NB Magazine (Philippines)
NB Magazine (Philippines)
translated
(This zine come out of the Philippines. The text might be a little hard to understand for English readers, but I have included it because it is interesting to read this reviewers perspective.)
The book is written like a novel so you will get to be interested in every flip of the pages, the story never fail to bore me and actually reminds me of my struggle when I was on the street, I was also into street violence, drugs and alcohol but it all changed when I discover punk and hardcore in my teenage days. I just didn’t understand and wondering why Peter and his brother are into violence and gangs since they have embraced punk and hardcore, because punk and hardcore is not just actually music of Rebellion and a life style, and I believe it is not about gangs and violence, it is about raising fist of equality, peace and love, punx is political, punx and protest not punx and guns. What I don’t like about their story is that; they called themselves “punx” but they are into gang violence, because this could led into misconception for the reader who haven’t known the real meaning of punx, or maybe, I guess at that time when they were on the street, they haven’t met people in the “underground” punk and “counterculture”, or maybe they are in the wrong punk scene who are into gang violence.
It keeps on flashing my memory back when I was reading this, like stealing the groceries store for an alcohol, food and stuffs like that to survive while on the street, but the difference is; we are not into violence, we fuck the authority, we squat, we hitch hike to different places for a political cause and actions, sabotaging establishments that could cause effect for the environment.
For me, I agreed that Peter’s younger brother was been “murdered by the rich.” He’s a real HARDCORE for me, and I hail him! Because he don’t want to be like them, to become slaves by those fucking capitalists, he didn’t leave the street but the worst thing is that; he didn’t leave the violence, become close minded and irresponsible. Peter’s way of thinking is actually amazing, to become a working class is not about becoming sell out, but removing his tattoos for the sake of a decent job is “UNHARDCORE” for me, because they were talking about “HARDCORE FOR LIFE” when putting ink in their body with his brother when they were on the street.
This is just an opinion of the reviewer, a constructive criticism since this book is a true to life story, not questioning the life’s integrity. But anyway, you will learn a lot of lesson about the authors story, actually this book is very interesting and has a very intelligent way of thinking from the author, of his deep thoughts and ideologies, ideas for his actions of what he believe in, the letter that Peter wrote on the last part of the book for his son is actually inspirational. I guess, I believe he is now into communism ideas, fighting for the rights of a working class and to have a real democratic shit. Well, Fuck the System! Viva La Revolution!
– Corix