Glen E. Friedman: My Rules

by Shepard Fairey (Foreword), C.R. Stecyk III (Introduction), Glen E. Friedman (Photographer)

The definitive monograph of Glen E. Friedman, a pioneer of skate, punk, and hip-hop photography, including much never-before-published work. Glen E. Friedman is best known for his work capturing and promoting rebellion in his portraits of artists such as Fugazi, Black Flag, Ice-T, Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, The Misfits, Bad Brains, Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., and Public Enemy, as well as classic skateboarding originators such as Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Alan "Ollie" Gelfand, Duane Peters, and Stacy Peralta, and a very young Tony Hawk. Designed in association with celebrated street and graphic artist Shepard Fairey, this monograph captures the most important and influential underground heroes of skateboarding, punk, and hip-hop cultures. My Rules is an unprecedented window into the three most significant countercultures of the last quarter of the twentieth century, and Friedman’s photographs define those important movements that he helped shape. A remarkable chronicle and a primer about the origins of radical street cultures, My Rules is also a statement of artistic inspiration for those influenced by these countercultures.

Genres: Art, Photography, Music

324 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Joe Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully presented large GEF print photos, some familiar but all brilliant. The images are immediately immersive and intense, clearly shot from the perspective of a person who lived those same experiences and could therefore perfectly capture the essence of the skating, punk and hip-hop subcultures. Some insightful notes from many of the featured subjects, others slightly less so.

[Mark Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE: My review applies to the 52-page black-and-white Burning Flag Press edition based on the 1982 zine and not the 342-page, full-color book put out later.

Excellent early '80s live pictures of classic punk bands: Minor Threat, Black Flag, Descendents, Bad Brains, Minutemen, etc. A few introductory words from back in the day by Ian MacKaye and Keith Morris. Not a single photo of a woman, not even in the background at shows. Nice reproduction on big Kindle, but it won't let you zoom in on photos.

[Mills College Library]

779.2092 F9113 2014