Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk In TO & Beyond
Fans of punk history are well versed in the cultural fury unleashed by The Ramones at CBGB’s in New York City, and, also, by The Sex Pistols and The Clash at clubs in London around 1977. But what about the subversive spirit that swept along Toronto’s Queen Street West at the time, in the wake of such local heroes as The Viletones, Diodes, Forgotten Rebels, and Teenage Head? To celebrate the release of her eagerly awaited, groundbreaking chronicle, Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk In Toronto and Beyond (1977-81) (Bongo Beat Books), noted author, poet and editor Liz Worth will discuss the story of Toronto punk with Damian Abraham, lead singer of 2009 Polaris Prize winners, Fucked Up. Special musical guests will be announced shortly. Marc Glassman, Executive Director of This is Not A Reading Series (TINARS) will host the evening.
A TINARS event presented by The Force For Cultural Events Production, Bongo Beat Books, Gladstone Hotel, NOW Magazine, and Take Five On CIUT.
Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk In Toronto & Beyond (1977-1981) captures the personalities that drove the original punk scene. Noted author, poet and editor Liz Worth has assembled the first book to document the histories of The Diodes, Viletones and Teenage Head, along with other bands (B-Girls, Curse, Demics, Dishes, Forgotten Rebels, Johnny & The G-Rays, The Mods, The Poles, Simply Saucer, The Ugly, etc) and fans that brought the punk scene to life in Toronto. Told in the voices of those who were there, Treat Me Like Dirt is a punk rock road map, full of chaos, betrayal, pain, disappointments, failure, success, and the pure rock ‘n’ roll energy that frames this layered history of punk in Toronto and beyond. Worth’s groundbreaking book includes a wealth of previously unseen photographs.
Liz Worth is a Toronto writer, poet, and editor. She is the author of Eleven: Eleven and her writing has appeared in Punk Planet, Clamor, ChiZine and ditch, among others. Treat Me Like Dirt is her first non-fiction book.
Damian Abraham is the lead singer of Toronto hardcore punk band, Fucked Up. The band won the prestigious 2009 Polaris Music Award for the album The Chemistry of Common Life.
Media Contact:
Chris Reed, coordinator@tinars.ca
