Diary of a Punk

by Mike Hudson

Mike Hudson was founder and lead singer of legendary Cleveland punk band the Pagans. In a prose style reminiscent of Hunter Thompson and William Burroughs, Hudson paints a stark insider's portrait of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0979769310
• ISBN13: 9780979769313
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Tuscarora Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

A Blast from the Past Indeed!

This was a "can't put it down" book about one of the greatest 70's Punk bands to come out of Cleveland!! A trip down memory lane for my age-group who remembers when, and a fresh look at the past for the newer fan-base of my 20-year-old daughters' generation! A name-dropping book of other music greats, and a rare, inside, and often sad peek of the behind-the-scenes lives of Mike and the gang. This book truly prooves the range of artistic talent that Mike Hudson possesses - musician, show-man, and journalist! I will definately buy Mike's other books now!! Please keep writing Mike! Oh, and think about another musical performance (here in Cleveland). The Pagans is why the phrase "Cleveland Rocks" came into concept!!

Sex, drugs, and a whole lot more! Compelling life story.

I had been avid reader of Mike Hudson's writings in the Niagara Reporter for years when Diary of a Punk was published. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to read it because I hadn't been a part of that scene in my youth. Also, I wasn't sure I wanted to know that much about Mike Hudson. I was a little afraid it might make me not like him. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me. Diary is an unsentimental, brutally honest portrayal of a life lived outside society's boundaries. Yet I never got the sense Mr. Hudson was bragging or proud of his many excesses. He was simply telling the tale of how his life and the Pagan's story unfolded. I found it fascinating, although it was a life I found hard to imagine or comprehend. The sincerity in the way he wrote of his life, and the losses he dealt with along the way, was very compelling. As interesting as Mike Hudson's life story was, I couldn't have enjoyed it as much if I didn't like his writing style. His prose is sparing, yet it can be beautiful. He conveys a lot in a few well chosen words. I just want to share an excerpt from one of my favorite paragraphs. "The city shimmered in the midsummer sunset as you drove west along the Shoreway downtown,........It was ours and it would always be ours and we were in love with it in the way that only the young can be in love."

Diary of a Punk Rocks

My wife bought me this book for a special occasion and I'm still grateful because it's of the coolest presents I've ever received. I highly recommend this book, especially to fans of 1977 punk rock. Approx 150 pages and several cool photos. I relate somewhat with the other reviewer concerning Hudson's beat/stream-of-consciousness style, but I really dug it. 'Diary of a Punk' is one of those prizey books which demand to be read within 24 hours - like Breakfast of Champions, Naked Lunch, Carburetor Dung, Fear and Loathing, or The Road. You can't put it down! It is a series of harrowing tales from life on the edge, but Hudson's many personal insights made me want to laugh and cry at times. The author makes no apologizes and lays it on the line in journalistic fashion. It is one of those rare books where life make just a little bit more sense after it has been read.