Live at the Masque: Nightmare in Punk Alley [Hardcover]

Brendan Mullen (Author), Roger Gastman (Editor), Kristine Mckenna (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 7, 2007

'The Masque' was Brendan Mullen s grimy basement club in late 70 s Los Angeles where West Coast punk first coalesced. A haven for "weirdos, nerds, borderline sociopaths and assorted misfits with attitude problems" and home to bands, as The Germs, X, The Weirdos, The Bags, The Plugz and so many more, who managed, in the two short years 'The Masque' was open, to make history.
The book is filled with classic photos and ephemera by Jenny Lens, Alain Saint Croix, Michael Yamplosky, Al Flipside and many others, showcasing the influential fashion of an era with no rules. This massive volume features large scale photographs throughout, many of which have never been seen before.
Live at the Masque Nightmare in Punk Alley is an impressive document of the most notorious punk scene ever. Text by Brendan Mullen and Kristine McKenna.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 328 pages
• Publisher: Gingko Press (December 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584232900
• ISBN-13: 978-1584232902
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 1.1 x 12 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,171,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I WAS THERE February 1, 2009

By Rod Mitchell

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This book brought back a lot of great old memories. It also brought back some bad ones as well. I was the unidentified drummer in Backstage Pass on Pg.82-83. If you want to know what the Punk music scene was in El Lay in the late 70's this is a must. Looking back at these photos it does strike me that it was all a little more "Rocky Horror Show" than I remembered it. But we were young, indestructable, and it was a lot of fun.

I had experiences playing in that band, at that time, that I could have had no other way. There were the drugs, the alcohol, and the slime encrusted Music Biz bottom feeders that seemed to be everywhere looking for someone to use. There were also some great times that I will always treasure.

The book is well put together and Brendan has much insight in to the era and the people who shaped the movement on the west coast. Highly recommended for pop music history buffs.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Fans of Early Punk, Especially L.A. Punk! March 11, 2010

By Mike Pearson

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Amazing Photos of the Masque Scene. Dozens of big photos of the wild environment and all the characters. The book is large and the pages of photos are 9" by 12". Many are single photos on a whole page. Early punk is so interesting. These outfits were so outrageous for back in the late 70s. It's impossible to understand how weird these people looked unless you were around back then. Nobody looked like that. And it's funny that there were a lot of people with long hair too. Everything was still a work in progress. You were still allowed to have long hair - I think until about 1980. Anyway, if you're a big punk fan you need this. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I don't think it's that appealing if you're not into punk.

I have a book on Amazon in April 2010 called One Step Beyond: A Teenage Odyssey in 1980s Los Angeles. Please check it out. Click on my signature thing to find my profile. Thanks.

One Step Beyond: A Teenage Odyssey in 1980s Los Angeles (Volume 1)

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Time Capsule of the LA Punk Scene! June 19, 2008

By Glenn S. Hawley

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I Waited for this Book!
I was at the Release Party/Concert in LA, back in November 2007. But I couldn't buy it there Or even see one! The 30th anniversary of the Masque was a Blast then & this book is a Great addition to the Memories of that Night. If you couldn't be there in the Original days, or the night of the show, this will make up for it!
Bands! Clothes! Stars! Cars! Girls! Guys!

The Best Rock scenes Form & Develop themselves, & LA was no Exception. Even though "inspired" by London & New York, LA's insular scene made for a More Original, sounding & looking bunch of Bands & Fans. This Book's images, by the Best Underground snappers & scenesters, give the Best insight to What it Must have been like to be in that Lucky group rockin' in that smelly old Basement!
I went to LA in 1978, as a 10 year old, & I distinctly remember seeing a Bunch of "weirdos" on Hollywood Blvd. I returned in 2003 & Made my Bee-line to that Back alley after Years of being under the LA scene's Musical Spell. It's just a Locked door now, but I'm at least thrilled to now have this Document of those far gone days.

I Love Brendan Mullen's insight & anecdotes of the Scene. Nothing about Cashing in on it, Just filling his Need to protect the History of a Scene, & punk world taken over by the Posers & Millionaires of the So called "Punk Rock" "scene" of today. a Great Companion to the book: We've got the Neutron Bomb!

Literally a Snapshot into just a few fleeting years in the Music History of LA.