Punk Rock: The Big Book

Sex Pistols. Anger is Energy: My Life Uncensored The life of Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has never resembled the colorful films about rock stars. The boy grew up in the slums of London amidst violence and poverty, becoming a... musician more as a form of protest than for money and fame. And he is not afraid to speak about it openly. A piercing and candid story about Lydon's tough life in England, his life in Sex Pistols and beyond. Smash: GREEN DAY, THE OFFSPRING, BAD RELIGION, NOFX and the punk wave of the 90s Most books, articles, and documentaries about punk tell of its rise in the 1970s—few talk about its revival in the 90s. Ian Winwood details for the first time the changes in the musical culture of that time, which moved from grunge to what first-generation punks call post-punk, new wave—anything but real punk music. This book collects accounts from key figures of this 90s movement: Green Day, The Offspring, NOFX, Rancid, Bad Religion, Social Distortion and other bands. Punk rockers were never truly successful or famous, and that remained the case—until it didn’t. "Smash" is the story of how outsiders finally won and forever changed the landscape of mainstream music. John Lydon is a punk rock icon, the legendary frontman of the Sex Pistols, and later of Public Image Ltd (PIL). Performing under the name Johnny Rotten in the mid-1970s, Lydon became in the eyes of the English a voice of protest and a representative of a young generation alienated from the conservatism and stuffiness of the political system of the time. To this day, he remains a vibrant and fascinating figure—not only because of his musical talents but also as a witty musical and cultural critic who is not shy about making provocative statements. Ian Winwood is one of the most prominent music journalists in the world. He has written for such notable publications as Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Mojo, Kerrang!, and the BBC. He is also the co-author of two music biographies.