You can get an audio version on Audible which is really well read.

What? ! Blondie wasn't even here until 1977. So how did they help invent punk which was already here in Britain. Believe me, the Sex Pistols were getting spat at on stage in 76 well before Blondie were here. Maybe it was different from NYC perspective

If you read Creem Magazine which was on the racks in the mid 70s you got to hear about the Ramones, Blondie, Television etc....

The context of the comment was Viv's conception of punk as "truth" or as a sort of personal authenticity. She was critical of the Ramones' aestheticization, which she saw as non-punk, and not their music. In fact, she earlier compared her memoir chapters to Ramones songs. So, I don't think she has anything against them. It's a weird thing to be offended by.

Personally, I'm okay calling Ramones punk, but getting all up tight about a punk "cannon" is silly and totally not punk.

That "bloke" was apart of the amazing Nation of Ulysses!

Oh and the group "Makeup"

Sounds awesome to me

cos thats what he wanted to wear, end of

he misses his childhood

@ViscountVile Not EVERYONE could afford to have a phone, especially if you were squatting and you didn't necessarily have the money to use a phonebox, even if the person you wanted to get hold of had a phone as well. Being in a band was generally the domain of people from another world, another planet and it was 'punk' that was a main instigator of the line of thought that presumed otherwise, see Buzzcocks specifically (RIP Mr Shelley). Going to Art School was one of the main ways of avoiding employment and the burgeoning tedium of 'real life' for at least as long as you possibly could, or to buy you some time to think of something e;se to do. Not everyone had enough money to buy a music paper every week, I didn't. I raise you 4... ;-)

With respect, I think that you’ve misinterpreted some of her comments. True there were three music papers where today there are none but in its place are many electronic publications, blogs etc; there are far greater outlets today to read about music than back then Also communicating with friends back then wasn’t easy; you couldn’t just use your folk’s phone - often you had to meet them physically and on the odd occasion use a pay phone (pricey if you were still a kid) "the dregs of society" is really her comment on how art school students were perceived by mainstream society not by her (who was an art school grad herself) . Similarly her opinion on how the Ramones dress didn’t ring true is just her personal opinion, nothing more

Yea music was massive for a lot of kids then.. I used to read the NME Melody etc we all new about the Punk thing even without hearing a note.. every week the NME, Melody Maker front covers were of Johnny Lydon walking down the Kings road with a can of beer in his hand or another punk band on the cover and this was all in the autumn of 76.

@@JohnnyFriendly You're definitely right. In another interview she said that she was deeply involved in music at the age of nine, mostly focusing on the lyrics. And that, for example, was the age she mentioned, when even boys weren't interested in music with a comparable intensity.

'' People going to art school were considered "the dregs of society"!! '' Punk totally cared about society