Punk Stories

I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp: an autobiography (M)
by Richard Hell

The progenitor of American and British punk rock shares his journey, from his arrival on the streets of New York in 1967 to his rise to fame, touring with such bands as The Clash and The Sex Pistols, to his full-blown descent into drug addiction.


Perfect Youth: the birth of Canadian punk (M)
by Sam Sutherland

While many volumes devoted to the punk and hardcore scenes in America grace bookstore shelves, Canada’s contributions to the genre remain largely unacknowledged. For the first time, the birth of Canadian punk—a transformative cultural force that spread across the country at the end of the 1970s—is captured between the pages of this important resource. Delving deeper than standard band biographies, this book articulates how the advent of punk reshaped the culture of cities across Canada, speeding along the creation of alternative means of cultural production, consumption, and distribution. Describing the origins of bands such as D.O.A., the Subhumans, the Viletones, and Teenage Head alongside lesser-known regional acts from all over Canada, it is the first published account of the first wave of punk in places like Regina, Ottawa, Halifax, and Victoria. Proudly staking Canada’s claim as the starting point for many internationally famous bands, this book unearths a forgotten musical and cultural history of drunks and miscreants, future country stars, and political strategists.

Left of the Dial: conversations with punk icons (M)
by David Ensminge

"Featuring interviews with leading figures of the punk underground, including Ian MacKaye, from Minor Threat and Fugazi; Jello Biafra, from Dead Kennedys; and Dave Dictor, from MDC, this book probes the legacy of Punk's sometimes fuzzy political ideology, its homegrown traditions, and its rupturing of social norms. Passionate, far-reaching, and fresh, these conversations illuminate punk's oral history with candor and humor by focusing on the history of ideologies and values as understood by performers, instead of as represented by discographies or gig memories. The book also features rare photographs shot during the heyday of punk and hardcore, and a massive punk flyer collection that celebrates a visual history of the bands represented." - publisher

NoMeansNo: going nowhere (M)
by Mark Black

"NoMeansNo: Going Nowhere tells the story of a band whose career has spanned three decades, 14 albums and spawned an alter-ego that’s become as much a part of the Canadian consciousness as Harold Snepsts or SCTV. Through interviews with band members, friends and fans, this book explores how a punk band from Victoria, B.C. influenced musicians across the world and continues to be force in punk rock."