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Pinball Punks
It all starts when the president explodes (metaphorically) during a press conference. Annoyed at the reporters’ questions (and their inability to remember to call him Mr. Awesome), the presi—sorry, Mr. Awesome—issues a challenge to the nation. Want to improve society? E-mail your proposal to Mr. Awesome, and he’ll pay a hundred grand for any idea he likes.
Mikey of the punk band Piss Rats fires off an idea for social change based on playing pinball machines. Mr. Awesome loves the idea, and so Mikey and his fellow Piss Rats find themselves touring on behalf of the political establishment. Their new role as pinball ambassadors doesn’t sit well with the Piss Rats—punks don’t have much love for politicians.
As the band bickers over selling out and compromising the purity of punk, they notice Mikey’s pinball plan is working, despite an increasing number of pinball players who are acting strangely—well, even more strangely. There’s also the fact Mr. Awesome, despite being a surprisingly entertaining party animal, is hiding something from the band.
Oh, and then there’s the rat that keeps showing up. No one knows what he wants, but man, does the little fur ball reek of piss.
Mikey of the punk band Piss Rats fires off an idea for social change based on playing pinball machines. Mr. Awesome loves the idea, and so Mikey and his fellow Piss Rats find themselves touring on behalf of the political establishment. Their new role as pinball ambassadors doesn’t sit well with the Piss Rats—punks don’t have much love for politicians.
As the band bickers over selling out and compromising the purity of punk, they notice Mikey’s pinball plan is working, despite an increasing number of pinball players who are acting strangely—well, even more strangely. There’s also the fact Mr. Awesome, despite being a surprisingly entertaining party animal, is hiding something from the band.
Oh, and then there’s the rat that keeps showing up. No one knows what he wants, but man, does the little fur ball reek of piss.
200 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2017
171 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 28, 2020
What this book might lack in technical proficiency it more than makes up for with wild ideas and no-holds-barred punk rock energy. There's something unhinged and perhaps a little dangerous here, which is my favorite type of writing. It's also very funny, making it a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the hell out of it.
November 10, 2017
This is a really cool example of what is good about DIY publishing, and look I am not always a fan. I believe in the gatekeepers generally when it comes to publishing. That said there are a few times that a book comes our way that didn't stand a chance finding a traditional publisher. Lets face it a punk book makes more sense DIY than many. Anderson has a book on his hand that id off-beat and fun but it is not a concept that I think screams market-ability.
It does not fit into a standard genre, not horror, not new weird and while it is bizarro it is not one that doesn't feel like it should be close in the shelf next to Eraserhead press or Raw Dog Screaming Press books. That is not a knock. The book is strange for certain and at times absurdist, but it is not so weird that it exists sorta in a recognizable reality. Certainly the people in this book listen to alot of the same bands we do.
This is the story of a punk band called the Piss Rats who is just about to start a U.S. tour. I sure I will not be the only person who will wonder if this book was written before or after Trump got elected. In this world there is a dumbass president but this one is way cooler than the one we have in the real world. Because of a e-mail suggesting the country kick start it's economy by creating a network of pinball machines, the president who wants to be called Mister Awesome hires the The Piss Rats to promote the idea.
Before long the president is on tour with the Piss Rats. That is when things get weird. There is alot of wonderful moments in this book and I laughed throughout. It took me awhile to finish this book because honestly it is not exactly my type of book. I am a horror guy. I did enjoy the punk rock of it. You can tell Anderson is a legit hardcore kid, who grew-up going to shows. That is perhaps the biggest strength of the book. The reality is we need more, and more punk fiction. Good punk fiction.
In that sense Pinball Punks is a fun read and I happy to have it on my shelf. Punks looking for more punk stories need to pick this book up.
It does not fit into a standard genre, not horror, not new weird and while it is bizarro it is not one that doesn't feel like it should be close in the shelf next to Eraserhead press or Raw Dog Screaming Press books. That is not a knock. The book is strange for certain and at times absurdist, but it is not so weird that it exists sorta in a recognizable reality. Certainly the people in this book listen to alot of the same bands we do.
This is the story of a punk band called the Piss Rats who is just about to start a U.S. tour. I sure I will not be the only person who will wonder if this book was written before or after Trump got elected. In this world there is a dumbass president but this one is way cooler than the one we have in the real world. Because of a e-mail suggesting the country kick start it's economy by creating a network of pinball machines, the president who wants to be called Mister Awesome hires the The Piss Rats to promote the idea.
Before long the president is on tour with the Piss Rats. That is when things get weird. There is alot of wonderful moments in this book and I laughed throughout. It took me awhile to finish this book because honestly it is not exactly my type of book. I am a horror guy. I did enjoy the punk rock of it. You can tell Anderson is a legit hardcore kid, who grew-up going to shows. That is perhaps the biggest strength of the book. The reality is we need more, and more punk fiction. Good punk fiction.
In that sense Pinball Punks is a fun read and I happy to have it on my shelf. Punks looking for more punk stories need to pick this book up.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews