Hard-Core: Life of My Own

Harley Flanagan provides a fascinating memoir: a child prodigy and family friend of Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg, at a young age he became close to many stars of the early punk rock scene like Joe Strummer of The Clash and was taught to play bass by members of the famed black punk band Bad Brains. He started playing drums for the New York punk band the Stimulators when he was 11 years old; playing at places like Max's Kansas City with some of the most notable names of the punk scene. He then went on to start the notorious hardcore band Cro-Mags.

From the memoir's introduction by American Hardcore's Steven Blush: "Harley Flanagan is not like you or me. Most of us grew up in relative safety and security. Harley came up like a feral animal, fending for himself in the '70s Lower East Side jungle of crime, drugs, abuse and poverty. By age 10 he was a downtown star at Max's Kansas City and CBGB, drumming in his aunt's punk band The Stimulators, and socializing with Blondie's Debbie Harry and Cleveland's Dead Boys. Everyone thought it was so cute, but it wasn't."

Currently a black belt and an instructor for the famed Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in New York, Harley was never shy: making friends with important figures like Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, defending himself in street battles, and finding media play and court battles after former band members betrayed their one-time friend and bandmate.

Of his much anticipated memoir, famed author and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain explains: "Don't even pretend to talk about New York... if you don't read this." "This book is the punch in the face you want and need."