I'M NOT HOLDING YOUR COAT

An award-winning educator recounts her role in the early days of the American punk and hardcore scenes—experiences that, four decades later, shape how she teaches.

Barile’s childhood was severely circumscribed: In her suburban Philadelphia home, her father ruled with threats of physical punishment, and at her mostly White Catholic school, nuns bullied students into submission. Music became her escape, and it’s no wonder that Barile eventually found her way to punk music; its rejection of mainstream ideologies and expectations was liberating and validating. Barile’s narrative pushes past the long-held belief that women in punk and hardcore music waited on the side, holding their boyfriends’ coats while the men moshed in the pit. To the contrary, she became the manager of a popular Philly hardcore punk band, a wild ride recounted in vivid and lively detail. Barile has a clear, approachable voice that she uses to tell myriad great stories, including how she became pen pals with Patti Smith’s mother, got a sloppy smooch from Iggy Pop, and ran into the Clash on the street. The book is filled with satisfying extras, such as numerous personal photos that bring the era to life for today’s readers, as well as a lengthy playlist and a foreword by Dischord Records founder Ian MacKaye. The connection between her punk days and her desire to empower students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, adds additional depth.

A must-read for music history buffs, punk fans, and educators.