'Punk: The Brutal Truth' by Hugh Fielder (foreword by Paul du Noyer) is a buzzing, powerful new book offering a race through the first decade of punk, a climactic explosion that changed the face of music for a generation. It takes you from early-to-mid-'70s New York with rough and ready bands such as The Ramones, Television and Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers playing at the CBGB club, and the young, angry scene of London with the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Slits, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Generation X and X-Ray Spex, to the late '70s, when punk rock began to split into sub-genres, spawning the New Wave of punk with the likes of Elvis Costello, Blondie and the Talking Heads.

Author Biography

Hugh Fielder (author) can remember the '60s even though he was there. He can remember the '70s and '80s because he was at Sounds magazine and the '90s because he was editor of Tower Records' TOP magazine. He has shared a spliff with Bob Marley, a glass of wine with David Gilmour, a pint with Robert Plant, a cup of tea with Keith Richards and a frosty stare with Axl Rose. He has watched Mike Oldfield strip naked in front of him and Bobby Womack fall asleep while interviewing him. Paul Du Noyer (foreword) began his career on the New Musical Express, and went on to edit Q and to found Mojo. He also helped to launch Heat and several music websites. As well as editing several rock reference books, he is the author of We All Shine On, about the solo music of John Lennon, and Wondrous Place, a history of the Liverpool music scene. He is nowadays a contributing editor of The Word.