Book launch: The Punk Kings of Dyslexia by Stephen Micalef

I am delighted to tell you about Stephen Micalef’s new book The Punk Kings of Dyslexia to be launched at Rough Trade West on Friday 16th December, from 5.30 – 6.30pm. The event is free. 

Stephen went under the moniker ‘Steve Mick’ when he wrote for Mark P’s legendary Punk fanzine, Sniffin’ Glue for ten months, up until May ’77. He was there practically at the inception of Punk and we glimpse through his writings, the times, the bands, the scene. It is a unique insight. As a historian I found the book fascinating, the language evocative of the spirit of Punk.                                                                                                                                                                        

The poems are written in his handwriting alongside a transcript of each and the book is a limited edition of 500, each copy being hand-numbered. 

Stephen Micalef AKA Steve Mick

’40 years ago I was stapling our mag Sniffin’ Glue at the back of a new shop just opened by Geoff Travis in Kensington Park Road. In a wet walled curtained grotto behind the Rough Trade record shop counter I was collating the photocopied sheets when a bloke from The Times Education Supplement, Juri Gabriel, who’d just been to see The Damned, popped his head round the curtain & asked Mark Perry & me for an interview.
We went to cafe round the corner & I wrote a few words for him about what Punk meant to me : “you’ve gotta hate the past to create something new.” He suggested I try for Oxford, so I did. Punk utterly changed my life and these poems are a testament to my 10 months at the heart of Punk Rock, from August 1976 – May 1977.’ 

For further information, go to www.roughtrade.com/events/steve-micalef-aka-steve-mick-poetry-reading-signing