A double dose of punk, Joan Armatrading in her own words, all the colours of black metal and the cross-stitch is back. Read all about ’em:
Hit Girls: Women of Punk in the USA, 1975-1983
By Jen B. Larson
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Women have been kicking against the pricks of music patriarchy since Sister Rosetta Tharpe first played the guitar riffs that built rock ’n’ roll. The explosion of punk sent shockwaves of revolution to every girl who dreamed of being on stage. Punk godmothers Suzy Quatro, The Runaways, Patti Smith, Poison Ivy, Tina Weymouth, Debbie Harry, The Go-Go’s and Fanny’s Millington sisters provided the template for thousands of girls and women throughout the United States to write and record their songs. Hit Girls is the story of local and regional bands whose legacy would be otherwise lost. Despite the modern narrative labeling women as anomalies in rock music, the truth is: women played important roles in punk and its related genres in every city, in every scene, all over the United States. The women and bands profiled by Jen B. Larson share their experiences of sexism and racism as well as their joy and successes from their days on stage as they changed what it meant to be in a band. These pioneering women were more than novelty acts or pretty faces — they were fully contributing members and leaders of mixed-gender and all-female bands long before the call for “girls to the front.” The women of Hit Girls are now rightfully exalted to cult status where their collective achievement is recognized and inspiring to new generations of women rockers. Included are interviews with Texacala Jones, Stoney Rivera, Mish Bondaj, Alice Bag, Nikki Corvette, Penelope Houston and many more formidable and infamous women who made their voices heard over the screaming guitars.”
Punk: The Definitive Guide to the Blank Generation and Beyond
By Rich Weidman
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Infused with a raw and energetic sound that stripped rock ‘n’ roll to the bone, punk rock transformed rock’s landscape in the 1970s, deconstructing bloated arena rock and leaving a lasting influence on the music and cultural scene in the United States and overseas. Punk was all about extending a middle finger to the status quo while pushing boundaries in uncharted directions. According to punk poet laureate Patti Smith, “To me, punk rock is the freedom to create, freedom to be successful, freedom to be not successful, freedom to be who you are. It’s freedom.” Punk: The Definitive Guide to the Blank Generation and Beyond focuses on the origins of punk, ranging from disparate influences such as Dadaism, The Beat Generation, the garage bands of the 1960s, the Paris-based Situationist International movement, Jamaican ska bands, Stanley Kubrick‘s dystopian masterpiece A Clockwork Orange, and the glam rock of the early 1970s. Rich Weidman highlights the best and worst punk bands, the greatest punk songs and albums, the most notorious concerts, and the rise of American hardcore punk. Legendary venues such as CBGB and classic punk films and documentaries like The Decline Of Western Civilization propelled the rise of pop punk bands into the mainstream and every other aspect of punk subculture, including its lasting impact on rock ‘n’ roll and society as a whole.”
The Weakness in Me: The Selected Lyrics of Joan Armatrading
By Joan Armatrading
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Since the release of her debut album Whatever’s For Us in 1972, Joan Armatrading has, across a 50 career, traversed styles and genres to create a monumental body of work. Acknowledged as the first British female singer-songwriter to gain international success, her writing is alive with intelligence and empathy and paints the human experience with insight and emotion. Selected and arranged by the author, and featuring a foreword by revered record producer Glyn Johns, The Weakness In Me presents the lyrics of Armatrading for the first time in one unique volume. It also contains an introduction by Armatrading alongside annotations to a number of songs, giving a rare, personal glimpse into the creative process of a true pioneer.”
Black Metal Rainbows
By Daniel Lukes & Stanimir Panayotov
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Black metal is a paradox. A noisy underground metal genre brimming with violence and virulence, it has captured the world’s imagination for its harsh yet flamboyant style and infamous history involving arson, blasphemy, and murder. Today black metal is nothing less than a cultural battleground between those who claim it for nationalist and racist ends, and those who say: Nazi black metal fvck off! Black Metal Rainbows is a radical collection of writers, artists, activists, and visionaries, including Drew Daniel, Kim Kelly, Laina Dawes, Espi Kvlt, Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, Svein Egil Hatlevik, Eugene S. Robinson, Margaret Killjoy and many more. Across essays and theory-fictions, artworks and comics, we say out loud: Long live black metal’s trve rainbow! This unique volume envisions black metal as always already open, inclusive, and unlimited: A musical genre whose vital spirit of total antagonism rebels against the forces of political conservatism. Beyond its clichés of grimness, nihilism, reaction, and signature black/white corpse-paint sneer, black metal today is a vibrant and revolutionary paradigm. This book reveals its ludic, carnival worlds animated by spirits of joy and celebration, community and care, queerness and camp, LGBTQI+ identities and antifascist, antiracist, and left-wing politics, not to mention endless aesthetic experimentation and fabulousness. From the crypt to the cloud, Black Metal Rainbows unearths black metal’s sparkling core and illuminates its prismatic spectrum: deep within the black, far beyond grimness, and over a darkly glittering rainbow!”
Cross Stitch Or Die Tryin’: 30 Patterns For Hip Hop Lovers
By Kate Blandford
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Filled with the illest cross stitch patterns with a hip hop twist, Cross Stitch Or Die Tryin’ is a must for all crafty hip-hop fans. Whether you’re living the thug life or bringing da ruckus, as long as you’ve still got love for the streets you’ll find classic hop hop quotes and statements that make dope wall art, patches and cushions. Why not make a homemade gift for a hip hop loving friend? Stitching up classics like Drop It Like It’s Hot, Mo Money Mo Problems or Sippin’ On Gin And Juice to adorn your kitchen wall is a no-brainer! Cross Stitch Or Die Tryin‘ features 30 patterns that speak to all hip-hop lovers who aren’t afraid to show their nerdier side. Crafty hip-hop aficionados of all ages will be able to appreciate the patterns, many of which are beginner friendly and can be completed in a couple of hours. And don’t sweat the technique; experienced cross stitcher Kate Blandford gives you easy-to-follow instructions with information on what materials you will need and helpful tricks no matter what level you’re at. So grab your hoops and needles and show the world that you may have 99 problems but cross stitching ain’t one!”
