Comments on: PUNK: Lonesome American Memoirs

By: sunshine

sunshine — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 05:03:26 +0000

Alex, you can buy this book in paperback at lulu press.

For more info follow this link:
http://sunshine-jones.com/inprint/

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 02:33:52 +0000

Wow.
Incredible story.
You have no idea how much I enjoyed reading this, because I really enjoy the punk music/lifestyle and this was just amazing for me.
Is there any chance you’re selling your book in a store like Coles or Chapters or some store like that?
I’d do anything to own this book.

Thank you, so much for this.
I must have more.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:52:25 +0000

good!

: )

By: arline

arline — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:29:25 +0000

yeah, there was nothing except

sorry your document can’t be found

but I found it today.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:20:23 +0000

weird…

but what exactly was the problem? like, the page wasn’t found??

By: arline

arline — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 11:36:16 +0000

OK, this is very strange, becaust thismornig, I was able to pull it up, but yesterday said something like “sorry such and such cant be found”

dunnoe

but I am happy to have a copy, or will be rather.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 01:41:48 +0000

I couldn’t get it to come up on line, so I ordered my own copy. I would rather read it like that anyway.

How come you couldn’t get it to come up? Can you explain exactly what the trouble was? Maybe something’s wrong I’m not aware of…

By: arline

arline — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 12:32:16 +0000

I couldn’t get it to come up on line, so I ordered my own copy. I would rather read it like that anyway.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 17:51:31 +0000

Hey Fee.

I’m so glad you read the book. You know, after some behind the scenes difficulty with the content of this book I lost momentum. A few people read the book half expecting a history book, or maybe a modern politically correct view of the past, my past. I realized after being accused of sexism and homophobia that I hadn’t put this book together correctly.

I mean to say that you don’t see any insight until you get to the end. How could you? I made every effort to present my state of mind in that moment without any apologies. The idea being that my experience as a punk, with all those people was that of a sociopath, a liar, a broken child with a lot of problems struggling to work it out. And not as a condemnation of punk rock, or society, or anyone else, but rather a kind of a celebration of how punk rock actually saved my life.

How other peope had other points of view, other behavior, but I was almost entirely unaware of them. Unwilling, and unable to hear them, or to learn from them.

A friend of mine is reading the book now, and we talked about it last night. I stayed up late re reading it. I haven’t picked it up in some time. It was good to read it again. I’m not sure where to begin with the re write. But I can see how it needs a complete reworking, and intend to give myself to that project.

Mod is nearly ready for presentation. I may wait to rewrite until all three books are done.

By: Fee

Fee — Fri, 19 May 2006 09:24:05 +0000

WOW! I just finished the paperback version last night. The book was riveting, raw, and deeply depressing, but somehow uplifting at the same time, if that makes any sense. I have absolutely no experience with the punk scene whatsoever, so the journey was especially incredible. You book gave me so much to think about. So beautiful to see so much love rise from so much angst and sorrow. We are moving ourselves so time is scarce lately, but I’m excited to see I popped in just in time for the rewrite. Looking forward to getting the chance to check it out.
much love

By: Maude

Maude — Thu, 18 May 2006 21:04:37 +0000

Yes…I’m alive..and well…and so is Nina…You should come and play with us one day!

By: sunshine

sunshine — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:31:58 +0000

Jessica,

You have a very nice blog, photoblog, travelog, and biolog yourself. I really appreciate your photos, and the commentary.

I remember Julie from Lawrence Kansas, I actually have a really funny picture of my sneering my head off with her in a headlock. She’s calm, shaved headed and you would think I wasn’t even in the picture.

You didn’t miss anything at the tennis courts. Maybe some of my vomit, and a lot of Johnny Puke’s non stop talking and laughter.

I don’t think it was a gender thing… In those days, the first blossoms of our advanced stages of alcoholism, we were mainly more preoccupied by how much there was to drink, and how frustrating it was that it was never enough.

I’m so glad to see your politics refine and define themselves and that you have embarked upon a journey of productive and insightful revolution beyond self-destruction.

I’m so glad you are alive.

By: Jessica (n?© Clair Voyant)

Jessica (n?© Clair Voyant) — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 23:24:09 +0000

“They just couldn’t keep up with our decline.” Such crisp, clear, elegant writing!
It puts me right back there, only this time with context.
It was different, being a young-and-small-but-tough-enough girl, especially one who initially did the reverse-commute to run away from SF. I wasn’t aware yet that some-somewhat-coherent-one or two or three were sort of watching my back, and neither was Carol, but it turns out I could fight girls just as well as I could fight whichever skinheads were lame enough to pick on me in the first place.
I never quite got the beer-at-the-tennis-courts culture, and was never invited into it – though I imbibed plenty of other things one-on-one with most of the cohort (the gender thing, I’m guessing). It’s great to [read] that Benjie’s doing well. I wonder what became of Corky, of the Speed Queens. And Julie, who apeared one day from Lawrence, KS and who taught me one of life’s toughest lessons, by demonstration. And Vonda, and Summer, and Oliver, and the fabulous Buttfest sisters. Some souls still seem exactly the same, and seeing them on the street kind of sets me in a tailspin: once the jailbaitiest of punk rock jailbait, witnessing that intertia makes me feel so, so old.
Thanks for putting that whole scene in such a clear, shifted perspective.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 20:33:08 +0000

25 + years is a long time Maudy. what the fuck do I know?

Probably even less than I think…

Nice to see a sign that you’re alive my friend. So nice!

By: Maude

Maude — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 17:22:16 +0000

That’s not the way I remember it…..

By: sunshine

sunshine — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 21:56:24 +0000

Benjie,

I totally remember you. Couldn’t forget your calm, and gentle face.
I agree, it’s bizzarre that we’re alive, and it’s actually pretty fucking cool.

: )

By: Benjie Elwood

Benjie Elwood — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 20:05:38 +0000

I don’t expect you’ll remember me; I was part of that extended Telegraph scene so long ago and so far away. I was going out with Juliet Harris when I knew you. I discovered your memoir and I’ve been sitting here at work reading and reading, at first (I admit) looking for people and places I knew (not so hard, since that scene wasn’t so big) and then just getting into the whole story and the dead-on descriptions (for a minute there I swear it was 1981 and I was with my girlfriend in the bathroom at the 10th street hall snorting a punk dime of bad meth out of the same bag at the same time with McDonald’s straws). I’m looking forward to enjoying it in its entirety at my leisure. But I’m glad to see the punch line is that you’re happy. And congratulations on your son. I have two kids; Juliet has a really cool son. Who’d have thought we’d all grow up?

By: sunshine

sunshine — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 05:43:59 +0000

Biff, if you need a bass player, or a sound engineer, let me know.

I’d love to see you guys again.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 01:14:37 +0000

Jennifer,

baby, i met you in the bathroom at 10th street hall… remember?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 00:37:54 +0000

GASP! is that you? Don’t ask how I got here but I am glad I did! Lets see if you remember….. I am so clad that somebody took the time and effort to do this…yes oh boy which bathroom was worse? The one at target video or the one at the Mutants????

Jennifer

By: biff

biff — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 07:21:24 +0000

I really enjoyed the “war stories” from the early SF Punk scene.I remember a guy named jake action who used to get every high on huge metal bottles he carried in a truck to shows.The first real high in the punk scene was black beauties and whatever booze was available. I played in punk bands in SJ and went to SF for lot of early shows. The Mab, On Broadway, 10th street hall, the Elite club. It all seemed very agro going into it, but everyone did care for each other. Razors, chains & spikes maybe, but in those days if you fell down on the pit, people helped you up. I think the suburbanation of the scene, the unflux of jock mentality kind of ruined the scene for me. That, and trying Herion. Funny after all these years, I may be playing in a new band with Rockin’ Rick and Johnny Genocide.

By: Blondie

Blondie — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:38:37 +0000

Chapter 5 really hit close to the heart for me. I have spent 7 years of my life fighting that monkey on my back. I had a child and that is what made me stop, but the urge is still there and will always be. I love your writing. It may seem dark but it is inspirational if you look deeply into it.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 07:22:29 +0000

I wrote you back.

Right… that was me. A melodramatic poseur all the way… faked it until it was real.

Those were the days!

If you’re looking for any party fun from the past, check the bottom of the second to the last page of the book. There’s a link there to a group on tribe.net that I started. Lots of people from the past. I already posted in there about having heard from you.

Wonderful that you are alive, and well, and seem to be thriving!!!!

But of course you are.

: )

By: Tresca Behling

Tresca Behling — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 05:28:07 +0000

I just re-read the piece…amazed that it was edited so swiftly….but the part about your accent..the fake british one…i remember you! I just started writing a memoir of sorts…memory is so strange…it almost doesn’t matter what actually happened, but how it made us feel..or how we interpreted it. ….which is based on our hardwired, yet hormonally fluctuating neurochemical responses, formed of course by previous experiences which may or may not have happened..etc….etc…I have basically gleaned from what I’ve read that you are in the city with a wife and child..or children. I didn’t read much, but want to know more. How old are /is your child/ren? What gender and name? What do you do? WHY is your name sunshine? The last time I took lsd was a long time ago..my friend Brad asked how much I wanted….in an offhand way without turning around i said, “whatever you’re having”…that turned out to be an awful lot. Twelve hours later I could actually see enough through the patterns to make out two enormous cats laying on top of me….they were sitting on me as if I were a warm dryer….just purring in time with my vibe…soaking it up, staring intently into my face. Several hours later Brad, Peeyok, and a couple of members of the Sea Hags took me out to the beach on the west side of the Golden Gate bridge. They buried me in the sand for safety and frolicked with dogs.It was two full days at least before i could get on a bus back to the east bay. I truly thought I would never come down….that i had flipped the irreversible switch. My mom asked why I didn’t call her to pick me up when I told her later….I realized I never thought of her as someone who I could depend on for help. I loved her but… That was in the late eighties. Ok, I have to ask again: why is your name Sunshine? Tell me more, Tresca

By: sunshine

sunshine — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 01:40:39 +0000

Wow…

I’m so blown away to hear from you.

Not only did I miss spell your name, but I forgot that you were the Bass player…. Of course you were.

[color=green]/* slaps forehead */[/color]

I will write.

Thank you for your reply.