Punk Love

by Susie J. Horgan, Henry Rollins (Foreword), Ian Mackaye (Introduction)

Celebrating friendships that have been bound together by music since 1979, Susie J. Horgan's largely unpublished images were taken as friend and participant on the music scene, rather than as a journalist, and are both an exceptional contribution to the history of punk as well as a true reflection of punk values. She captured iconic photographs of such hardcore legends as Minor Threat, S.O.A., Teen Idles, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Cramps, Untouchables, Youth Brigade, the Germs, and many others. Punk Love documents specifically the birth of the early Washington, D.C., punk movement in 1979. D.C. punk was a different kind of punk. It was hardcore. It was explosive. It was revolutionary. But people misread punk rock as being about hate and anger. It was spiritual. It was about self-respect and justice-basic morals and values. This is punk love.

Genres: Music, Photography, Punk, Nonfiction, Art

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 30, 2007

Reviews

[Enric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically, I am a psycho for old DC hardcore, so take this rating with a grain of salt.

[Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like Ian McKaye, there are some good photos, but overall this book was kind of lame. Lot's of interesting photos, but not really what I expected. Ithought there would be more text about the bands etc.

[Mark Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soon after getting her first camera, Horgan happened to get a job at Haagen-Dazs where two teens named Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye happened to work. This serendipity led her to take two iconic punk photos — the Minor Threat album cover with Alec MacKaye sleeping on steps with his bald head hanging down, and a closeup of a kid with X’s on his hands. The book shows these and a bunch of other photos she took over the next six months, many unpublished before. It’s great to see Henry grabbing the mic and singing with Ian at a Minor Threat show. The book has a few pages of transcripts of Henry and Ian talking to Susie about the photos, nothing revelatory, but if you’re a fan of D.C. hardcore, it’s a wonderful glimpse into a time (1979) when American punk kids didn’t have a uniform and the crowds were diverse. Grade: B+

[Rob Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great photos of seminal DC hardcore legends by Susie Horgman (a coworker of Henry and Ian at Haagan-Daz. A few of them are very well known, others are just great candid shots. A lot of fun to flip through.

[Deedee Light · Rating 4 out of 5]

May be a book only a punk could love but if you were raised with the punk scene it's worth grabbing this up and skipping in a the circle J- while you read.

[Jeremy Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome palate cleanser.