Pretty Vacant: A History of UK Punk (Cappella Books) (Paperback)

~ Phil Strongman (Author)
Key Phrases: punk festival, cowboy mouth, live debut, Pretty Vacant, The Clash, Sex Pistols (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest in a robust lineage of books about the early days of punk music, Strongman's history delivers a straightforward account of the rise of the Sex Pistols and the Clash in the U.K., as well as retelling the story of the New York scene that gave birth to the Ramones and Patti Smith, and the West Coast punk movement that spawned the Dead Kennedys and others. More than 30 years later, the characters that populate these stories continue to amuse and appall with equal ease: John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) performing a bizarre mewling, puking, hunchback-cringing rendition of I'm Eighteen at his first audition for the Sex Pistols; Sid Vicious spiraling out of control in a violent, drug-fueled nightmare. The Pistols get most of the glory here, as indicated by the book's title from one of their earliest and most famous songs, but Strongman's narrative is notable for its inclusiveness of a diverse group of scenes and bands. While it breaks no new ground in redefining the accepted forefathers (the Velvet Underground) or heirs (Gang of Four, the Fall) of the most famous era of punk music, the book is undoubtedly valuable as a well-researched primer on the events and personalities that defined the records and culture of that world. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Undoubtedly valuable."  —Publishers Weekly

"Shocking . . . outrageous."  —Austin Chronicle

"[Strongman] is a talented writer, and even those who have no interest in punk's style or substance will find themselves engrossed in Pretty Vacant storytelling."  —Pop Matters.com

"Entertaining."  —NUVO

"[Strongman is] a visceral storyteller."  —Skyscraper magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Chicago Review Press (April 1, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 1556527527 ISBN-13: 978-1556527524 Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #746,241 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
punk festival, cowboy mouth, live debut

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Pretty Vacant, The Clash, Sex Pistols, New York, The Ramones, Ray Stevenson, Sid Vicious, Dave Goodman, King's Road, Patti Smith, The Buzzcocks, The Damned, The Beatles, Steve Jones, Richard Hell, The Stooges, John Lydon, Let It Rock, The Fall, The Banshees, Bernard Rhodes, Anarchy Tour, Nancy Spungen, Melody Maker, Mick Jones

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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	72% buy the item featured on this page: Pretty Vacant: A History of UK Punk (Cappella Books) 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) $16.95
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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Vacant: A History of UK Punk, April 27, 2008 By  Lawrence R. Chaplan (Marstons Mills, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Amazon Verified Purchase Surprise...........This was book was refreshingly well researched and as a result, rather enlightening. The bulk of the discussion in the book was new and fresh material, rather than the old hand me down stuff of the past. On top of that it was well written and quite readable. I can recommend this book to anyone interested in some of the things that really happened in the New York and UK punk scenes. 5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Vacant (Not), July 24, 2009 By  Bloomsbury (melbourne australia) - See all my reviews Phil Strongman has written a great book. Subtitled "A History of Punk", it's a great journey through the development of this exciting movement. The author's engagement with his subject is infectious, his appreciation of the music obvious. He's also interviewed many of the seminal figures of punk & relates the emergence & development of the scene with verve & a rigorous adherence to detail & provable facts. He also includes many quotes from punk musicians & adherents that vividly evoke the era. Strongman is able to set Punk within its historical context, both musically & culturally. About a third of the book is devoted to Punk outside the U.K. - mainly in the U.S.A, with coverage of bands both well known & less famous but equally important. The tragic Sid Vicious (who took it all too seriously) is discussed with insightful sympathy, & the evil twins of Punk (the hangers on, the users, the dealers) are dealt with clearly. Strongman has the wonderful talent of describing a place & time so that you feel you've been there. His sections on the Chelsea Hotel & the 100 Club punk festival (where it all started in 1976) are practically a time machine to transport you there. Strongman is no fan of Vivienne Westwood, seeming to believe Malcolm McLaren's claims that he was the creative genius of the pair. It's hard not to think that Westwood suffers the traditional fate of outspoken, "not nice" women when she's denigrated in this way, her own genius downplayed. McLaren, of course, is sublime as a self promoter. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the rise of Punk, the music itself or the cultural & social history of the era. I loved it, & will read it again.		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556527527
• ISBN-13: 978-1556527524
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #746,241 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Vacant: A History of UK Punk, April 27, 2008

By	Lawrence R. Chaplan (Marstons Mills, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Surprise...........This was book was refreshingly well researched and as a result, rather enlightening.
The bulk of the discussion in the book was new and fresh material, rather than the old hand me down stuff of the past. On top of that it was well written and quite readable.
I can recommend this book to anyone interested in some of the things that really happened in the New York and UK punk scenes.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Vacant (Not), July 24, 2009

By	Bloomsbury (melbourne australia) - See all my reviews

Phil Strongman has written a great book. Subtitled "A History of Punk", it's a great journey through the development of this exciting movement.

The author's engagement with his subject is infectious, his appreciation of the music obvious. He's also interviewed many of the seminal figures of punk & relates the emergence & development of the scene with verve & a rigorous adherence to detail & provable facts. He also includes many quotes from punk musicians & adherents that vividly evoke the era.

Strongman is able to set Punk within its historical context, both musically & culturally. About a third of the book is devoted to Punk outside the U.K. - mainly in the U.S.A, with coverage of bands both well known & less famous but equally important.

The tragic Sid Vicious (who took it all too seriously) is discussed with insightful sympathy, & the evil twins of Punk (the hangers on, the users, the dealers) are dealt with clearly. Strongman has the wonderful talent of describing a place & time so that you feel you've been there. His sections on the Chelsea Hotel & the 100 Club punk festival (where it all started in 1976) are practically a time machine to transport you there.

Strongman is no fan of Vivienne Westwood, seeming to believe Malcolm McLaren's claims that he was the creative genius of the pair. It's hard not to think that Westwood suffers the traditional fate of outspoken, "not nice" women when she's denigrated in this way, her own genius downplayed. McLaren, of course, is sublime as a self promoter.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the rise of Punk, the music itself or the cultural & social history of the era. I loved it, & will read it again.