Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys.

Viv Albertine's memoir chronicles her journey from North London teenager to guitarist of influential punk band The Slits in the 1970s. She recounts her experiences in London's early punk scene alongside figures like Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, and The Clash's Mick Jones. The narrative continues through her post-punk years, following her transition away from music and into marriage, motherhood, and a career in television. Her return to music-making in her fifties forms a key part of her later story. Through frank discussion of relationships, creative work, and personal struggles, Albertine examines how societal expectations of women shaped her choices and artistic expression. The memoir presents both a document of punk history and a reflection on female identity in the late 20th century.

Readers praise Albertine's raw honesty about her experiences in the punk scene and her personal struggles. Many note her unflinching accounts of relationships, health issues, and the realities of being a female musician in the 1970s-80s. Liked: - Direct, conversational writing style - Details about the London punk movement - Frank discussions of feminism and gender roles - Personal insights about The Slits and other bands Disliked: - Some find the second half less engaging than the punk years - A few readers mention repetitive sections - Occasional timeline jumps cause confusion One reader called it "the most candid music memoir I've ever read," while another noted it's "more about a woman finding her voice than about punk rock." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.15/5 (7,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (850+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (150+ ratings)

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🎸 Viv Albertine was the guitarist of influential punk band The Slits, one of the first all-female punk bands in the UK, formed in 1976. 📝 The book's unique title comes from Albertine's mother's criticism of her teenage interests, claiming these were the only three things she cared about. 🎬 Before joining The Slits, Albertine was part of the Flowers of Romance with Sid Vicious, and she dated The Clash's Mick Jones, who wrote "Train in Vain" about their relationship. 🎨 After The Slits disbanded, Albertine completely abandoned music for nearly 25 years, focusing on careers in television directing and pottery before returning to making music in 2009. 💫 The memoir won the Mojo Honours List 2014 Book of the Year award and was praised by critics for its raw honesty about everything from punk rock to cancer survival to motherhood.