Bill “Doc” Plaster’s autobiographical book, My Life Song by Song – The Story of Dr. Strange Records, tells the story of his life and how he came to start and grow Dr. Strange Records: the biggest mail‑order distributor for punk music in the world, a record label since 1989, and a brick‑and‑mortar store in California that opened its doors in 1997.
I was excited to discover this book the last time I visited Dr. Strange Records, a small but notable punk record shop located in Alta Loma, CA. Excited because Dr. Strange has signed many notable bands over the years, like Face to Face, Guttermouth, Zoinks,The Freeze, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Sinkhole, and many others.
Punk rock and life philosophies – the book is, among many things, the SoCal punk scene of the ’80s and ’90s through the eyes of a truly knowledgeable and engaged devotee/icon. If you’re curious about what that world was like; its bands, its sound, and the people who shaped it, this is a great place to start. And if you want to learn about the personal challenges Bill faced to get where he is, this book is absolutely for you.
Like many autobiographies, Bill starts at the beginning, describing his childhood growing up in the late ’60s and early ’70s. He describes his move from Goleta, CA to Upland, CA, accompanied by photos of Bill with his childhood friends – some of whom he still talks to today.
Bill shares notable moments from his youth that either shaped who he is today or, at the very least, left a lasting impression on him – parents’ divorce, witnessing death, and other life trials that I won’t spoil.
He writes about partying in his teen years, relentless pranking among friends, discovering punk music and attending shows despite it being a much more violent scene in the ’80s. The book shares photos taken from Doc’s personal 35 mm camera of Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, GBH, The Dickies, and others.
The book shares details about the inner workings of how the Dr. Strange mail‑order business, record shop, and record label came to be.
Overall, this is a great book with good insights and positive messages, and if you’re into punk music, even better.
Pick up a copy of Bill Plaster’s My Life Song by Song – The Story of Dr. Strange Records, and lookout for Dr. Strange’s Summer Bash.