I’M NOT HOLDING YOUR COAT: My Bruises-and-All Memoir of Punk Rock Rebellion, by Nancy Barile

*** Ships today! Mark your calendars—Nancy Barile to read at the Boston Public Library on Nov. 26!  ***

“The old punk rock world was full of wanna-be contenders and straight up pretenders, and then there were those that you knew would rise above. Nancy was one of the latter—she was there and solid and supportive, and over the years I’ve watched her take the grit of that old world and use it as a hammer to fashion this present place into a more livable space. I’m proud to say I know her.” —Jack Grisham, T.S.O.L.

“A front row, music maniac, natural-born rebel’s memoir that highlights her participation and help in the very orchestration of the East Coast punk scene… an invaluable piece of punk rock history.” —Razorcake

“A wild ride recounted in vivid and lively detail. Barile has a clear, approachable voice that she uses to tell myriad great stories…a must-read for music history buffs, punk fans, and educators.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Her true life story is so similar to my own, where we re-live and discover in the rough decay of the 1970s city life, the color and the life of the underground gay and punk scenes.  The struggle, sounds, smells and color come alive. I feel the tension as a woman navigating to find her voice.” —Cynthia Connolly, Banned in DC

“I have known Nancy for most of my life as a great friend and as a contributor and caregiver to all who know her socially or personally. I photographed several of the exact moments described in this book but never once witnessed a punk show in Philly, so I enjoyed Nancy’s insight.” —Glen E. Friedman, My Rules

“An incredibly cool personal anthology of first-hand hardcore punk history.”—Dig Boston

“A valentine to the pre-Internet punk scene…a deeply poignant read, not only for its look at an era long passed but also for what we’ve missed from live music and in-person community during the COVID-19 pandemic.”—Broad Street Review

“A coming-of-age memoir demythologizing the testosterone camaraderie so apparent on the scene as she focuses on the actual consciousness of it all—activism, killer tunes, friendship, and, most endearingly, lifelong love and respect”—Thurston Moore

“In this book, Nancy paints a gritty portrait of an underground music scene, captures a highly underrated but extremely vital part of rock ‘n’ roll, and accurately documents a very important time in my life.” —Dicky Barrett, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

From disenchanted Catholic schoolgirl and glam maniac to instigator on the 1980s hardcore punk scene, Nancy Barile discovered freedom at a time when punk music was new and dangerous. She made her place behind the boards and right in the front row as insurgents such as SSD, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Dead Kennedys and Black Flag wrote new rules and made history. She survived punk riots and urban decay, ran the streets with outcasts, and ultimately found true love as she fought for fairness and found her purpose.

I’M NOT HOLDING YOUR COAT: My Bruises-and-All Memoir of Punk Rock Rebellion, by Nancy Barile
ISBN 978-1-935950-20-2
• Softcover edition
• 192 heavily illustrated pages
• Dimensions: 6″ x 9″ (150mm x 225mm); 2 lb. (.8 kg)

Table of Contents:

A conversation with Ian MacKaye
Introduction
1. Old School
2. Intro to Jukebox
3. Surviving High School
4. Working Hard in Harrisburg
5. Philly Love
6. Savage Pink
7. Punking It Up in the Big City
8. Black Flag, S.O.A., & the Kensington Brawl
9. Punk Fest and the Anti-Pasti Drama
10. Bad Brains, Black Flag, and the Big Takeover
11. Bombed at a Dead Kennedys Show
12. I Meet My Match
13. Welcome to Boston: The KKK and My Baby Far Away
14. A Philly Punk Moves to Boston
15. I’m Not Holding Your Coat
16. The Ghetto Riders & a Hit-and-Run: a Night at Buff Hall
Afterword
Acknowledgments
Playlist: Can’t Wait ’til It’s Party Time
About the Author

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Buff Hall – Part 3: I awaited Nov. 20 with great anticipation. Not only would I see powerhouses SSD and Minor Threat play live again, but I’d also get to watch my buddies John Watson singing and Vinnie Stigma playing guitar with their young band Agnostic Front. And I’d be treated to seeing my local pals Crib Death and Flag of Democracy. The day of the show, Al picked me up in his black van. About 11 members of the Boston Crew were already crammed into the back. I was happy to reconnect with everyone again and to make some new friends from Boston. After the 7 hour drive, the Crew was ready to have some fun. Driving through blighted Camden, I could tell Al was becoming apprehensive, but he didn’t say anything. We passed burned-out structures, trash-filled lots & crumbling, graffiti-covered buildings & I started to grow uneasy myself. When we arrived at the venue, I jumped right out of the van to find out where to unload the band’s equipment. Ian MacKaye from Minor Threat appeared in the driver’s side window and started talking to Al. Suddenly a station wagon came careening down the street. The driver had long dreadlocks & a crazed look in his eyes. One instant later, the wagon plowed headfirst into the SSD van, clipping Ian—who was smart enough to grab the top of the van and jump—and tossing him into the air. The driver did not stop, but continued his rampage down the street and out of sight. Meanwhile, Ian was down in the middle of the street. Some kids who had been skateboarding in front of the club ran to get his sneaker, which had blown off from the impact. Ian clearly needed to go to the hospital, and someone took him right away. Photo by Bruce Rhodes. Me under Al’s elbow falling in love! #punk #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #oldschoolhardcorepunk #oldschoolhardcore #bostonhardcorepunk #phillypunkshows #philly #phillypunks #phillypunk #phillypunkscene #oldschoolhardstyle #punkphotography #punkhistory #1982 #punkgirl #punkgirls #punkwoman #punkstory #punkrockstory #punkbook #punkbooks #punkwriters #punkteacher #punkrockteacher #agnosticfront #ianmackaye #imnotholdingyourcoat #minorthreat #ssdecontrol

A post shared by Nancy Barile (@nancybarile) on Oct 28, 2020 at 6:42am PDT