The year is 1981 and the dangerous phenomenon known as hardcore punk rock has arrived in Winnipeg with a bang. The new bands, with names like Personality Crisis, The Unwanted, and the Stretch Marks, are an aggressive and rowdy bunch who vow to smash things up at all cost. What could possibly be better than punk rock? Why faster punk rock, of course. Take a beer-soaked and nihilistic journey—back to the time when danger drove a Trans-Am, and a day without a fight or a foot chase was rare in...

In 1982, five brave but foolish young men traded the safety and boredom of suburbia for a brutal regimen of greasy food, endless touring, shaky gear, dingy bars, too much booze, and violent fans. While SNFU did not immediately seem like obvious candidates for punk rock stardom, they quickly rose up to take not just Edmonton, Alberta, but the entire world by storm. By combining the flamboyant stage antics and political lyricism of singer Chi Pig with the infectious guitar attack of Marc and...

Chris Walter writes like a man on death row, with nothing to lose, and East Van is his finest moment. A classic tale of addiction and greed that makes Trainspotting look like Chicken Soup for the Soul, this is one book you do not want to miss. “A broken bottle on the sidewalk reflected sunlight, splintering it into millions of twinkling prisms. The mailman walked by, whistling a jaunty tune as he went about his job. Laughter floated from a window and touched Angie deep in a spot she rarely...

Written in disturbingly candid tones, this prequel to I Was a Punk Before You Were a Punk tells the story of a disillusioned young man growing up in the wasteland of Winnipeg, Manitoba. As the protagonist quickly learns, substances are a primary source of entertainment in ice-locked Manitoba, and that the easiest way to beat boredom is to get wasted. Music seems to be an outlet for pent-up aggression, but the corporate rock of the early 70s is not enough to fill to the hole. Fortunately, a...

Up and Down on the Downtown Eastside is a fast-paced but harsh story involving drug addicts and other low income residents in the ghetto that is Vancouver's drug-ravaged Downtown Eastside. Fans of Irvine Welsh and Hunter S Thompson will appreciate the non-stop black humour that prevents the book from being dragged down by the bleakness and intensity of the subject matter. Although highly entertaining, this novel, like all of Walter's work, is not for the easily offended or weak of heart.

The DayGlo Abortions are perhaps the most misunderstood and maligned punk groups ever to exist. To this day, critics and naysayers are unable to see past the corrosive lyrics and explicit imagery to the true meaning beneath. Readers of this book, however, may be shocked to learn that below the nasty exterior and foul language, the DayGlo Abortions are much more concerned about the fate of humankind than anyone could have imagined. Defenders of the underdog and crusaders against injustice, ...

When a group of misfits opens a punk boozecan on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, they fully expect to sit back and drink beer with no worries. Life is ideal, and there are no problems with local gangbangers or outlaw motorcycle club members. Well, almost none. “I’d forgotten about the quality of the clientele we will attract. At four or five in the morning, most of our guests will be drunken longshoremen, coked-up biker wannabes, wasted skaters, gangbangers on steroids, and punk rockers rip...

This third and final part to the I Was a Punk Before You Were a Punk trilogy begins in a Winnipeg jail cell in 1984 and ends twenty-years later in Vancouver. This first hand account of the punk lifestyle is brutally honest, devastatingly funny, and at times, emotionally chilling. Although not for the weak of heart, the candid narrative and unflinching prose make this book very readable and hard to put down. There is no peace, love, and anarchy for Mr. Walter, only boots, beer, and massive ...

YOU’LL HATE THIS BOOK because it may or may not include your high school band that played one gymnasium show back in ‘95. But these hair-raising tales of battles lost and won might grab your attention anyway, even if the ruffians telling those stories sometimes disagree on the details. Recalling tours from hell, illicit substances consumed, sexual acts consummated, and countless halls trashed, the narrators take us for an exciting stumble down memory lane—a spray-painted alley littered wit...

Set in the working poor district of West Central Winnipeg, Langside shines a harsh light on the many problems facing inner city residents. Pressured to join the local gang but unwilling to do so, thirteen year old Sky struggles to adapt to the world of guns and drugs around him. Meanwhile, opposing gangs eager to capitalize on the growing demand for crystal meth are on the verge of open warfare. As Sky’s alcoholic parents try to keep the family afloat and a pair of mismatched cops attempt ...

This collection of tales harvested from tattoo shops across North America is wild enough to make the saltiest sea dog squirm with horror and delight. From mild-mannered kindergarten teachers to outlaw bikers and criminals headed off to prison, each customer brings something special to the shop, and no two stories are exactly alike. While some clients may feel compelled to remove unwanted tattoos on the spot, others might wish to run off without paying, and some might even brandish swords o...

Drunks, punks, junkies, and whores: these are Chris Walter's people and he portrays them with empathy and humour. The characters in this collection of short stories have much in common with each other, but more than anything else, they are real enough to stumble over and piss on your shoe. So laugh when you can, cry if you want, but when you close your eyes, these flawed yet enduringly human characters will still be with you.