About this title: Sometimes harrowing, often hilarious, PLEASE KILL ME is a history of the birth of punk rock told by many of the people involved. Starting with the Velvet Underground, one of the bands that provided inspiration for the movement, Legs McNeil and co-author Gillian McCain interview members of the New York Dolls and the MC5, as well as Iggy Pop, associates of Andy Warhol, and the Ramones, among many others. Though most of their stories aren't pretty, they make compulsive reading. This is the kind of rock & roll history rarely found outside the confines of bars or dressing rooms, where confidences ...
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Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Grove Pr
Date Published: 2006-04-10
ISBN-13:9780802142641ISBN:0802142648
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780802142641. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Grove Press
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9780802142641ISBN:0802142648
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Abacus
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780349108803ISBN:0349108803
Description: Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! read more
Edition: NEW ED
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: LITTLE, BROWN BOOK GROUP Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780349108803ISBN:0349108803
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 544 pages. (544 pages) this is the story of a cultural phenomenon which embraced andy warhol, jim morrison, lou reed, david bowie, patti smith, the sex pistols, iggy pop, and more. documenting a time of self-destruction and peverse innocence, this text has contributions from both stars and groupies. illustrations edition new ed (Paperback) read more
Description: New. 0802115888 Brand NEW Hardcover with beautiful Dust Jacket, slightest shelf wear possible, ~ We would ship within 24 Hours, reply to customer emails ASAP, accept returns and offer 100% satisfaction guarantee! read more
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Grove Press, New York
Date Published: 1996
ISBN-13:9780802115881ISBN:0802115888
Description: Very Good in Fine jacket. Collectible. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. xvi, 424 pp., illus., bib. notes; 24 cm. Near fine. Tight, clean copy. Age toning. Stated "First Edition. " Dust jacket protected in a mylar book cover. Oral history of the American (New York) punk scene. "A Time Out and Daily News Top Ten Book of the Year upon its release, Please Kill Me brings the sound of the punk generation to life. Iggy Pop, Danny Fields, Dee Dee and Joey Ramone, Nico, Patti Smith, and scores of other famous and ... read more
"Punk rockers would make terrible dinner party guests. They will break your good china and roll around in the shards. They will defacate on the dessert. They will shoot up in your bathroom. They will hit on your grandmother. They also should make for interesting reading and, for the most part, the book delivered. I learned: *Nico drank good wine. *Phil Spector drank bad wine. *Nancy Spungen was advised to go to England to clean up and kick her serious drug habit. That's where she met Sid Vicious. *Even though Nancy was very disliked, everyone thought it was terrible that the police stopped investigating her murder after Sid died. Many people thought their drug dealer actually did it. *The Stooges got the IRS to stop bothering them about back taxes by explaining they were drug addicts and, therefore, bad with money. *The Sex Pistols were afraid to meet the Ramones after their show in England because they thought they would beat them up. *Debbie Harry thought the record companies gave them lots of drugs, not because they liked them, but to keep them compliant. *And, best of all, Iggy Pop, known for his terrible habit and dangerous excess had an ephiphany. He realized he "was the product". He cleaned up and he started saving his money. That's right. One of the most famous punks of all time, saved his life, by replacing nihilism with captalism. Isn't that fantstic?
Overall, interesting. I was disappointed that this book is billed the history of punk rock and really only covered New York punk and English punk as it pertained to the New York scene. They barely touched on the key differences between the two. (New York being a prodcut of the art scene and England being a product of working class hopelessness.) The LA scene wasn't touched and other East Coast punk bands of great importance, such as Black Flag, didn't get a mention."
"I love this book & have read & re-read it many times since it came home with me from Half-Price Books in the U-District in Seattle. I was out of stuff to read last night & headed to the library today so I pulled this out to tide me over.
First, this is an oral history & I love good oral history. Studs Terkel has always been a huge hero of mine & Legs McNeil is way on up there with this book.
Next, this is a wonderful collection of words & musing about the American punk scene. I particularly love that it starts with the Velvet Underground and proceeds through MC5 & on to Iggy Pop - these are 3 of my favorites. Then the New York Dolls & Television & The Ramones. Having spent a lot of time with this music & its ethos this book flat does it for me."
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