’ grandfather Evan Jones went with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers to France in 1915 and came home in 1918. Norman Howell, of the South Wales Borderers, Barry’s great uncle, went off to war in 1918 but didn't make it home.
The War Memorial that remembers the lost sons of Penycae stands in the heart of this small Welsh village.
Paid for by the village and unveiled in 1925, the war memorial has grown so familiar to locals that it attracts little more than a passing glance these days, except on Remembrance Day.
On the war memorial, Barry’s uncle Norman is remembered, along with a host of other young men who fought and died so bravely. Barry began to wonder who they were and what their stories were, and decided to find out. The Lost Sons of Penycae is the outcome of years of painstaking and meticulous research.
The estimated population of Penycae today is around 3500 but the village saw 37 men lose their lives in the First World War, eight of whom have no known grave and another eight casualties of the Second World War. The Lost Sons of Penycae delves into wartime history, telling the sad and poignant stories of those men who fought so bravely to keep their country free.
Mix Tapes and Photo Albums
by Andrea Janov
Mix Tapes and Photo Albums, a narrative poetry collection that forms a poetic mix tape. This coming‐of‐age poetry collection told from the point of view of an adolescent girl, follows a group of teenagers who push the boundaries of their small town, explore relationships, and test where they fit in society. They find solace in their local punk rock scene, where philosophy is defined through three‐minute songs to a mosh pit of believers who wear bruises as trophies.
Split into Side A and Side B, each poem assumes the title of a song which creates the soundtrack to a group of teenagers who push the boundaries of their small town, test where they fit, and find solace in their local punk rock scene. From the first show, to college and finally, returning to the small town when their local venue is closing, this collection speaks to those who know that punk is thriving in the streets of small towns everywhere, just waiting for the next generation of kids to tap into its raw power.
Mix Tapes and Photo Albums sings to the kids who will hear their first Sex Pistols song, start their own bands, write their own zines, scrawl Xs on their hands, and create their own communities; and those older kids who remember.
This Is My Everything
by Christian Späth
Five young men in their early twenties, carrying backpacks and guitars, climbed onto the bus in Mendoza, Argentina, that was to take them over the Andes to Santiago de Chile, where they would play the last show of their South American tour, and then board a plane the day after back to their home country of Germany. In spite of the South American winter, the weather in Mendoza was bright and sunny. The ride was supposed to take six hours, after three of which they would cross the border to Chile at a post called Cristo Redentor, at more than 3000 meters above sea level. Not long after the bus had left the station, the weather started to change for the worse. It started raining, and as the road wound itself higher up the Andes, rain soon turned to snow, and before long, white drifts were growing larger on either side of the road. When they finally reached the border crossing, a long line of trucks and cars was standing ahead of them, not moving an inch...
Starting a band is a lot like a romantic relationship. You spend time together, find that common spark, and live through emotions and experiences. You create music together. Songs, lyrics, entire records. You find a name for your band. Each member contributes to creating something uniquely your own. Then there's also the other side of the medal: fights, breakups, broken hearts. The entire emotional bandwidth of a relationship is contained within the complicated inner workings of a band.
‘This Is My Everything’ is about one forgotten screamo band's travels into and out of the worldwide DIY hardcore scene in the late nineties and early noughties, with guest appearances by Against Me!, Shelter, Refused, Ink&Dagger, Yaphet Kotto, Snapcase and many more.
Ten Poets (Volume One)
by Martin Appleby, Dawn Vincent, James Domestic, Amy Wragg, Leon The Poet, Mary Fucking Poppins, Ricci Read, Ricky Frost, Tonkabell, Jackie Montague.
The first in a series of books showcasing poets of all stripes and intended to act as a primer to check out their other work and/or book them to perform in your city, town, or village.
Poetry is arguably in (another) period of renaissance right now – everyone and their dog is a poet; just check out Instagram or TikTok – but there’s plenty of really terrible poetry around, as there always has been. We don’t want that stuff; we want the diamonds that sparkle in the dirt, those that are using poetry to connect with audiences, to say something about the human condition, to make people think, reflect, and maybe even laugh like drains (poetry on some level is entertainment, and only an inveterate snob would say otherwise).
For some of the poets that feature in this collection, this is their first published work. For others, these poems sit alongside their other books, contributions to literary magazines etc. It doesn’t matter; they’re all here in one place and demanding your attention, so dive in and give them some!
Three and a half minutes of fame
by Alex Boucher
Signing a record deal at the age of 17 is something Alex didn’t plan for, but it sets him on a path that will bring him tantalisingly close to fame, not once, but three and a half times over the next 7 years.
Things don't always go as planned as he ditches school and jumps from US record deals to UK TV appearances, even joining a boy band in his epic quest for fame.
Alex encounters neo-nazis and gangsta rappers up close, and experiences tragedy, mental health challenges and sexual abuse, all during the cultural shift of the 90s meeting the likes of The Fall, Suede, Blur, Patti Boyd, Mansun and PJ & Duncan on the way.
Three And A Half Minutes of Fame is an authentic look back at the 90s, the last decade before social media, seen from the experiences of an Essex boy with a dream.
Book reviews:
“Fun, nostalgic and painfully honest. A brilliant ride through the ups, downs, hopes and dreams of gigging in the 90s.”
Lucy Nichol, Author, The 27 Club and Parklife
"Alex was there at one of the most pivotal times in British rock music, relentlessly observing while playing his drums all over the country. He’s lovingly and unflinchingly captured it all in this cool book- a great read"
Tim Thornton, author, The Alternative Hero & drummer, Fink
Journey through the Old West where time stands still and there is nothing to believe in, except silence.
Take a solitary ramble through old ghost towns, abandoned mining towns and echoing expanses.
Pack light, lonesome traveller. And should you pass me by, kindly tip your hat to a lady.
“Old West is a thought-provoking and haunting collection of images and verse by Punk Poet E. D. Evans, taking you through beauty, silence and illusion to where the long-dead soul of Old West America meets a modern day wilderness, leaving nothing... Which is everything."
Running at the edge of their world : The Suspect Device fanzine story
by Tony and Gaz Suspect
The behind-the-scenes story of one of the U.K.'s longest running, and best loved punk fanzines. From the typewriter set, cut and paste layouts, to the illicit night-time, photocopying, up to today’s comparatively slick output. The book is filled with stories right from the very beginning of the community they helped build and support, and still do. It’s about the changes and challenges Tony and Gaz had to overcome, and the lifelong friendships created in the process.
This book is about the Suspect Device fanzine, but it's also about the punks who came together to create the scene based on the principles of DIY, friendship and co-operation.
You’ll love it, and it may even inspire you.
As the foreword from Pete Zonked says, “Get off your ass and do something.”
Pig Iron
by Jim X Dodge
Pig Iron is an action packed, dystopian tale set in perilous times where survival is hard to come by and trust and friends even harder to find. When the Regency takes over, led by the elusive Regent, people have only two choices, either join his army or be hunted by them. That is until Colin Chapel decides to give people a third choice: fight back!
His only true ally resides in a young girl named Shoestring. They form an endearing bond that is one of the highlights of the story. Together they join forces with others willing to fight, bleed and die for the cause of freedom. Albeit taking on the Regent will be a long and violent journey with more dangers than just his hoard of devoted followers. With twists and turns and an ending you’re not likely to see coming, who will be left standing at the end of the war for this new world?
J.M. Wiseman, author of The Human Conspiracy and A Dream For Always
My favourite of Jim X Dodge’s strange, fast-paced, witty, nihilistic books. Pig Iron is a clever mashup of bloody crime fiction with inventive science fiction. Herein the USA, now ‘The Republic of North America’, has been invaded not by a foreign nation but by a force within called The Regency, a vast, powerful crime syndicate.
Like all of Dodge’s page-turners, it’s hard to put down. This one keeps the reader sweating, laughing and cringing with its wild and woolly twists and turns of action, sex and satire.
Not the least of its fun innovations is teaming its cop hero with a ruthless six year-old girl. He adopts her as his own and this strangely believable duo lead the epic battle against The Regent, the revolutionary crime lord leading The Regency.
It’s a raging, intelligent, dystopian tale that unfolds like a nonstop action film from its hard-boiled opening to its weird, gut-grinding, nihilistic conclusion.
Not for the weak of heart, but a well-written, flip-flopping thrill-ride you won't forget.
Martin Olson, author of The Encyclopaedia of Hell
I Heartbreak The Ramones
By Nick Cooper
Fifty years ago, the Ramones revolutionized the music industry when they gave the world punk rock, and even though they disbanded in 1996, their influence will live forever.
In 1999, Nick Cooper, a Belgian musician met Marky Ramone, the long-standing drummer of the Bruddahs from Queens. Together, they decided to start a band named Marky Ramone & The SpeedKings, and for three years, they toured Europe, Japan, and the US and recorded and released a live record and two albums.
'I “Heartbreak" The Ramones' is Nick Cooper's unfiltered tale of those intense and electrifying years on the road. It explores the highs and lows, the ego clashes, the constant battle between passion for music and business in the entertainment industry, and the disintegrating friendship between a true believer and his idol.
Nick's story is blunt, humorous, and always grounded in reality. His book pulls back the curtain on life with a Ramone but never seeks to settle scores, and makes the reader feel like they’re part of the road crew on a warts and all tour documentary movie.
Never false nor vindictive, rock 'n' roll fans will be captivated by the candid behind-the-scenes disclosures that fill the pages of 'I “Heartbreak” The Ramones' and the book also includes hundreds of previously unpublished photographs, that pay tribute to the nightmare journey a couple of nobody musicians undertook with a renowned punk rock legend.
Twenty years after the fact, Nick realized he had to share the story of his lifelong dream of becoming a rock'n'roll star that had driven him since childhood, that joining The SpeedKings allowed him to taste, as he indulged and reveled in the live fast, everything turned up to eleven world of sex, drugs, and punk rock that he’d always fantasized about.
While it doesn’t cater to the sugar-coated soft shoe whimsy that the mainstream pop industry force feeds the masses, 'I “Heartbreak” The Ramones' will resonate with musicians who never left the rehearsal room, speak volumes to those who harboured aspirations of making it big but always fell short and serves as an all too real reminder that it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock’n’roll. Join Nick on the road to ruin, as he travels down the highway to Hell and eventually realises that some dreams should never come true.
Heavy Sounds in the West
A massive full-colour book recounting the coming of age of heavy metal and hardcore in West Flanders through never before published stories, photos and memorabilia. The organisers, eyewitnesses and band members tell how the slumbering province of West Flanders experienced its rude awakening - first hand, warts n all.
Over 400 pages with 300+ photos in full colour bring the story to life in this great book, featuring all your heavy faves including Slayer, Metallica, AC/DC, Motorhead, Rush, Van Halen, Kreator, VoiVod, Manowar, Venom, Scorpions, The Runaways, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Tokyo Blade, UFO, Crossfire, Mercyful Fate and many more.
The Weight of Sin
By Ray Canham
“Don't expect light-hearted tales of tea shops, campsites and castles, ‘Weight of Sin’ is more Nick Cave than Nik Kershaw, full of dark, twisted humour and strange journeys into a myriad of possible yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows…
A collection of stories both humorous and horrific, brimming with stygian absurdity and unexpected twists, Weight of Sin will haunt your dreams long after you’ve finished reading the final page…
Whether it’s the pathos of a fading music hall star reflecting on his career, the droll elderly couple who harbour a dire secret that has locked that in an inescapable routine, the mysterious civil servant in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, or the not-too-distant, dystopian future UK that’s chillingly easy to visualise, these tales are a rare and devilishly delicious delight to be savoured and enjoyed, but beware, they’re not for the faint of heart or those of a nervous disposition.
Read them if you dare, but don’t say that we didn’t warn you…
“A delight to read - but don't let that fool you into expectations of a collection of lightweight, heart-warming, feel-good fuzz. This writing has depth and darkness.”
Domesticated Volume 3
“Essex doesn’t just produce non-entities who act as thick as two short planks in a ‘reality show’ that gives the impression the whole county is a wasteland of tanning salons and false nail studios – It also produces people with integrity, compassion and guts who are prepared to write words and share a piece of their REAL life with you. Read these words – some might strike a chord with you. They did with me.”
(Steve Ignorant, Crass, Conflict, Schwartzeneggar etc.)
“Words that bite, belch, and bleed in their brilliance”
(Mark Grist, multi-award-winning poet and star of Channel 4’s ‘Mr Drew’s School for Boys’)
“A unique collection of poetic ventures into the human condition, with humour, anger, and a canny use of language: inspired and inspiring!”
(Dick Lucas, Subhumans, Culture Shock etc.)
“James' poetry sharply focuses in on the raw ridiculous truth of the world that is right in front of us all.”
(Scott Coe, spoken word artist & former Stamford Poet Laureate)
“Argh poetry! Tweed-garbed toffs waffling about moorhens? Nah! Funny and fierce words fighting in a sack!”
(The Shend, musician, actor, absurdist, and Cravat)
“Through his use of clever wordplay and satire, Domestic effortlessly dissects societal norms, political landscapes, and personal dilemmas.”
(Djordje Miladinović, Thoughts Words Action)
“This exercises the brain, weaponizes the mind. Language gives us a way to communicate. These words start fires in the soul. Burn it all down and start all over again”
(Jerry A. Lang, Poison Idea)
“Relentless”
(Attila the Stockbroker, social surrealist poet and songwriter)
Evoking and channelling the spirit of rebellion, energy and freedom that defines the punk rock movement, Down The Punk Rock Highway is a testament to the determination of the writers' mission to detail and capture the scene, people and places that made punk rock what it was, is and can be over thirty-five years.
Whether you're feeling nostalgic for the glory days of the eighties scene and want to revisit it, or just dipping your toes in the punk ocean for the first time and want to find out what it’s all about, you’ll find what you’re looking for as you venture down the punk rock highway. Music, history and everything in between can be found in these pages. So wave your family and friends goodbye, throw your cases in the trunk, and start your engine. It’s time to head down the Punk Rock Highway…
Featuring interviews with members of Toxic Reasons, Doom, Happy Spastics, Adolescents, M.D C, The Avengers, Reagan Youth, Subhumans, Channel 3, Social Unrest, The Hated, A P.P.LE., The Maggots, Mission of Burma, Anti-Nowhere-League, The Detonators, Distraught, False Prophets and Icons of Filth, Jim Testa of Jersey Beat fame, the History of Danger House Records, the stories of ABC No Rio and Gilman Street and personal accounts and memories, from scene veterans and activists, Jared Forman’s book is a punk completists dream.
Dear Smash Hits, We’re From Scotland! :
An Alternative History of Zines & DIY Music Culture (1975-2025)
Most books about music related topics focus on the major metropolitan centres of New York or London. Alastair MacDonald Jackson not only shifts the focus to a small country in northern Europe – Scotland -but hones in the music makers from the very peripheries of the place. With a focus on the production of music zines, where he brings his own experience into play, the book also looks at the concurrent journeys of cassette labels, independent recordings and women’s involvement in the development of the Scottish independent music scene, concluding with the recent resurgence in all things DIY.
Along the way, he takes the (single track) roads less travelled, exploring some of the musical back stories of the Scottish islands, with some surprising results. Did you know Sex Pistols designer Jamie Reid was living on the island of Lewis when he got the call from Malcolm McLaren? How about taking a journey to the island of Raasay where Joe Stummer’s grandmother was born, or finding out about the punk album recorded on Lewis and played by John Peel, or the record label based on the Isle of Eigg...
Featuring new interviews with members of The Rezillos, The Pastels, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Slits, The Bluebells, Strawberry Switchblade, Shop Assistants, Bis, The Mission, BMX Bandits, Soup Dragons, Pictish Trail, Fizzbombs, the Vaselines, Rote Kapelle, Close Lobsters & Urusei Yatsura, as well as cassette label owners and zine editors of Bam Balam, Ripped & Torn, Slow Dazzle, Juniper Beri-Beri, The Next Big Thing, Honey At The Core, Heavy Flow, Paper Bullets and more...
Raccoon Starts A Band
By Alex CF
From Alex CF, the creator of ‘Punks In The Willows’, the beautiful new book, ‘Raccoon Starts A Band’ is a semi-autobiographical tale of discovering punk.
Amongst the difficulties that come with growing up; from the anguish of being bullied, to lack of self-esteem, yet ultimately finding a community that will stoke a passion for music, politics and kindle many life-long friendships. A full colour, illustrated exploration of the many iterations of punk rock, and the greater punk rock community as a force for positive change in the world.
The Fire Still Burns
: Music inspired by the post-punk message
by David Gamage
‘The Fire Still Burns’ is a story of post-punk adventure, packed full of anecdotes, inspiration and tales from the road with an insightful narrative on what keeps these bands plugging away with such heart; gigging, touring, recording and playing in a rough and ready scene.
With a brief history of the independent, alternative label, Engineer Records, and input from eighty of its bands. You’ll read about Canaan and Crosstide, Fat Heaven and Flyswatter, Kid You Not, Kover and Kyoto Drive, as well as many more.
A follow-up to 2023’s ‘A Hardcore Heart’ and a must-read for all tuned-in punk-rockers and hardcore kids, especially if they’re forming a new band.
Anarcho-Punk: Music and Resistance in London 1977-1988 by David Insurrection
Anarcho-Punk: Music and Resistance in London 1977-1988 by David Insurrection is the distillation of three years work. It’s the story of an oft overlooked scene. Anarcho-punk in the 1980s truly rocked the boat. Much more than music it set out to change the world and in a not insignificant way did just that. It inspired a generation of activists, artists and musicians to take up the fight for a better fairer world. They tore down the walls. The Sex Pistols may have opened the door but the Crass punks charged through it. This is their story. As we return to the embattled 1970s and 1980s David takes us on a journey where we visit some of the scene’s most significant locations and hot spots, to places where change mattered and the spirit of revolt burned brightest.
Ten Poets, Volume 2 by James Domestic, Mary Dickins, Barry King, Lorna McKinnon, Stuart Webb, E.D. Evans, Sam Marsh, Darren J Beaney, David Chidgey and Lea Marie.
This is the second volume in a series of books showcasing a variety of poets producing excellent, if sometimes unnoticed, work. This collection is intended to act as a primer to check out their other work and / or book them to perform in your city, town or village.
Poetry is everywhere and for everyone. Poetry paints pictures with words, tells stories, chews over ideas, can act as catharsis, can make you laugh like a lunatic, can make you cry tears of sorrow or joy, picks it the scabs of everyday life, ponders the absurd. Can be cruel, can be kind, can be full of passion - love and hate. Can be a catalyst for reflection, renewal, or revolution! Poetry is all these things and more. Poetry is our lingua franca.
For some of the poets that feature in this collection this is their first published work, for others these poems sit alongside their other books, contributions to literary magazines, etc. It doesn't matter, they're all here in one place waiting for their words to smack you in the chops. Form an orderly queue and take these poems on the chin.
Sometimes I'm The Bull, Sometimes I'm The China Shop
Leon the poet's debut collection of poetry, 'Sometimes I'm The Bull, Sometimes I'm The China Shop', takes a big swing at life in 2024. With poems about pop culture, God, soft plays, fatherhood, suicide, heartbreak, childhood, mental health, machismo, the far right, Russell Brand and Jesus Christ, to mention just a few. Sometimes he’s the Bull, sometimes he’s the China Shop, but all the time his poetry is heartfelt, insightful and highly readable.
Daft Punk Verse and a flick of the V's
By Ian Shipley
A Collection of punk poetry, verse from the streets and the hard life, about everyday events that might affect us all, captured with a compassionate style that we can all empathise with.
What do you do with creativity when the bands you’ve fronted for 26 years suddenly call it a day?
For me, I simply mutated back to writing outrageous laughable poetry.
This all began in 1981 when I had an appetite for capturing silly situations in rhyme. Over the years, I’ve gradually stockpiled a substantial collection of what I refer to as ‘daft punk verse’.
Unlike poets John Cooper Clarke and Attila the Stockbroker, I never had the nerve to perform my poetries live, choosing instead to put daft puerile rhyme to music with my band the Screaming Willies.
So, while deliberately flicking the vs at the poetry police, here’s my diverse collection of true-to-life punk malarkey, all captured in outlandish verse.
Thirty-nine punk-life poems: fights, drugs, beer and girls plus a few other peculiarities thrown in too. What else would it be?
A reviewer once said of my work: “You sir, are the best worst punk poet ever.” I’ll take that.
Spent
by Paul Case
Spent is a Molotov cocktail of poems and stories that explore the collision of the personal and political. At the chaotic intersection of punk, radical politics, drugs and alcohol abuse, and mental health, Case’s words traverse a burnt out, late capitalist landscape where escaping into oblivion is all too inviting.
From punchy punk poetry to apocalyptic visions, this searing work deftly combines nightmarish absurdism, gallows humour and poignant revelation to devastating effect. It shines a light on society’s underbelly and reveals disillusionment, dependency and violence while the wider world hangs by a thread. Yet amongst all this, Spent recognises the bloody-minded hope that keeps us all striving.
The result is a defiantly original and humane piece of work.
"The best poetry doesn't wash off. Paul Case brings spray cans, chips and contusions" - Tim Wells
Poets Day Dream
A whole book of poetry, prose, and (very) short stories on the subjects of work and school? Well, yeah!
James Domestic takes a look at the two institutions that loom largest in our lives. School is our constant companion – whether we want it to be or not – through our most formative years, doing everything in its power to prepare us for a life of toil and instil obedience to the system (maaaaan).
Then comes working life, which for many is a life-draining drudge from Monday to Friday (other days of the week are available), leaving them wondering if this is really what life is all about, whilst already knowing the answer.
Of course, this is a James Domestic book, so expect ruminations on colleagues, office sex (sometimes with humans), job interviews, heavily-embellished CVs, working at home, celebrity chefs, team building exercises, sandwiches, much-loved lexicographer Susie Dent, post-work drinks, pointless meetings, workplace bullying, dogs, and much much more.
Some of the poems in this collection - Guff CV, Homework, Phil Don’t Work Here Anymore to name but a few - have become firm live favourites, which given how relatable they are, is no surprise.
Any resemblance to persons living, dead or otherwise, or actual events, is of course purely coincidental. Honest.
“Words that bite, belch, and bleed in their brilliance” (Mark Grist, multi-award-winning poet, battle-rapper, and star of Channel 4’s ‘Mr Drew’s School for Boys’)
“…Integrity, compassion and guts...read these words – some might strike a chord with you. They did with me.” (Steve Ignorant, Crass)
“James' poetry sharply focuses in on the raw ridiculous truth of the world that is right in front of us all.” (Scott Coe, former Stamford Poet Laureate)
“A unique collection of poetic ventures into the human condition, with humour, anger, and a canny use of language: inspired and inspiring!” (Dick Lucas, Subhumans, Culture Shock etc.)
“Argh poetry! Tweed-garbed toffs waffling about moorhens? Nah! Funny and fierce words fighting in a sack!” (The Shend, musician, actor, absurdist, and Cravat)
“Relentless” (Attila the Stockbroker, social surrealist poet and songwriter)
Bag of Tricks
Mixed Stories of Life as a San Francisco Punk in the early 80’s
BOOK ONE OF A PUNK TRILOGY
BAG OF TRICKS is a compilation of short stories about San Francisco punks in the early 80’s.
These vignettes stand alone yet bleed into one another. Meet the band The Shits, their groupies The Clits, and an array of colourful characters who populate these streets, squats and punk shows. With them, we cop drugs, shoot up, dumpster dive, trip around The City, go to punk shows and slip between the cracks of society.
Most of the stories are true, although some of the details may or may not have happened...
Toxic Shock Records, Assassin of Mediocrity: A Story of Love, Loss and Loud Music
by Bill Sassenberger.
This is a story of a lifetime spent in the trenches of the mercantile class. Yes, it’s been said before, but punk rock did change our lives. You’re about to read a patchwork of triumphant, bittersweet and sometimes painful memories. From 1981 until 2014, my wife Julianna and I owned and operated a totally independent record shop called Toxic Shock. Our mission was to support independent music and the culture it came from. To that end, we refused to sell major label releases and preferred to promote the outsiders in the music “industry.”
We were lucky to have been in the right place at the right time, as punk was spreading to the suburbs and beyond. We also ran an independent record label through much of this period, working with some pretty diverse characters. As with many “do it yourself” ventures and personal relationships, we had our share of ups and downs. The record store supported us financially up until the mid 1990s, when taking on a part-time job in the “real world” became a necessity.
In December of 2011, my wife had a major stroke. This single event dramatically changed our lives and Julianna did her best to recover from its devastating effects. We had a shop in downtown Tucson for 23 years at that point. That finally came to an end, as our landlord wanted his building back and the majority of my time needed to be devoted as Julianna’s primary caregiver. Challenging times indeed, but not the first one.
We had a pretty long run—eight years in Pomona, California, a short venture in New Orleans, then another 26 years as Toxic Ranch here in Tucson. It was one wild ride, so buckle up and thank you for reading our life story!
"A brick and mortar affirmation of punk’s relevance and importance.” Mick Rhodes, Claremont Courier
“Through a combination of rare photographs, gig flyers, oral history and prose, “Toxic Shock Records”, chronicles the life of Bill and Julianna, decidedly taking the road less travelled. Extending a stiff little finger at the mainstream, they founded a record store, mail-order enterprise and record label during the heady days of punk rock that grew to become a refuge for misfits and lovers of the underground.” Tucson Sentinel
"This is the story of unflagging love-for music, for a partnership forged in passion and steel, for a life chosen, not imposed. Their love story intertwines with the history of punk rock and the musical revolution that was spawned from that in a book that will expand minds and break hearts.” Janet Brown.
In Pursuit of Expression by Martin Appleby
This collection brings together all of Martin Appleby's small press poetry publications that were released between 2016 and 2024. From the early musings of his 20s to staring down the barrel of 40, and all the heartbreak, hangovers, and bad decisions he has made along the way.
These poems are full of heart, hope, and unguarded honesty. They will make you laugh and they will make you cry. A journey through the highs and lows of modern life through the eyes of a cider drinking, vegetarian, scumbag punk!
I first encountered Martin Appleby’s poetry many, many years ago and I’ve followed his work closely ever since. What I like about Martin’s poetry is that it is brutally honest, and funny. There is humour there, which most poets lack because they don’t possess a funny bone. He writes about the mundane, the everyday, relationship break-ups, crap jobs, noisy neighbours, black-outs, and failure. Advertisements from the Edge of Hell. There is an air of resignation lurking amidst his stanzas, the awful reality that most people sacrifice their dreams and settle for a safe, but mediocre existence. Empty lives. Some fill this void by buying stuff, raising children, or becoming resolutely ambitious. Martin fills his void with poetry, which when you think about it, is a wondrous concept. In Pursuit of Expression is the collected work of Martin’s poetical output, spanning the years 2016 - 2024, and I can guarantee that after reading it, you will feel a whole lot better.
- Joseph Ridgwell (Author of Burrito Deluxe)
My Altercation: The Bandung Melodic Punk Scene 1995-2008
by Prabu Pramayougha
My Altercation weaves together notes and memories to capture the essence of Bandung's music scene with a particular focus on the melodic punk genre.
The book serves not only as a tribute to the region's punk culture but also an insightful exploration of its broader musical landscape. This work is designed to celebrate the energy and significance of punk whilst also shedding light on the cultural roots that shaped Bandung's underground music scene.
The author is a recognised music journalist and musician. His extensive knowledge and first-hand experience offers a unique perspective, opening a window into the key events influential figures and cultural shifts that defined the youth scene in that era.
This book is essential reading for anyone looking to understand the development of Indonesia’s melodic punk underground music scene.
Guitargonaut : Underground Rock Adventures
Guitargonaut (gĭ-tär′gə-nôt)
An adventurer engaged in a quest. With a guitar. And a constantly evolving idea of how to play it.
Sluggo started rock bands and toured the world for four decades; 1980-2020.
These are stories of what he found out there.
Each chapter mostly revolves around individual gigs, with a couple notable exceptions.
Some exceptions are chapters about his friendships with:
Nirvana (1989-1990) with many previously unseen photographs
Elliott Smith (1993-2000) with unpublished photographs
During the time he toured, Sluggo and his wife lost their home.
They became parents, one child became quite ill.
Many of these stories predate GPS and cell phones.
This book contains hundreds of photos, flyers & rock ephemera embedded in every chapter.
In the end, it’s a book about people, community and, well, love.
Not Just Bits Of Paper
Not Just Bits Of Paper is a portal into a world now diminished, a world where the importance of specific bits of paper cannot be overstated. Not that these bits of paper had any intrinsic purpose beyond the sole reason they were produced for - that being to advertise and publicise events - though paradoxically, without it ever being stated or even considered they also represented nothing less than a vision.
The bits of paper we're talking about here are the flyers and posters created to announce upcoming concerts of the more 'earthy' punk rock type prevalent throughout much of the 1980s. Black-and- white, made with scissors, glue, pens, Letraset and found images. Utilising the 'cut'n'paste' method rather than desk-top publishing, then photocopied, fly-posted, stuck up in record shops, given out by hand and sent out by post enclosed with fanzines and cassette tapes purchased from various mail- order lists.
This was the way we communicated before the advent of the Internet and social media. Slow, time-consuming, sometimes wearisome but effective.
Many of these flyers and posters could be really basic in design and layout whilst others could be veritable mini works of art. All, however, whatever the quality of them were meant to be throwaway. Ephemeral. To serve their one purpose then binned, which is what most people tended to do with them once the publicised event had passed. Very few people thought of saving them and those who did so, saved them essentially for the sake of it. Not for having an eye on one day them being collectible or of any possible future monetary value to anyone. They saved them without thinking and for no reason but saved them - thankfully - they did.
Co-edited by Greg Bull and Mickey 'Penguin', Not Just Bits Of Paper collates a wide selection of flyers, posters and handouts from the anarcho-punk era of the 1980s and for posterity lays them out and presents them in all their ragged, torn and tattered glory. As to be expected, Crass are heavily represented alongside The Mob, Flux Of Pink Indians, Antisect, Conflict, Poison Girls, Chumbawamba plus many more others.
A series of recollections, memories, imagined dreams perhaps from the collective memories of those who lived through the punk and anarcho-punk years. Tales recalled of times past and a glorious tribute to the bands and the crowds who made the early eighties so special for so many of us.
It has now been ten years since this book, Not Just Bits Of Paper was first published. The original 2015 edition of the book was 230 pages long, and was presented in black and white. This revised tenth year anniversary edition of the book, has an extra fifty pages of posters and flyers to view, along with three extra chapters to read, that's 280 pages, and the book is now presented in full colour, as it should be!
The contributors that have shared their recollections and memories were all there, in amongst that early eighties punk and anarcho-punk movement.
An Anarchy of Demons
Charlie’s fascinating story is told in his own unique style, taking the reader through his early years as a ‘war baby’, his time at boarding schools for misfit boys, his adventurous youth, his struggles and escapades as a bass player, his turbulent personal life as well as his incredible journey with the U.K. Subs, as a solo artist and with his many side-project bands.
Illustrated throughout with many unseen photos from his own collection, this will be without doubt, the most talked about punk rock book of the year.
The book boasts a wonderful Foreword written by Rancid’s Lars Frederiksen with the book’s stunning cover artwork being supplied by Steve Dann (Magpie Art), of which the original hangs in Charlie’s house.
