Into Books: New Music Book Reviews
We do love a good book over here at Into Creative and whether you are looking for some summer holiday reading or just something worth exploring, then we have a trio of recommendations that we reckon you will love. So, do check out what are three cracking music related books.
Author: Iain Key
Book: All The Young Punks – A People’s History of The Clash
Publisher: Spenwood Books
This publication by Louder than War veteran Iain Key is an essential and important collection of social history. Essentially, as the subtitle states, it is a people’s history of one of the punk greats – The Clash. The book is structured chronologically, almost as though it were a diary with each page representing a fan’s recollections of an event associated with the band, and these inevitably take the form of a gig or a record release.
It’s a wonderful approach and offers invaluable insight into not just the changes within the band but also socially; beginning first with the rebellious and chaotic early punk months and culminating in mainstream success and acceptance. It works incredibly well and offers a unique insight into the wider aspects of fandom and life’s rich pageant that could only work collectively. An essential purchase for fans of punk and UK culture. It’s no surprise The Clash were known as the only band that matters.
To order All The Young Punks – A People’s History of The Clash by Iain Kay, head to the Spenwood Books website here.
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Author: Martin St.John
Book: I Wanna Be Me: Portrait of a Young Man as a Punk!
Publisher: Lulu.com
Another entertaining purchase for fans of punk and social change. This is a wonderful complimentary work to Iain Key’s book on The Clash that takes an entirely opposite approach, being non-chronological and covering a far wider agenda. Much like Martin St John’s (AKA Joogs) previous books on The Cramps and Primal Scream, this is a kaleidoscopic journey into John’s inner space; full of frantically moving ideas and vivid recollections of his personal musical journey.
In this case, we are visiting Glasgow in the late 1970s and its response to the emergence of punk-rock. It’s a much needed book and a rollicking account of youthful awakening to the transformative power of music.
To order I Wanna Be Me: Portrait of a Young Man as a Punk! go to the Lulu.com link here.
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Author: Saskia Holling
Book: You & Me Against The World
Publisher: Spinout Publications
This is a beautiful and thoughtfully written account of Saskia’s journey from the Outer Hebrides to the emergence of ‘indie-pop’ in mid-80s Edinburgh. This is the observed story of two of the city’s leading lights within that scene, Alex Taylor and Margarita Vazques Ponte, and the complex and often interconnected series of bands they were involved with.
The book covers the primary bands they were associated with (Shop Assistants, Rote Kapelle, Jesse Garon and the Desperadoes, Fizzbombs and The Motorcycle Boy) for its main focus but each weave in and out of the vibrant surrounding scene, and it’s expertly handled. It’s a gorgeous, touching and heartfelt tribute to two figures who are genuinely deserving of this work.
Intriguingly, this is Volume 1 so that would suggest there is more to come. I do hope so as the stories in this edition are excellent, some great laughs in there but also great memories which the reader can relate to time and time again.
To order You and Me Against The World, head over to the Spinout Shop here.
Grant McPhee
@GrantMcPheeFilm
Links:
@iainkey https://x.com/iainkey
@SpenwoodBooks (1) Spenwood Books (@SpenwoodBooks) / X
@luludotcom https://x.com/Luludotcom
@spinoutnuggets https://x.com/spinoutnuggets