Reid Chancellor

GG is known for being violent (with himself and others), his acts sexual degradation/assault (with himself and others), his often blood and feces filled performances and his harsh demeanor. He’s know for all those things because...well, they’re all true. I have friends that won’t even considering listening to a song by GG Allin let alone reading a graphic novel style memoir, but they should. Rock and Roll Terrorist is intriguing and tries to paint an honest picture of GG/Kevin/Jesus Christ from his early New England childhood to looking down on his unwashed human vessel in his casket. Despite the often crass and abusive way he delivered it, GG would claim the message is what mattered and he would be right. I doubt this graphic novel will sway you to love Allin or his nihilistic approach to life, but the HATE! styled artwork and larger than life story may crack the door enough for you to consider exploring more.… (mere)

A former member of several Evansville, Indiana, local punk bands recounts his struggles with mental health and how he feels it intertwined with his love of punk rock music. Between the autobiographical bits, he includes quick sketches of his favorite bands, including the Ramones, Black Flag, the Clash, the Replacements and more.

I'm not sure he really lands his thesis that punk rock directly addresses mental health issues in a special way that enabled him to rise against his depression and self-harm. Based on the timeline presented a skeptic might make the case that letting go of punk rock music and getting professional assistance is what actually put him on the road to recovery. But then, the passage of time is a bit vague as he skips from moment to moment.

Overall, this feels like a first-time effort, lacking polish in writing and art and tending toward the melodramatic.

p.s., I decided not to mention the multiple copyediting mistakes in my initial review, but while indexing the people mentioned in the book, I verified that the name of one of the idolized musicians, Paul Westerberg of the Replacements, is actually misspelled in the book. Oof!… (mere)