MARK PERRY – Sniffin’ Glue . . . and Other Rock ‘n’ Roll Habits (2024 Edition)

The legendary British underground fanzine titled Sniffin’ Glue . . . and Other Rock ‘n’ Roll Habits formed an essential part of the early punk scene (primarily in the UK) and was driven by a deep-seated love and admiration for the then-burgeoning milieu that began to form and take proper shape in that glorious year of 1976.

Written with the relentless zeal, pace, and energy of the very genre it so admirably covered, Mark Perry’s brilliant DIY endeavor attracted countless fans and readers, and when studying this new edition of his compilation of zines, it is easy to see and understand why. Personal, accessible, and utterly charming, the content of Sniffin’ Glue was hilarious and captured the ethos and spirit of the fresh and invigorating sounds of The Clash, Ramones, The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Jam, Generation X, Chelsea, and so on and so forth better than any retrospective account of the cultural phenomenon could ever do.

I love the format of this 2024 edition, and it serves as the perfect accompaniment to whenever a punk-related LP is playing on the stereo in our living room. There is a sense of purity and idealism to this collection that is both endearing and undeniable, and it is beautifully presented and guaranteed to serve as an uplifting reading experience, which obviously means that it comes highly recommended to all lovers of kick-ass punk rock from the golden era. Its youthful vigor and overwhelmingly passionate approach to the style and genre will keep you smiling for hours, and the visual content and graphics are worth the price of the book alone. A gem from a bygone era that is as essential as they come.