Viv Albertine is always portrayed as a strong and powerful woman in the history books of Punk Rock music.

As a member of the spectacularly ground-breaking and explosive girl group The Slits, Albertine blazed a trail for the multitude of guitarists who desperately needed female role models to find their own voice in the music business.  The Slits bashed their way on to the scene right alongside the Sex Pistols and The Clash during the late seventies and left an indelible impression during their short-lived career.

Now with the release of her captivating new autobiography, Viv Albertine thrusts herself back onto the scene with a strong and powerful story of perseverance.

CLOTHES, CLOTHES, CLOTHES.
MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC.
BOYS, BOYS, BOYS.
released by Thomas Dunne Books, is simply a must-read memoir for ALL Rock music fans.
With the very first sentence, Albertine lures in the reader with an honest and humorous declaration of her intentions:
  -"Anyone who writes an autobiography is either a twat or broke. I'm a bit of both."
Or a bit of a genius...

Cleverly presented and formatted like a vinyl LP, the book reads almost as two separate stories.
"Side One" chronicles Albertine's rise and fall from the bright hot spotlight of fame. Growing up in a broken home in North London allows our heroine the opportunity to not only witness musical history in the making but to inject herself straight into it.  Before she even turned sixteen, Viv witnessed The Rolling Stones play Hyde Park, followed Marc Bolan and T. Rex around London, and had been stepped on by David Bowie!
  -"He's not as dainty as he looks."

But its after watching Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols live in concert that Albertine sees her destiny.
  -"All the things I'm so embarrassed about, John's made into virtues...I think he's brave. A revolutionary. He's sending a very powerful message, the most powerful message anyone can ever transmit. Be yourself."

And with this new found sense of purpose and encouragement from her boyfriend Mick Jones (of The Clash), she's off to buy her first electric guitar. Albertine explains the revelation felt on the bus ride home from the music store, "Nobody knows I can't play it. At this moment in time, I look like a guitarist...For the first time in my life, I feel like myself."

Albertine informs her Mum that she's dropping out of college to play in a band, and the rest is history! Well, it should be noted that like in all great Rock N' Roll stories, Sex and Drugs tend to get in the way of success...and the story of The Slits is no exception.  Toss in friendships with Sid Vicious ("...I think one of the most shocking things he's ever done is get involved with Nancy Spungen."), Chrissie Hynde ("...no one wants to be in a band with her, she's too good.") and Johnny Thunders ("It feels like we're meant to be together. If he wasn't a junkie...") and this book ROCKS!

"Side Two" of the book details Albertine's life after The Slits.  It is here that we learn to empathize with the everyday struggles of her life and admire the stamina of this woman's battles with cervical cancer and a failed marriage.  After years of being completely out of the public eye, with her confidence rattled and self-doubt sabotaging a potential return to the stage, Albertine is saved by the unconditional love of her daughter.
  -" 'Mummy, you were born to play guitar.' That phrase, and the way she says it, sustains me for years."

CLOTHES...MUSIC...BOYS by VIV ALBERTINE!

Viv Albertine.