SPILL BOOK REVIEW: TYLER SONNICHSEN – THE DEAD MILKMEN

TYLER SONNICHSEN – THE DEAD MILKMEN

J-CARD PRESS

BOOK REVIEW BY: JOHN PORTER

It’s hard to understand how one even begins to tell the story of The Dead Milkmen, being the incongruous fits even for the punk scene that they are, but credit to J-Card Press, who have, once again, produced an engaging book about a band that deserves a lot more of people’s time. Despite being a light read, clocking in at around 200 pages, this book is neither underselling the story nor overblowing it, although its not exhaustive. Rather, it seeks to provide a thrill-ride of snapshots of the Philadelphia weirdo clan, adding details into the overall tapestry of madness that is the Milkmen.

You’d expect such a focused tome to run the gauntlet of being ‘for fans only,’ but while it does rely on some knowledge of detail if you want to get the full story (the mentions of each side project of the band, for example, run into things so obscure they could hold people under witness protection), however it’s focused enough that you’ll enjoy it anyway, and better yet, you’ll start to learn about them too. My knowledge of the band is limited (save consistently dancing to “Punk Rock Girl” and/or “I’m Flying Away”), and yet I was able to follow it, and came away with a new appreciation for the band, which seems to be the point.

That’s made easier by the pace and quality of the book; it’s an engaging read, with some tremendously funny moments, but also some pathos, too. And while I’ve never been to Philadelphia, Sonnichsen has a knack for making you feel ‘part of it’, just as the band did. You can be there with them in their biggest moments, and commiserate with them in their darkest. It’s extremely well done.

Outside the die-hard fans, I’d still recommend this to anyone with an interest in punk rock history, or even just the stories of some bands that would otherwise be lost to history. J-Card Press is doing some incredible work, and this is another one – a fun, easily digestible read about a band whose story deserves to be told.

ISBN-10: 9798991739467
ISBN-13:‎ 991739467

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