Promotional Information

The story of punk, in all its vibrant glory, told for the first time in the words of those who were there.

About the Author

John Robb is a musician, writer, music journalist and TV presenter. He formed the seminal punk/alt-rock band The Membranes in 1977, and still carries the punk flame today as lead singer of Goldblade, renowned for their incendiary live shows. He has written acclaimed biographies of The Stone Roses and The Charlatans, as well as The Nineties: What the F**k Was That All About?, all published by Ebury Press. http://www.goldblade.com

Reviews

"John Robb is a great writer... and he is supremely qualified in my opinion to talk about punk rock" -- Mick Jones, The Clash "John Robb is as punk rock as The Clash" -- Alan McGee

Longtime music journalist and founding member of The Membranes Robb (Death to Trad Rock) has collected the stories of over 100 eyewitnesses to the birth of British punk. From icons like John Lydon (Sex Pistols) and Mick Jones (The Clash) to lesser-known but no less outspoken musicians, managers, promoters, and fans, the interviewees bring a wide range of viewpoints to their tales of the scene's development. In scope and format, Robb covers much the same ground as Jon Savage's 2010 collection of interviews, The England's Dreaming Tapes. From an editorial perspective, however, the difference between the two works is striking. While Savage presented his transcripts in their entirety, Robb uses a cut-and-paste chronological arrangement, grouping together several subjects' takes on a given event or band. These multiple, often conflicting voices, together with the cheeky footnotes that clarify certain obscure references or blatant misrememberings, add a level of wit and chaotic energy to this book not present in earlier oral histories of the era. -VERDICT With its brilliant balance of in-depth information and accessibility, this title will be equally at home on academic, public, and personal library shelves. Essential for punk fans and highly recommended for readers interested in firsthand accounts of the growth of new cultural movements.-Neil Derksen, Snohomish, WA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.