London's Burning: True Adventures on the Front Lines of Punk, 1976-1977 [Paperback]

Dave Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

London’s Burning is the story of punk rock as it happened, stripped of hindsight and future legend, and laid bare. Here are the Damned and the Adverts on tour, the Sex Pistols swearing through their prime-time television debut, the Tom Robinson Band conducting a club full of skinheads through the anthem “Glad to Be Gay,” rioting Rastas running through the carnage that closed the Notting Hill Carnival, Sid Vicious arguing about which was David Bowie’s best song. At the same time, it is a personal story of a confused but dedicated sixteen-year-old looking not just for kicks and great music, but for a cultural revolution--and finding one in his back yard.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

The social, political, economical, and musical elements that coalesced to shape the genre of punk have been well documented; however, few books tell the beginning from the perspective of a 17-year-old in the midst of a musical revolution. Thompson was that kid, working in a record store in London in the late 1970s and witnessing the humble start of punk rock. Although his narrative is personal, his emphasis throughout is on musicians who influenced and launched the DIY movement, both well-known acts (e.g., Patti Smith, the Sex Pistols, the Damned) and lesser-known ones (e.g., the Adverts, the Maniacs, and Roogalator). One of rock music's most prolific writers, Thompson has authored more than 100 books over the last 25 years. This most recent effort reminds us of what punk music looked like before it became a career and a topic in college classrooms. Recommended for all public libraries; this will particularly appeal to punk enthusiasts, musicians, and every member of the punk generation.—Joshua Finnell, McNeese State Univ. Lib., Lake Charles, LA
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From Booklist

Thompson, 16 when punk exploded on the London scene in 1976, chronicles that pivotal year month-by-month, starting with American Patti Smith’s appearance on BBC-TV’s Old Grey Whistle Test, in which the budding poet and singer “drew a line in the sand the British music scene was never going to recover from” by daring to reinterpret Jimi Hendrix’s “Hey Joe,” complete with distaff writhing-guitar pyrotechnics. Previously, reinterpretation or criticism of rock gods like Hendrix and Pink Floyd had been verboten for Brit rockers. Between Smith’s effrontery and fashion statements like Johnny Rotten’s “I hate Pink Floyd” T-shirt, the times changed. Soon Thompson and friends were wading through a cornucopia of the Ramones, Television, and the rest of the New York punks and New Wavers as well as English acts like the Sex Pistols and the Clash. Reggae surfaced, and the punk and Rasta communities came together after years of violent racial and class strife. It was a heady, creative time, reminiscent of the “Swingin’ London” of Beatlemania days. Excellent anecdotal pop-music history. --Mike Tribby

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Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556527691
• ISBN-13: 978-1556527692
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #523,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great First-Hand Memories of London Punk, December 27, 2009

By 

Kenneth Goldstein (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: London's Burning: True Adventures on the Front Lines of Punk, 1976-1977 (Paperback)

An interesting and in-depth look at the London punk scene, told by somebody who lived through it in his youth. The big names are all mentioned, but there are also great stories about those who are hardly remembered today. The author tells his story well and is an interesting companion for the journey.

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly awesome, January 31, 2011

By 

SteveN "plcmat" - See all my reviews

This review is from: London's Burning: True Adventures on the Front Lines of Punk, 1976-1977 (Paperback)

This looked interesting when I ran across it in a bookstore, but who could possibly have any additional insights on this well worn era in music?

Well, Dave Thompson can. Told from the point of view of a fan who moved to London to catch the action, it offers an entirely different perspective than the typical rock critic would. As much about the city as the music, one really gets a feel of what it was like to live in London during this exciting time. (Hint: not nearly as nice as you might think; London in the 70's sounds a lot like New York in the 70's, with large swaths of derelict housing, racial tension and dangerous turf even in the center city.)

I loved this book, the images are still burning (heh heh) in my mind several months later.