A Field Guide to Punk

What makes Punk… Punk? We might all know the Sex Pistols from the opening bar of their songs. But how do we place the Punk movement in the context of the wider Zeitgeist of the time? And how do the various international offshoots of Punk – American, British, Australian – intersect and overlap? Well, that’s precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explains in this book. In these pages, Steve explains the social climate of Thatcherism, along with a detailed timeline of foundational bands (as well as connected artists, like Damien Hurst, and other subversive genres like Britpop). There are breakdowns of the most iconic Punk artists, as well as fashion designers, record labels, DJs, producers, engineers and magazines – all of which applied their own layer to the Punk patchwork. There are deep dives into controversies, rivalries, and band breakups. And lastly, there’s a dissection of how evolutions of punk carry on today, in recorded music and in wider pop culture.

Steve Wide is an Australian DJ with a long-running British music radio show. He’s run legendary club nights and interviewed countless artists, from Noel Gallagher to Björk. Steve’s previous books include Bowie A to Z, Prince A to Z, Grace Jones A to Z, and The Beatles A to Z, all published by Smith Street Books.