Punk. The Original

John Holmstrom (Editor)
Trans-High Corporation
Copyright Date:
Review Date: 2002

You’ve heard about it, you read about it, now get your mits on the real thing. The orignal zine that coined the term “punk rock” with a capital P! Cool. Worth picking up if you ever put out a zine or ever called yourself a punk. Selected reprints from entire run, including one issue that was never published. No intro, just a paragraph or sentence on each of the features. As anyone who’s ever published a zine knows, it’s freaking expensive. Apparently the publishers still aren’t raking it in because this looks to be a semi-low budget project. There are a couple of glossy full color pages in the middle that appear to be out of context, but they’re cool photos. For some reason (probably monetary) it’s not a complete record and it is not chonological. The cover has small color reprints of 10 of 18 covers so doesn’t seem to be for lack of the original copies. If there is any justice in this world someone will finance a complete reprinting of every issue with color plates and a complete introduction and prologue. Until then, pick up “Punk: The Original”. Actually, I’ve never seen it in a store. Contact Trans-High Corporation, 235 Park Avenue South, 5th floor, New York City, New York, 10003. One interesting note: All the historical bitching/anglophobia about the NY scene happening first seems to have taken a back seat to marketing. The most prominant thing about the cover of this book is a picture of Rotten and Vicious. I guess you gotta sell copies somehow.

$19.95 Perfectbound.