Leírás
English language book, 204 pages.
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We were lucky to have been in the right place at the right time, as punk was spreading to the suburbs and beyond. We also ran an independent record label through much of this period, working with some pretty diverse characters. As with many “do it yourself” ventures and personal relationships, we had our share of ups and downs. The record store supported us financially up until the mid 1990s, when taking on a parttime job in the “real world” became a necessity.
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Bill Sassenberger was born in Springfield IL and was driven west like a tumbleweed, to Phoenix, then southern California until he was finally wedged between rocks in Tucson AZ and settled down in 1988. His first book is TOXIC SHOCK Assassin of Mediocrity A Story of Love, Loss and Loud Music, published by Earth Island Books.
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Bill and his late wife Julianna Towns were the proprietors of Toxic Shock Records, which operated its gloriously weird store and record label at various Pomona CA locations and brief foray in New Orleans from 1980 to 1988, before decamping to Tucson, Arizona where it became vital for a whole new group of outsider music fans up until its 2014 closure.
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Today, Bill lives in Tucson and enjoys spending his spare time innkeeping, budget traveling, collecting gimcrack and eating broccoli.
Loaded with many rare photos and gig flyers, and through a combination of a very personal biography, oral history and extensive imagery, the book covers the many twists and turns that made Toxic Shock an often misunderstood punk rock institution. It also covers how the death rock band Christian Death inspired the co-owners to create the record label.
Graphic artists such as Pushead, Vince Rancid and Jim Blanchard lent their work to its earliest label releases and mail order catalogs. It documents Toxic Shock’s involvement with the bands Decry, Zero Boys, Corrosion of Conformity, Dayglo Abortions, Skinner box, the Hickoids, th’Inbred, Skin Yard, Sloppy Seconds, Treepeople plus tour diaries with Italy’s Raw Power.
Toxic Shock features cover art and several illustrations from graphic artist Brian Walsby, plus several never published before photos from the iconic Ed Colver. The book covers the trials and tribulations of running a totally independent record store for 34 years and an in-depth oral history from former employees and musicians from the Toxic Shock roster—such as Decry, Modern Industry, Manson Youth, Massacre Guys, Human Therapy, Raw Power, Peace Corpse, Pillsbury Hardcore, Hullabaloo, House of Large Sizes and more!
(Barcode: 9781916864627)



