I, Sh*thead: A Life in Punk
by Joey Keithley
Arsenal Pulp Press

Joey Keithley is a punk legend, and his memoirs show why. Known to punks around the world as Joey Sh*thead, singer and guitarist of DOA, he has consistently made the best punk rock Canada has available for 25 years. 

I am impressed at how well written this book is. It is consistently interesting and humorous. Keithley's cutting wit punctuates even the darkest moments in his career. The reader is taken through his childhood, two marriages, several tours, the formation of his record company Sudden Death Records, and the inner workings of a working class band. From stadiums to squats, both the good and bad are presented. Just a few chapters into the book I started to feel like I knew what it would be like to sit down and talk with this punk pioneer. 

The list of bands Keithley has shared the stage with is impressive. Black Flag, the Misfits, PiL, Soul Asylum, the Dead Kennedys, TSOL, the Subhumans, and Sonic Youth just to name a few. His music has been an influence to almost all current punk bands, and his perseverance in the face of hardship is an encouragement to everyone who feels the obstacles are just too big. 

Thanks, Sh*thead. For both 25 years of punk mayhem and a very entertaining book that tells the tale and proves the DOA motto, talk minus action equals zero. 

Reviewed by Jim McDonald

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