Typical Girls?

Wild, defiant and creative, The Slits were ahead of their time. Despite their innovative fusion of genres – from dub reggae to punk, funk and free jazz – they were often dismissed as unserious and ‘unable to play’. However, their influential album Cut would galvanise generations of women to challenge the status quo.

Author Zoë Howe tells the story of this remarkable band through interviews with The Slits, their friends and their collaborators, including Don Letts, Dennis Bovell, the Raincoats, Budgie, PiL guitarist Keith Levene, the Pop Group’s Gareth Sager and many more.

The book’s original publication in 2009 was noted for catalysing a reunion between Viv Albertine and the original bandmembers before Ari Up’s death. This warm, thorough document of the Slits phenomenon celebrates the legacy, spirit and creativity of this seminal band. This expanded and updated Remastered edition features new interview material and a foreword by punk singer-songwriter and academic, Helen McCookerybook.