21. Legs McNeill and Gillian McCain “Please Kill Me; The Uncensored Oral History of Punk”

Nominated by Zoe McGrory

One Sentence Review-

Despicable them; deftly recorded exploits of some thoroughly unlikeable individuals.

Extended Review-

I liked this book from the very moment I discovered its author is called Legs McNeill. Several pages in, I soon began to realize that “Legs” came off lucky in a cast of “Cheetahs” and “Iggys” and “Stivs” (I also later found out his real name is Roderick and can now understand why he prefers Legs). The book is a collection of expertly curated testimonies featuring everyone from Andy Warhol to DeeDee Ramone with every wannabe player on the New York punk scene tossing their ten cents into the conversation. It isn’t pleasant in places. Most everyone except one Ramone, Debbie Harry and Bebe Bueller, (who seems to be measuring her comments with long-learnt diplomacy), come across as thoroughly unlikeable, selfish idiots who spend more time getting thrown out of music venues than actually creating any music. Saying that it is well worth the read, if only to understand just how intense, incestuous and fleeting punk actually was. Be warned however, this book had me listening to the same Television record on repeat for three days. If that’s not something you feel comfortable with, might be best to read the Justin Bieber biography instead.

Zoe also recommends-

Pamela Des Barres “I’m With the Band; Confessions of a Groupie

Zoe McGrory hails from the wilds of Scotland and now lives in East Belfast. She shares the bat cave with me at the Ulster Hall and holds, with grim Scotch determination, the keys to the stationary cupboard. She enjoys the life and work of Elvis Presley, diet cola, vegetables and stationary. I would be lost and adrift without her.