My new book, a prose/comics hybrid, comes out Aug 4th. I couldn’t be prouder to share with you the teenage stories that led to my making the Afro-Punk documentary (now fully restored) and how the festival went from being a scrappy DIY effort into a global brand — and at what cost.
Here’s what folks are saying so far.
James Spooner lays out a moving story of self-discovery, actualization, and preservation. Set against the backdrop of various evolving punk scenes, we learn about his experiences as a multiracial, first- generation immigrant punk and get to see how they led him to create a documentary that spawned a scene and altered both punk and Black culture dramatically. James is a great storyteller and this is a fantastic read, plus it’s got his comics in it—always a boss move. I was there, this sh*t is real!” —Tunde Adebimpe, TV on the Radio
James Spooner has created a memoir that belongs in the canon of punk history. This is a story told from the inside, by an extremely like-able, awkward punk rocker who believes music can be a true site of resistance and does the work to make it happen. The road is rocky, but that’s what makes it such a thrilling read.
—Kathleen Hanna, author of Rebel Girl, Bikini Kill, Le Tigre
In a moment when the societal obsession with cloudy nostalgia can sometimes swallow the concrete facts of history and erase the people who made it, It Starts with Anger is a vital book, one that should live in the archives as both a corrective to misunderstood history, and a manifesto for a path forward, for a world that could still exist for those looking to find it.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, author of A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performan
You order the book through your favorite bookseller or a signed copy from me here.
The book tour kicks off on Thursday Aug 6 with screenings and book talks in the tri-state area (New York, Philly and New Jersey). I’ve got some exciting events back in Los Angeles, and will be heading to DC, Seattle and Boston later in the year.
Highlights include talks with Henry Rollins, Mira Jacob, Moe Mitchell and Justin Pearson.
For a complete list of August’s East coast and West Coast events and a preview of whats to come later in the year click here.
Thanks for following. I hope to see you at one of my events.
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