Februar 1st, 2017

MDC: Memoir from a Damaged Civilization: Stories of Punk, Fear, and Redemption – Dave Dictor

Posted in bücher by Dolf

Manic D Press, P.O. Box 410804, San Francisco, CA 94141, Usa, www.manicdpress.com

Millions of Dead Cops – what a band name, it also can stand for: Multi-Death Corporation, Millions of Dead Children, Millions of Damn Christians, Metal Devil Cokes, Millions of Dead Capitalists, Missile Destroyed Civilization, Millions of Dead Cowboys….. I remember when I first heard their music in the early eighties and how much I liked them because of their style but also because of their message and how mad I was when I missed them live because the guy who said he has a car going, had not. Anyway, over three decades later their singe Dave writes down his memories. It is not a band only story, it also goes back in Dave’s childhood and upbringing and is in parts also very personal. The book features 33 chapters, which makes it a easy and enjoyful read. Alot of the story goes chronological, but not everything is featured. The main focus is probably on the first few years of the band (like in so many cases with books like this), because that was the most important or intense time.

Well, there was more intense times coming, but partly that unfortunately was because the heavy use of drugs by Dave and other members. That was probably also the reason why reality and claim where sometimes not so close together as one would wish for a political hardcoreband, they rose and fell a couple of times. Remember the band was for and against all the right things – which was even back then, not the rule. Each chapter speaks about a certain subject, a band, a person, a activity or explains how and why certain lyrics developed. Rock Against Reagan Tour, John Wayne was a Nazi, Tim Yohannon (MRR), First European Tour, Gilman, Pope visit, CroMags, Bad Brains, Tours all over the world, Drug antics… just to name a few of the subjects of the chapters. Also included are many photos, flyers and other cool graphic stuff to look at. While Dictor is really careful with the story’s he tells and seems not to be into dissing anybody (even thou some would have truly deserved it) the reader is able to read clearly between the lines where Dave is at and with what assholes he also had to deal and how certain bands where not so „punk“ as one would think…
The most important quote from this book for the general understanding of the Punk/HC scene back then until today might be: „Then, somewhere in 1983-84, we realized how different we were: Bad Brains, the Misfits, Agnostic Front, the Meatmen, and MDC had a lot less in common with each other than we all had thought.“
Unfortunately Dave got really ill and is facing health problems since then, trying to keep surviving and I hope he manages to do so for a long time in the future. MDC is still active today. If you are a fan you need to read this book. And if you only like this kind of narrative and have never heard of the band, it is a good way to get introduced to them. 190 pages, paperback, 15,95 US $ (dolf)
Isbn 978-1933149981

[Trust # 181 December 2016]

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