synopsis:

'the boy looked at johnny' is A British history of punk, written as the history was being made. The authors try to execute "poseurs" like The Clash (see rudi can't fail [phrases]), The Jam and Iggy Pop (see [sample you love us heavenly version]) and worship the Sex Pistols (see "be a man. be someone. kill someone...") and X-Ray specs as the real royalty of their generation.

Parsons and Burchill have nothing good to say about anybody, but have a special contempt for Americans. they therefore try to destroy American rockers like the New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders who "were better at being junkies than they were at toeing the line as 'true punks'".

on this book:

although the authors of this book (which is now out-of-print) are very extreme and just hate everyone, this book is informative because it reflects the aggressive and dogmatic spirit of the british nihilist punk movement.