Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk

Doe (guitarist & bass player, X), fellow band members, and friends such as Doe's ex, Exene Cervenka and Henry Rollins, reminisce about the prime years of the Hollywood punk scene (1975–80) in this fascinating collection of essays. The punk movement was a subculture centered on art, creativity, rebellion, and anger. There were links to futurism, Dadaism, surrealism, and the influences of Arthur Rimbaud, Fats Domino, Jim Morrison, R&B, and rockabilly. Prior music experience was not a prerequisite to form a punk band. The genre was meant to be performed live, because radio play was scarce to nonexistent. Violence in the mosh pits added fuel to the excitement at the events publicized in various fanzines and fliers. Many of the musicians lived in rat-infested apartments, wore vintage and thrift-store clothing, drove late-model cars from the 1950s and 1960s and rechristened themselves with glam rock names. Heroin became the drug of choice and sadly, many of the original punks succumbed and died.