Those of you who have read me long enough know that I am a huge punk rock fan. I went to my first punk show when I was 17 (and got a black eye when somebody landed his boot in my eye while stage diving). I paid to see the Sex Pistols in 1997 during their reunion tour, even though I knew they were in just for the money and I would be hugely disappointed. I was, and at the same time I do not regret going to the show. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Here is a post I wrote with some of the essential punk rock books and DVDs. Last night, I added another piece to the essential collection. My husband and I watched Julian Temple's documentary on Joe Strummer, The Future Is Unwritten
. What can I say? Julian Temple is a genius who has done the defining documentaries on both the Sex Pistols and The Clash (although you could say The Future Is Unwrittenis not so much about the band but about Joe Strummer). Even though I was occasionally annoyed last night by the fact that they never say who is the person they are interviewing, the documentary was fascinating. The footage is fantastic, some of it very rare, the music is obviously amazing, and what emerges is a fascinating talented man who could be a complete SOB on occasions. Some of the people explaining the influence Joe Strummer and The Clash had on them: Bono, Johnny Depp, John Cusack, Matt Dillon, Martin Scorsese and many others. Oh, and David Lee Roth cussing him is priceless. I only wish they had spent a little more time on the making of and the impact of London Calling
, the best punk album ever. Watching the documentary ignited once again my interest in the history of punk music. So last night, I bought Cheetah Chrome: A Dead Boy's Tale: From the Front Lines of Punk Rock
and Poisoned Heart: I Married Dee Dee Ramone
for my Kindle so I can read them in Argentina, and ordered White Riot: Punk Rock and the Politics of Race
and Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the Twentieth Century
so that they are waiting for me when I come back. Nothing like combining research obsessiveness with your long time passion. I can't wait to read them all!
awesome! one of my students wrote a blog post this semester about the peruvian band "los saicos" and the debate about whether or not one might consider them the "first" punk rock band (i was not aware of this band or the debate before she wrote about it--pretty great when students find interesting stuff to write about). she developed it into a longer (6-ish pg.) paper on the role of punk in the spanish-speaking world. she did ok with the paper, but i wish i had seen your post to help her with even more bibliography!
ReplyDeleteHa... And as a good Argentinean, I thought my native country had the first punk bands in the region! There is some bibliography on punk in Latin America. I can't remember it out of the top of my head, but if you need it in the future let me know and I'll look it up.
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