Last night (24/5/2026) I went to Bootleg Social in central Blackpool to see John Robb of The Membranes launch his new biography How punk destroyed my life. John has also had a successful career as a journalist/writer – he was the first journalist to interview Nirvana, what a scoop! In the second half of the evening he was joined by Holly Ross who discussed her band The Lovely Eggs and creating her own record label after having become disillusioned with the traditional music industry at a young age. She runs this with David Blackwell, her life partner and bandmate.
I was introduced to John by my partner who is also a Blackpool lad and like John has a long history in the music industry. Even though we had arrived early (with our friends who were on bookseller duties for the evening) the time flew, as I watched John engaging with everyone who approached him or was asking for their book purchase to be signed. Having been to lots of similar author events, the way John interacts with people is a joy to see. Everyone has a story to tell and John didn’t appear to get bored. He’s appeared in two events in Lancashire in the last week so he’s definitely heard a lot of stories! With several events to come across the country there are more opportunities to catch up with him although the guest speaker will vary.
He was more than a little late making it to the stage in true punk style. As in the original punk era not one person was bothered by this. John introduced us to his development as a punk and the formation of the band using charming, engaging slides. We started off with his school days and found that some audience members had gone to the same schools! He didn’t stop anyone from speaking out (in fact he relished it) as he went along with his life. We saw photos of the Oxfam shop where he brought clothing and a guitar to develop his punk style and begin his musical journey. He believed he could do it so he did. There was no hunt for celebrity status, just creation of music and getting the punk message across.
As John says in his book, “I tried to piece together punk from loose scraps of information. Trying to guess what it sounded like from the photos in the music press. It was an awkward fumble in the pop culture cupboard, trying to decipher the DIY clobber and the music.”
Blackpool was not selling any punk records at the time but the reputation of the music went before it. Odd now that Blackpool is the host to the yearly Punk festival “Rebellion” which is a highly popular and successful event.
The slides that show the evolution of the punk hair were a revelation. I will never look at Simple Soap in the same way. All that John said in his presentation was done with just the right level of humour. Please don’t think this presentation was anything like something we have all encountered in the workplace!
John is now part of the team that is forming the bid for ‘Blackpool City of Culture’, even though Blackpool is officially a town. I feel the town is in good hands with John at the helm and wish him every bit of luck in his endeavours.
John didn’t get any break in the interval as more people wanted to chat and have books signed. Some of the same people returned with their own reminiscences and this all added to the feeling of a relaxed happy evening with like minded people.
John’s interview of Holly took us on a different course with a relaxed style of them sitting in large leather chairs. Firstly we heard about the beginning of Holly’s first steps into the music industry at a young age. All this left her with a feeling of being used and manipulated.
Holly is a true creative. She talked about looking for just the right person to help with production of the music and the album covers. All a work of art with a message of their own.
We bought Bin Juice impressed by the story of creation of the album. It’s changed my opinion of black plastic bags. It’s on fluorescent green vinyl. It is a work of art as an object. The artist of the cover shares my view of crocs (the shoes not the animal). The added sticker on the black plastic packaging is a statement in itself. Holly and David put together all 1000 albums on their kitchen table.
Both Holly and John showed everything that is part of the true punk working class ethos of do it yourself, not only in the creation of costume but with Holly creating her own record label with her partner David.
As Dick Hebdidge (1979) rightly says in Subculture, The Meaning of Style, “The realities of bourgeois society, inequalities, powerless and alienation…. punk style had made a decisive break not only with the parent style with its own location in experience.”
I haven’t finished John’s book yet. I’m taking it slowly and savouring it. However, from what I have read, it has a truly authentic voice and would wholeheartedly recommend.
The whole night brought me back to a happy place of challenge and questioning what life is about. Don’t be a sheep, find your inner punk!
John Robb’s book Punk Rock Ruined My Life and Other Stories is out now, published by Manchester University Press. It’s available from all of the usual book shops or via Bandcamp
John’s tour continues around the UK with guests including Pauline Murray (Penetration), Steve & Paul Hanley (The Fall), The Meffs and more – dates and details here
John Robb: Website / Facebook / Instagram
The Membranes: Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
The Lovely Eggs: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
Review by Carolyn Batcheler
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