It was only a matter of time before punk rock got the Aye Jay treatment. The artist-author, whose books have previously tackled hip-hop (”Gangsta Rap Coloring Book”), the Pitchfork crowd (”Indie Rock Connect the Dots”) and Dirtheads (”Heavy Metal Fun Time Activity Book”), sets his sights on the mohawked masses in his latest volume, “Punk Rock Fun Time Activity Book.”
The foreward was penned by Steven Blush, the director of the documentary “American Hardcore,” based on his book of the same name, and the 46 pages of puzzles that follow range from word searches based on punk legends (you try finding GBH) to coloring Darby Crash (suggestion: it’s more punk to color outside the lines) to drawing on Henry Rollins’ tattoos (bummer: no exposed back on which to draw that giant search & destroy sun). Our personal favorites are the two Punk Libs, one set to the Dead Kennedys’ “California Uber Alles,” and the other set to “I Wanna Be Your Dog” from the Stooges.
With the exception of Green Day, modern punk is notably absent (where’s NOFX?), which means punk fans below the age of about 40 may have a tough time with some of the games (unless of course they’ve done their old school homework). But the book fits nicely alongside the series’ other volumes and the publisher is racking up quite a nice set of releases, which makes us wonder which genre will get the treatment next. Reggae? Jam bands? Jazz?
And good news for you gutter punks hoping to buy the book by sparing for change on Telegraph Ave: It costs less than $10. And honestly, what would you rather have — a book that guarantees you at least 20 minutes of entertainment, or a half dozen 40s of King Cobra?
