DK has long been one of my favorite books publishers for books of any type, so when they published this book on the history of punk, I knew it would be really complete and in-depth, and it is.
The book essentially cites 1976 as the birth year of punk rock, and makes a valid case. It was the year that introduced the Sex Pistols, Ramones and the Clash to the world. So, based on that call, this is an excellent 30th birthday present for punk rock.
Opening with an intro by Debbie Harry, the book takes readers on a detailed and interesting trip through punk history, perfectly balancing information and entertainment. The information has been drawn from the archives of Mojo magazine, and it's informative enough that even the most knowledgeable of music snobs will learn new information and enjoy the read, yet not so dense that the casual reader won't be quickly drawn in as well.
I'm torn on deciding the most incredible part of this book – the photos or the writing, as both are amazing and exemplary.
The photos capturing candid moments of all of the punk legends, ranging from the bands that became household names here, like the Sex Pistols and Clash, to the ones that are more obscure on this side of the pond, like the Adverts and Subway Sect.
The interviews and articles are great and delve deeply into the history of everyone involved. Rather than the simple fluff found in many books on punk, there is stuff I'd never heard before. In the section on Generation X, Billy Idol discusses how much the press (as well as many of the people at their shows) hated that band, yet they kept gaining popularity. Then the chapter goes on to relate a story of a young Billy Idol being tailgated and rear-ended by Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols. It's the little tidbits like this that really draw you into the history of the scene.
There are so many great sections to this book, ranging from lists of essential punk singles and albums (where I was pleasantly surprised to see more obscure, yet great bands, like Slaughter and the Dogs and Wayne County and The Electric Chairs), to band profiles (including multiple chapters on the Clash), to photo galleries from clubs in Britain and a nice bit on punk at CBGB.
This is a great gift idea for anyone looking for a present for their favorite music fan, but you'll probably want to keep one for your coffee table, too. It may have taken 30 years, but punk rock appears to have been packaged into a format that will look good in the middle of the fanciest living rooms – but that's not to say it won't look good at your house, too.
