‘A searcher and a true believer in the magic and power of music. Part of the Manchester music skyline and I’ll fight anyone who tells me I’m wrong. If you know, you know…’Noel Gallagher, musician‘John Robb writes about music and culture with the insight of someone who loves it from the outside and lives it from the inside.’Johnny Marr, musician‘Punk rock may have ruined John Robb's life, but his writings have been like oxygen to me ever since he started. A case of his pain, our gain – and I'm forever grateful. This is a treasure trove of bands found and lost, wracked geniuses, greasy gigs, rumbles and fumbles and moments of bliss. Punk may have ruined one of John's lives, but he has lived many. All power to him!’Ian Rankin, novelist‘John Robb. OG.’Mary Anne Hobbs, DJ and journalist‘Clever, witty, eloquent and so weird – he's like the brother I never had.’Chris Packham, broadcaster‘John Robb puts into words how transformative punk rock can be for entire generations of small-town artists and outsiders. Thank God it ruined all our lives. Behold the Gospel according to John Robb, who intentionally sacrificed his life at the altar of punk rock.’Holly Ross, musician‘John Robb is beyond a Punk Potpourri. Musician, journalist, spoken wordsmith – like as sharp as a northern steely sword! This book is an essential read for anyone that punk touched… and fifty years later, John, the real truth is it made yr life!’Gavin Friday, musician‘John Robb has been a witness to some of the greatest cultural moments of our time. This book is filled with touching humanity, sharp humour and jaw-dropping episodes from a turbulent, tartan-braided life of art, music and pop culture.’Aideen Barry, artist'If you want to feel like a filthy fly on the filthy flyposted wall of dark, deafening basement bars and inhale the most pungent, most hilarious descriptions of alternative Blackpool and beyond, then bounce your eyeballs around on this beauty. John’s intense and often philosophical journey from punk’s birth to the present day is outstanding.'David Thewlis, actor and filmmaker'The hard-knock life of a struggling '80s indie band touring the world on a shoestring while crashing on fellow fanzine editors' floors is recounted with gusto, as are early encounters with future legends'Mark Cooper, MOJO'Vividly told, with a keen eye for period detail, this is a fantastic read.'Duncan Seaman, Yorkshire Post'This is not some bitter stroll through a memoir of stories, or a selfish need to rewrite the passages of musical history, but instead forms a refreshingly honest insight into its inner workings, making the 400 pages all the more rewarding to read.'Mark Massive, Blitzed magazine‘Not afraid to tackle The Big Questions, he fuses philosophy with science, memoir with textbook, but all through the prism of the importance and the enduring power of pop culture.’Richard Bowes, Live4ever‘Raw, candid and often incredibly moving, this is one of the finest music memoirs I’ve read in the last ten years. If you don’t have an art crush on him by the end of this book, you’re a massive tw*t.’ Lorna Irvine, The Wee Review'Ranks as one of Robb’s finest works to date, his commitment to the cause having never wavered throughout those sixty-five years on the planet. A book that actually started back in 2001 but took another quarter of a century to finally come to fruition yet was well worth the wait in doing so.' Dom Gourlay, Under the Radar'Not a conventional rock autobiography, and that’s exactly the point. It reads less like a victory lap and more like a long, passionate conversation in a pub, about punk, community, failure, grit, and the sheer absurd joy of having a go.'Dom Smith, Soundsphere
