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Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout
ONE OF BILLBOARD'S "100 GREATEST MUSIC BOOKS OF ALL TIME"
The provocative transgender advocate and lead singer of the punk rock band Against Me! provides a searing account of her search for identity and her true self.
It began in a bedroom in Naples, Florida, when a misbehaving punk teenager named Tom Gabel, armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a headful of anarchist politics, landed on a riff. Gabel formed Against Me! and rocketed the band from its scrappy beginnings-banging on a drum kit made of pickle buckets-to a major-label powerhouse that critics have called this generation's The Clash. Since its inception in 1997, Against Me! has been one of punk's most influential modern bands, but also one of its most divisive. With every notch the four-piece climbed in their career, they gained new fans while infuriating their old ones. They suffered legal woes, a revolving door of drummers, and a horde of angry, militant punks who called them "sellouts" and tried to sabotage their shows at every turn. But underneath the public turmoil, something much greater occupied Gabel-a secret kept for 30 years, only acknowledged in the scrawled-out pages of personal journals and hidden in lyrics. Through a troubled childhood, delinquency, and struggles with drugs, Gabel was on a punishing search for identity. Not until May of 2012 did a Rolling Stone profile finally reveal it: Gabel is a transsexual, and would from then on be living as a woman under the name Laura Jane Grace. Tranny is the intimate story of Against Me!'s enigmatic founder, weaving the narrative of the band's history, as well as Grace's, with dozens of never-before-seen entries from the piles of journals Grace kept. More than a typical music memoir about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll-although it certainly has plenty of that-Tranny is an inside look at one of the most remarkable stories in the history of rock.
The provocative transgender advocate and lead singer of the punk rock band Against Me! provides a searing account of her search for identity and her true self.
It began in a bedroom in Naples, Florida, when a misbehaving punk teenager named Tom Gabel, armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a headful of anarchist politics, landed on a riff. Gabel formed Against Me! and rocketed the band from its scrappy beginnings-banging on a drum kit made of pickle buckets-to a major-label powerhouse that critics have called this generation's The Clash. Since its inception in 1997, Against Me! has been one of punk's most influential modern bands, but also one of its most divisive. With every notch the four-piece climbed in their career, they gained new fans while infuriating their old ones. They suffered legal woes, a revolving door of drummers, and a horde of angry, militant punks who called them "sellouts" and tried to sabotage their shows at every turn. But underneath the public turmoil, something much greater occupied Gabel-a secret kept for 30 years, only acknowledged in the scrawled-out pages of personal journals and hidden in lyrics. Through a troubled childhood, delinquency, and struggles with drugs, Gabel was on a punishing search for identity. Not until May of 2012 did a Rolling Stone profile finally reveal it: Gabel is a transsexual, and would from then on be living as a woman under the name Laura Jane Grace. Tranny is the intimate story of Against Me!'s enigmatic founder, weaving the narrative of the band's history, as well as Grace's, with dozens of never-before-seen entries from the piles of journals Grace kept. More than a typical music memoir about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll-although it certainly has plenty of that-Tranny is an inside look at one of the most remarkable stories in the history of rock.
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First published January 13, 2015
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About the author
Laura Jane Grace
4books263followersLaura Jane Grace is an American musician best known as the founder, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of the punk rock band Against Me!.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,023 reviews
September 20, 2020
Growing up a suburban punk rock teenager, I remember the horror and betrayal I felt the first time Against Me’s radio hit single “I Was a Teenage Anarchist� came through the speakers of my crappy Mercury Sable. I felt the knife twist in my heart with every chord, every word, as my one time hero Tom Gabel reminisced about a rebellious punk rock past. “Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?� Gabel wailed in an overly catchy chorus, the nail in the coffin in my mind. No way could my beloved Against Me keep their place in my heart if they were turning their backs on their roots. No way could the band that gave me my highschool anthem, “Baby I’m An Anarchist�, ever redeem themselves in my eyes. In my rage I couldn’t fathom what would cause the once chaotic and destructive band of my youth to trash the punk scene that had followed them devotedly from local Florida wannabes to chart topping rock stars.
Two years later Gabel came out to the world on the pages of Rolling Stone magazine as Laura Jane Grace. Suddenly the lyrics of the song took on a whole new meaning for me.
“I was a teenage anarchist, but then the scene got too rigid.
It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me.
Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity.
I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie.�
Grace’s struggle with the confines and rigidity of punk rock, and with her identity as a male figurehead of that scene put a lot of Against Me’s music into perspective. The lyrics took on new depths, the songs new layers of emotion. With the release of her subsequent albums, and now with her new book Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout, Laura has stopped hiding from the world.
The book reads like a conversation with a dear friend. She holds nothing back, letting readers into her most private thoughts and feelings. She shares journal entries from her years on the road with Against Me. Some of these stories are funny, some tragic, all absolutely addicting. She never minces words when speaking her mind about bandmates, family members, and most importantly; herself.
Grace’s candor is a breath of fresh air. So many celebrity memoirs read like an ideal wishlist of who a person wants to be. They present themselves in the best light, only letting the reader see their most carefully crafted flaws. Grace suffers from none of this egoism, instead putting all of her narcissism, selfishness, stubbornness and anger right on the page. She is painfully honest about her lifelong struggle with anxiety and substance abuse, letting you into her world so completely that you finish the book feeling as though you’ve known her since you were kids.
To those interested in music, punk rock, and the up close and personal lives of bands on tour this book has everything. From crazy tour stories, to bar brawls and arrests, to what it’s like to be a little punk rock band from Gainesville Florida signing a million dollar record deal. For Laura Jane Grace, Against Me has spanned over 15 years of her life. She leaves no stone unturned, telling the sometimes grisly tale of the bands progression from day one. Fan’s like myself will finally get to see how it felt to be on the other side of the bands “betrayal�. The loss of punk cred was not lost on Laura Jane Grace and she conveys her shame, anger, and frustration as transparently as possible.
To those interested in Laura’s journey from Gabel to Grace the book does not disappoint. She paints a poignant picture of a girl struggling from a young age to be free. That doesn’t mean she was never a hormone fueled teenage boy, or a handsome rock star lead singer, or a punk kid trying to fuck shit up. But she was always there. Seeing the way Grace comes to life when she can finally be herself is satisfying and refreshing. The pages filled with self-loathing, depression, anxiety and rage as she tried to suppress her feminine side and accept life as a man are painful and heartbreaking to read.
On a personal note Laura Jane Grace has always held a special place in my heart. Those you don’t love can’t hurt you, and while my naïve feelings of betrayal at the hands of my favorite band seemed important at the time, I’ve since come to recognize how important it is for a band’s music to reflect the journey of its members. Laura’s public journey has been groundbreaking and profound for so many people. I am unbelievably proud to have grown up with her music and to now watch as she takes the world by storm.
Two years later Gabel came out to the world on the pages of Rolling Stone magazine as Laura Jane Grace. Suddenly the lyrics of the song took on a whole new meaning for me.
“I was a teenage anarchist, but then the scene got too rigid.
It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me.
Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity.
I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie.�
Grace’s struggle with the confines and rigidity of punk rock, and with her identity as a male figurehead of that scene put a lot of Against Me’s music into perspective. The lyrics took on new depths, the songs new layers of emotion. With the release of her subsequent albums, and now with her new book Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout, Laura has stopped hiding from the world.
The book reads like a conversation with a dear friend. She holds nothing back, letting readers into her most private thoughts and feelings. She shares journal entries from her years on the road with Against Me. Some of these stories are funny, some tragic, all absolutely addicting. She never minces words when speaking her mind about bandmates, family members, and most importantly; herself.
Grace’s candor is a breath of fresh air. So many celebrity memoirs read like an ideal wishlist of who a person wants to be. They present themselves in the best light, only letting the reader see their most carefully crafted flaws. Grace suffers from none of this egoism, instead putting all of her narcissism, selfishness, stubbornness and anger right on the page. She is painfully honest about her lifelong struggle with anxiety and substance abuse, letting you into her world so completely that you finish the book feeling as though you’ve known her since you were kids.
To those interested in music, punk rock, and the up close and personal lives of bands on tour this book has everything. From crazy tour stories, to bar brawls and arrests, to what it’s like to be a little punk rock band from Gainesville Florida signing a million dollar record deal. For Laura Jane Grace, Against Me has spanned over 15 years of her life. She leaves no stone unturned, telling the sometimes grisly tale of the bands progression from day one. Fan’s like myself will finally get to see how it felt to be on the other side of the bands “betrayal�. The loss of punk cred was not lost on Laura Jane Grace and she conveys her shame, anger, and frustration as transparently as possible.
To those interested in Laura’s journey from Gabel to Grace the book does not disappoint. She paints a poignant picture of a girl struggling from a young age to be free. That doesn’t mean she was never a hormone fueled teenage boy, or a handsome rock star lead singer, or a punk kid trying to fuck shit up. But she was always there. Seeing the way Grace comes to life when she can finally be herself is satisfying and refreshing. The pages filled with self-loathing, depression, anxiety and rage as she tried to suppress her feminine side and accept life as a man are painful and heartbreaking to read.
On a personal note Laura Jane Grace has always held a special place in my heart. Those you don’t love can’t hurt you, and while my naïve feelings of betrayal at the hands of my favorite band seemed important at the time, I’ve since come to recognize how important it is for a band’s music to reflect the journey of its members. Laura’s public journey has been groundbreaking and profound for so many people. I am unbelievably proud to have grown up with her music and to now watch as she takes the world by storm.
January 30, 2017
Matt Skiba is an asshole.
December 1, 2016
I finished this book this week. I enjoyed it. But I’m not entirely sure what to say about it.
From the start, I am a fan of her band, Against Me! I’m still a fan even if it becomes just another name for what she does. But I’m not a huge fan. I know bigger fans, who have seen her (in both fake Tom and real Laura phases) than I have. AM! Is like a top 20 band for me and I was trying to think if another similar artist in my own esteem wrote something would I have preordered it sight unseen six months in advance of the release date?
Probably not.
Why is that? Well, look at the title. Grace’s dysphoria is the story, for better or worse. This book, thigh, is different. Despite the title, it is more a straight narrative about growing up and wanting to be in a band and then being in a band. And then the band does ok and then it does better and then it alienates some of the original fans.
The hints at the dysphoria are there. But it feels like a bit of a bait and switch. If the dysphoria is the story and someone grabs the book for that, it is only hinted at in the opening chapters. For me, this is the part where I allow myself to say that I’m glad I never had to face even a marginal level of fame. And I create the illusion that my 2000 followers on twitter are just the right amount.
But at the end Grace start to get deep about the story that makes her story the thing that people want to read about- no matter the reason. The problem is that there’s the earlier hints, and lines about life living in the closet, but the out of the closet stuff has been covered in other publications.
I want Laura to live her truth. I’m glad she can now. But this either seems too exploitative or not exploitative enough. I’m not sure. What I can imagine it does is allow other transwomen to live their truths, so that the details here are unimportant if they focus too much on the band or not. Ultimately, as a society we are better off when more people tell their stories and we approach closer to a universal truth (if it even exists).
From the start, I am a fan of her band, Against Me! I’m still a fan even if it becomes just another name for what she does. But I’m not a huge fan. I know bigger fans, who have seen her (in both fake Tom and real Laura phases) than I have. AM! Is like a top 20 band for me and I was trying to think if another similar artist in my own esteem wrote something would I have preordered it sight unseen six months in advance of the release date?
Probably not.
Why is that? Well, look at the title. Grace’s dysphoria is the story, for better or worse. This book, thigh, is different. Despite the title, it is more a straight narrative about growing up and wanting to be in a band and then being in a band. And then the band does ok and then it does better and then it alienates some of the original fans.
The hints at the dysphoria are there. But it feels like a bit of a bait and switch. If the dysphoria is the story and someone grabs the book for that, it is only hinted at in the opening chapters. For me, this is the part where I allow myself to say that I’m glad I never had to face even a marginal level of fame. And I create the illusion that my 2000 followers on twitter are just the right amount.
But at the end Grace start to get deep about the story that makes her story the thing that people want to read about- no matter the reason. The problem is that there’s the earlier hints, and lines about life living in the closet, but the out of the closet stuff has been covered in other publications.
I want Laura to live her truth. I’m glad she can now. But this either seems too exploitative or not exploitative enough. I’m not sure. What I can imagine it does is allow other transwomen to live their truths, so that the details here are unimportant if they focus too much on the band or not. Ultimately, as a society we are better off when more people tell their stories and we approach closer to a universal truth (if it even exists).
Read
October 30, 2021I've been a fan of Against Me! for a while, and I was really happy for Laura Jane Grace when she came out as transgender. A lot of her lyrics made a lot more sense to me. And I've continued to love her music since.
This memoir is interesting. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Laura Jane Grace, and I think that always adds a special dimension to the experience. Laura Jane Grace is a tough person to like at times. It's clear, throughout, that she wasn't always fond of herself (and having written a memoir, it was something I could deeply relate to). There was a lot of raw honesty in her story, though not always a strong sense of self-awareness. She seemed fully committed to being brutally true to her story, even when it made her look bad, but didn't always go all the way to connecting her choices and behaviors to some of the consequences.
Like, there's one example near the end where she's just spent a lot of time talking about blowing up some media appearances because she was coked up and drunk, but then laments how she did everything in her power to make the band work and still failed without, seemingly, realizing the disconnect. Or maybe that's part of the story. The truth isn't always objective when we're telling our stories. Or, maybe, that literally was her doing everything in her power.
Either way, I'm not interested in judging Laura Jane Grace. Her story is fascinating and heartbreaking (and often frustrating), but ultimately illuminating, and her music continues to be some of my favorite.
Some of the language is rough, especially the use of gay slurs and transgender slurs (and words for transgender I would consider outdated). Personally, I didn't feel like any of it was done simply for shock value. I'm honestly curious why Laura Jane Grace chose to use certain words, but I'm not interested in policing her usage either. Just be aware that it's in there.
This memoir is interesting. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Laura Jane Grace, and I think that always adds a special dimension to the experience. Laura Jane Grace is a tough person to like at times. It's clear, throughout, that she wasn't always fond of herself (and having written a memoir, it was something I could deeply relate to). There was a lot of raw honesty in her story, though not always a strong sense of self-awareness. She seemed fully committed to being brutally true to her story, even when it made her look bad, but didn't always go all the way to connecting her choices and behaviors to some of the consequences.
Like, there's one example near the end where she's just spent a lot of time talking about blowing up some media appearances because she was coked up and drunk, but then laments how she did everything in her power to make the band work and still failed without, seemingly, realizing the disconnect. Or maybe that's part of the story. The truth isn't always objective when we're telling our stories. Or, maybe, that literally was her doing everything in her power.
Either way, I'm not interested in judging Laura Jane Grace. Her story is fascinating and heartbreaking (and often frustrating), but ultimately illuminating, and her music continues to be some of my favorite.
Some of the language is rough, especially the use of gay slurs and transgender slurs (and words for transgender I would consider outdated). Personally, I didn't feel like any of it was done simply for shock value. I'm honestly curious why Laura Jane Grace chose to use certain words, but I'm not interested in policing her usage either. Just be aware that it's in there.
December 22, 2016
"I don't want to see the world that way anymore. I don't want to feel that weak and insecure."
"Tranny" isn't just the best book I read this year. It's a rock memoir for the ages.
Discounting my status as a fervent Against Me! fan--a passion that started long after their underground success or mainstream flash--it's still the type of book that invites all readers seeking a shockingly transparent and utterly human exposé. Even if I had never downloaded a copy of in 2010--sparking my late-period interest in mainstream punk with Against Me! as de facto standard bearer--I would still have been blown away by Laura Jane Grace's harrowing thirty year struggle with gender dysphoria and the tumultuous life she lived as a result. Many rock stars wait until the end of their lives to pen a memoir, but at a mere thirty-six Grace already has enough ammo to fill two, let alone the surprisingly brisk three hundred pages of "Tranny."
While written from a rock and roll lens chronicling the rise, fall, and phoenix rebirth of Against Me!, Grace's struggle with her own identity still takes center stage. Her forays into drugs, sex, punk anarchy, and vicious overworking were plates of armor she hid herself in for most of her life. The book thus feels like a form of liberation in itself. It is candid to the point of voyeurism, so personal that I almost feel like I shouldn't be reading it. But this honesty another part of Grace's journey. She references time and time again her lack of courage to articulate her emotions or dress femme in public through scattered journal entries. The fact that I'm reading these words at all are a huge step forward not just for her, but for trans visibility as a whole. Whether she intended to or not (and I'm leaning on the latter), she's become a positive voice for the trans community and focused a lens on issues that affect them every day.
It's a gorgeous, visceral, and above all else human story. It taps into universal emotions to contextualize a struggle that not many people have had to go through, but in doing so, becomes very easy to imagine yourself in. A lot of the particulars lean heavily on punk inside baseball, but her inner monologue is infinitely relatable and profoundly sad. Yet there's hope at the end of this long tunnel. The sum of her experiences offers the clarity to move forward--not just for her, but for trans and cis readers alike. "Tranny" offers more than just a quality read. It's a vibrant and empathizing look at transgender dysphoria and will hopefully raise awareness for years to come. 5/5
"Tranny" isn't just the best book I read this year. It's a rock memoir for the ages.
Discounting my status as a fervent Against Me! fan--a passion that started long after their underground success or mainstream flash--it's still the type of book that invites all readers seeking a shockingly transparent and utterly human exposé. Even if I had never downloaded a copy of in 2010--sparking my late-period interest in mainstream punk with Against Me! as de facto standard bearer--I would still have been blown away by Laura Jane Grace's harrowing thirty year struggle with gender dysphoria and the tumultuous life she lived as a result. Many rock stars wait until the end of their lives to pen a memoir, but at a mere thirty-six Grace already has enough ammo to fill two, let alone the surprisingly brisk three hundred pages of "Tranny."
While written from a rock and roll lens chronicling the rise, fall, and phoenix rebirth of Against Me!, Grace's struggle with her own identity still takes center stage. Her forays into drugs, sex, punk anarchy, and vicious overworking were plates of armor she hid herself in for most of her life. The book thus feels like a form of liberation in itself. It is candid to the point of voyeurism, so personal that I almost feel like I shouldn't be reading it. But this honesty another part of Grace's journey. She references time and time again her lack of courage to articulate her emotions or dress femme in public through scattered journal entries. The fact that I'm reading these words at all are a huge step forward not just for her, but for trans visibility as a whole. Whether she intended to or not (and I'm leaning on the latter), she's become a positive voice for the trans community and focused a lens on issues that affect them every day.
It's a gorgeous, visceral, and above all else human story. It taps into universal emotions to contextualize a struggle that not many people have had to go through, but in doing so, becomes very easy to imagine yourself in. A lot of the particulars lean heavily on punk inside baseball, but her inner monologue is infinitely relatable and profoundly sad. Yet there's hope at the end of this long tunnel. The sum of her experiences offers the clarity to move forward--not just for her, but for trans and cis readers alike. "Tranny" offers more than just a quality read. It's a vibrant and empathizing look at transgender dysphoria and will hopefully raise awareness for years to come. 5/5
May 9, 2017
This book was clunkily written and too long. I admit I'm not an Against Me fan, not that I don't like their music, but the band just passed me by. I was interested in learning about Laura's experience transitioning while the lead singer for a punk rock band. And it's not that I didn't get that from this book, it's that Laura comes across as a real jerk. Sure, she was going through some hard times and that can make even the best of us act like assholes, but the book is being written after the fact. For example, large portions of the book are dedicated to complaining about all the people that did her wrong--the punk scene, the anarchists, her former band members, the manager, the lawyer, the A&R men, etc. There was a lot of unnecessary slamming going on in this book--like we all think uncharitable things about other people in our worst moments, but when we put it down in a book, it's a dick move. For example, by her own accounting, Laura spends a considerable amount of the time drunk or high and starting fights or behaving badly. But then she spends a chapter bitching about some former band member who commits the sin of eating pizza in his bunk on the tour bus and how he is shamed for this. Why is this a worthy story for a book? Also, you sound like a bully. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.
November 28, 2016
I inhaled this audiobook. It was like a great behind the music documentary with the band leader secretly struggles with gender dysphoria. I had never heard of the band or Laura Jane Grace until a Rolling Stone's article and it left me immediately wanting to read Grace's memoir. She does an excellent job narrating as she tells years of struggle through the punk scene, trying to make it with her band, and gender dysphoria. You don't need to have any knowledge or interest in the punk scene or the band to enjoy this audiobook, Laura Jane Grace makes it compelling and interesting.
January 27, 2021
Listened to this on audio yesterday.short book. Didn’t take long to read it. But self centred and opinionated. It was ok though. Not what I was expecting didn’t even know of this band or who she was.
January 16, 2017
I've been an Against Me! fan for a few years now. I can't remember what record browsing session led me to them, but I picked up "The Acoustic EP" and was blown away by the rawness of the vocals, the gallows humour and the ironic political commentary. I felt that they were mocking everyone: the right-wing politicians AND the anarchists. That appealed to me immediately, because self-righteousness is not something I deal with very well, even when I share the person's (or group of people's) opinion and ideology. "A punk band who calls out the punks on their hypocrisy?" I thought. "Well, that's worth paying attention to!"
Fast-foward to 2012, when I read Tom Gable's story and his coming out as transgender in Rolling Stone. I remember crying when I read the article. I'm cis-gendered, I'll never understand what Laura Jane Grace went through, but I know what it's like hating the skin you live in, feeling that what people see has got nothing to do with who you are. Obviously, my struggles are completely different from hers, but I could feel her pain in the interview, and I was very moved. When I heard about this book, I knew immediately that I had to read it.
The struggle and guilt associated with Grace's gender dysphoria is a theme that runs from the very beginning of the book up until the end, where there is a stronger focus on it, as this is the point in her story when Grace came out as trans and began her transition process. But mostly, this is the story of someone who loved punk music and its politics, who wanted to make it on that scene and what a struggle that ended up being.
"Where are you supposed to go when you no longer feel welcome in the places you turned to because you didn't feel welcome anywhere else?" That quote about Grace's disappointment and disillusion with the punk scene resonated very strongly with me because it captured my own experience of a scene that claims to be anti-conformist and all-inclusive... but where everyone is a white dude in a Misfits t-shirt... The heartbreak of being rejected by a subculture you turned to because it was the only one that welcomed the kind of freak you are is a terrible feeling of loss and isolation. Through Against Me!'s lyrics, I had guessed that Grace had experienced this, but reading her diary entry made that a certainty - and I now relate even more to my favorite records.
People romanticize the musician's lifestyle to an incredible (and delusional) degree. Even with label support, being in a band is very hard work that is not taken very seriously by many - fans and family included. Touring takes a huge toll on physical and mental health, there is an enormous amount of pressure and precious few tangible rewards, and Grace tells it - warts and all. The only book that I have read that gives a more brutal picture of life as a touring band is Henry Rollin's "Get in the Van". I was amused/horrified by the anecdote on how Against Me! managed to alienate Anti-Flag (one of my favorite bands) on their tour opening for them, and by the descriptions of Fat Mike as "Mayor of Warped Tour", getting the NOFX shows scheduled according to his level of hangover-ness.
The tone is straight to the point, incredibly honest and confessional. Grace won't sugar coat anything, least of all any aspects of her own behavior that was less than exemplary. She freely admits to having been a complete asshole on several occasion, she acknowledges how she might have hurt others: many rock autobiographies read as long-winded justification for terrible behavior (I'm looking at you, Anthony Keidis and Slash!), but this isn't what LJG is doing at all. And that is quite refreshing, to be honest. The quality of the writing is not the same in the narration and Laura Jane's journal excepts. I prefer the style of the journal, which is much more intimate, obviously; the regular narration is a little bit flat, but it's an easy, fluid read.
As I read "Tranny", one of the things that fascinated me the most was knowing where the inspiration for Against Me!'s songs and album titles came from, the entire process behind the records seeing the light of day. It made me see them in a whole new different light, and it's an interesting experience to rediscover music that you love and look at them from this new perspective. I revisited by stack of Against Me! records and found them even more layered and impressive after reading this book.
This is a great book for fans of Against Me! and Laura Jane Grace, but also for anyone interested in punk rock and gender identity. I tore through it in a couple of days and highlighted many passages. I have to say that the last part of the book gutted me: Grace took a brave but extremely hard decision about herself and her life and she has paid a very heavy price to be who she is. I admire her determination but my heart broke for the things she lost in the process.What a bravely written memoir and what a real, inspiring person.
Fast-foward to 2012, when I read Tom Gable's story and his coming out as transgender in Rolling Stone. I remember crying when I read the article. I'm cis-gendered, I'll never understand what Laura Jane Grace went through, but I know what it's like hating the skin you live in, feeling that what people see has got nothing to do with who you are. Obviously, my struggles are completely different from hers, but I could feel her pain in the interview, and I was very moved. When I heard about this book, I knew immediately that I had to read it.
The struggle and guilt associated with Grace's gender dysphoria is a theme that runs from the very beginning of the book up until the end, where there is a stronger focus on it, as this is the point in her story when Grace came out as trans and began her transition process. But mostly, this is the story of someone who loved punk music and its politics, who wanted to make it on that scene and what a struggle that ended up being.
"Where are you supposed to go when you no longer feel welcome in the places you turned to because you didn't feel welcome anywhere else?" That quote about Grace's disappointment and disillusion with the punk scene resonated very strongly with me because it captured my own experience of a scene that claims to be anti-conformist and all-inclusive... but where everyone is a white dude in a Misfits t-shirt... The heartbreak of being rejected by a subculture you turned to because it was the only one that welcomed the kind of freak you are is a terrible feeling of loss and isolation. Through Against Me!'s lyrics, I had guessed that Grace had experienced this, but reading her diary entry made that a certainty - and I now relate even more to my favorite records.
People romanticize the musician's lifestyle to an incredible (and delusional) degree. Even with label support, being in a band is very hard work that is not taken very seriously by many - fans and family included. Touring takes a huge toll on physical and mental health, there is an enormous amount of pressure and precious few tangible rewards, and Grace tells it - warts and all. The only book that I have read that gives a more brutal picture of life as a touring band is Henry Rollin's "Get in the Van". I was amused/horrified by the anecdote on how Against Me! managed to alienate Anti-Flag (one of my favorite bands) on their tour opening for them, and by the descriptions of Fat Mike as "Mayor of Warped Tour", getting the NOFX shows scheduled according to his level of hangover-ness.
The tone is straight to the point, incredibly honest and confessional. Grace won't sugar coat anything, least of all any aspects of her own behavior that was less than exemplary. She freely admits to having been a complete asshole on several occasion, she acknowledges how she might have hurt others: many rock autobiographies read as long-winded justification for terrible behavior (I'm looking at you, Anthony Keidis and Slash!), but this isn't what LJG is doing at all. And that is quite refreshing, to be honest. The quality of the writing is not the same in the narration and Laura Jane's journal excepts. I prefer the style of the journal, which is much more intimate, obviously; the regular narration is a little bit flat, but it's an easy, fluid read.
As I read "Tranny", one of the things that fascinated me the most was knowing where the inspiration for Against Me!'s songs and album titles came from, the entire process behind the records seeing the light of day. It made me see them in a whole new different light, and it's an interesting experience to rediscover music that you love and look at them from this new perspective. I revisited by stack of Against Me! records and found them even more layered and impressive after reading this book.
This is a great book for fans of Against Me! and Laura Jane Grace, but also for anyone interested in punk rock and gender identity. I tore through it in a couple of days and highlighted many passages. I have to say that the last part of the book gutted me: Grace took a brave but extremely hard decision about herself and her life and she has paid a very heavy price to be who she is. I admire her determination but my heart broke for the things she lost in the process.What a bravely written memoir and what a real, inspiring person.
September 6, 2019
Predictable yet still so yucky. In a book proudly describing countless interpersonal wrongs (everything from pissing on the wall in a hotel to mocking transwomen in public to sexually harassing women to beating up a stranger in a coffee shop for calling you a sellout to giving your recently abused mom a literal heart attack to cutting yourself to manipulate girls in high school to getting mad at your girlfriend for handling being impregnated and told you wanted her to terminate with midwife abortion instead of hospital abortion and being “humiliated� when this woman wrote a zine about her experiences, etc etc, they never end) there’s maybe one instance of Laura describing doing something nice for someone else. This is basically a book about how hard it is being a horrible person who feels no real need to stop being a horrible person and demonstrates no depth of understanding about how these actions affect others. Not sure what people are supposed to take away from the part about desperately wanting to detransition but realizing it would be a career killer and ultimately getting back on hormones and chilling out and reaping the benefits of a trans audience. Acknowledging you’re a prick at the end of your book about you’ve spent your whole life constantly being a selfish bully doesn’t make you less of one. How very very yucky. The fact that someone can read this and still look up to Laura at all is so unbelievably twisted
July 15, 2023
it's always hard to rate a memoir. i cared more about her transition, and less about against me! touring, tbh. glad to have a punk trans woman out and published, though. mother.
February 22, 2021
"Black me out
I don't want to see the world that way anymore
I don't want to feel that weak and insecure
As if you were my f***ing pimp
As I was your f***ing whore
Black me out"
Against Me! was my teenage years. I remember seeing them on the Warped Tour and it changing my life. That band got me through a lot of rough times in my life. My Mom always told people that me being weird, dressing in all black, and having piercings was just a phase. It’s not a phase, Mom, it’s a f***king lifestyle.
Laura Jane Grace is a powerful woman with a lot to say and I’m glad that I got to read her words. I feel lucky to have the privilege to experience her words and feel her emotions. Not all of it is roses but she didn’t hold back. She opens up and chronicles her life as a punk growing up in Florida, starting a band, touring around the world, and finally showing the world who she truly is. None of it is easy but she’s living proof that it can happen.
I can’t imagine what Laura went through as she experienced dysphoria. How negative thoughts plagued her mind and made her second guess things in life. She goes into detail on a lot of those thoughts and opens up her journal entries to share what she felt around certain times and places in her life.
Tranny is a powerful autobiography from one of the most badass women on the planet. I’m grateful that she let us all into her life to get a glimpse at what her life was like from the start. Laura admits that she’s not perfect and we all love her for it. This bio is just magnificent.
Mandatory Happiness!!
I don't want to see the world that way anymore
I don't want to feel that weak and insecure
As if you were my f***ing pimp
As I was your f***ing whore
Black me out"
Against Me! was my teenage years. I remember seeing them on the Warped Tour and it changing my life. That band got me through a lot of rough times in my life. My Mom always told people that me being weird, dressing in all black, and having piercings was just a phase. It’s not a phase, Mom, it’s a f***king lifestyle.
Laura Jane Grace is a powerful woman with a lot to say and I’m glad that I got to read her words. I feel lucky to have the privilege to experience her words and feel her emotions. Not all of it is roses but she didn’t hold back. She opens up and chronicles her life as a punk growing up in Florida, starting a band, touring around the world, and finally showing the world who she truly is. None of it is easy but she’s living proof that it can happen.
I can’t imagine what Laura went through as she experienced dysphoria. How negative thoughts plagued her mind and made her second guess things in life. She goes into detail on a lot of those thoughts and opens up her journal entries to share what she felt around certain times and places in her life.
Tranny is a powerful autobiography from one of the most badass women on the planet. I’m grateful that she let us all into her life to get a glimpse at what her life was like from the start. Laura admits that she’s not perfect and we all love her for it. This bio is just magnificent.
Mandatory Happiness!!
June 14, 2022
“Whenever I came out to people, there was a feeling that I was asking for their permission, or their forgiveness.�
March 19, 2022
I’ve known about Against Me! and Laura Jane Grace for a while, but I’ve never really delved into their music too deeply. After reading Dan Ozzi’s book which talks about Against Me! I was interested to learn more through Laura’s memoir which Dan co-wrote.
I hate it when celebrity memoirs are super sanitized or the author only portrays themself in a positive light. So even though there are a lot of moments in the book where Laura Jane Grace doesn’t seem super likable and does shitty things, I was happy to see her being so raw with what she shared. Her stories of dysphoria and how much she was struggling before coming out as trans to the people in her life and publicly were rough to read. But they painted a super clear picture.
It was interesting to see the journal entries that she was writing at the times these different events were happening. It gave the book a really intimate quality.
I do wish that the book went further in the end with the time period it was covering. The main part of the book ends pretty soon after Laura comes out to people and starts to transition. There’s only a brief epilogue that gives some glimpses into her life post coming out. But I feel like so much of the book is leading up to it then that portion of her life doesn’t get fully explored. I’d definitely be interested in reading another memoir from her that follows more of her career after coming out.
I hate it when celebrity memoirs are super sanitized or the author only portrays themself in a positive light. So even though there are a lot of moments in the book where Laura Jane Grace doesn’t seem super likable and does shitty things, I was happy to see her being so raw with what she shared. Her stories of dysphoria and how much she was struggling before coming out as trans to the people in her life and publicly were rough to read. But they painted a super clear picture.
It was interesting to see the journal entries that she was writing at the times these different events were happening. It gave the book a really intimate quality.
I do wish that the book went further in the end with the time period it was covering. The main part of the book ends pretty soon after Laura comes out to people and starts to transition. There’s only a brief epilogue that gives some glimpses into her life post coming out. But I feel like so much of the book is leading up to it then that portion of her life doesn’t get fully explored. I’d definitely be interested in reading another memoir from her that follows more of her career after coming out.
June 13, 2017
Maybe like 3.5?
A fascinating window into being in a successful band that got its start in anti-establishment circles. It reminded me of Carrie Brownstein's memoir about Sleater Kinney. It's not your average transition memoir, since the bulk of the material has to do with Against Me before she came out. It's only really in the epilogue that she talks about being trans. She is brutally honest about all of her experiences and doesn't try to paint herself in a flattering light, trans stuff at the end included.
There's an interesting essay by her defending the title; if you're curious it's pinned to her Twitter profile. But I am still thinking about something Imogen Binnie said on a podcast where she was talking about naming her novel Nevada specifically thinking about how the title and cover art made it safe for any trans person, out or not, to ask for the book at a library or bookstore, or read it on the bus. That wouldn't be possible with this book. I mean, the title is not a word I or any cis person have the okay to use, so how are we supposed to ask for this book or talk about it? I don't know.
A fascinating window into being in a successful band that got its start in anti-establishment circles. It reminded me of Carrie Brownstein's memoir about Sleater Kinney. It's not your average transition memoir, since the bulk of the material has to do with Against Me before she came out. It's only really in the epilogue that she talks about being trans. She is brutally honest about all of her experiences and doesn't try to paint herself in a flattering light, trans stuff at the end included.
There's an interesting essay by her defending the title; if you're curious it's pinned to her Twitter profile. But I am still thinking about something Imogen Binnie said on a podcast where she was talking about naming her novel Nevada specifically thinking about how the title and cover art made it safe for any trans person, out or not, to ask for the book at a library or bookstore, or read it on the bus. That wouldn't be possible with this book. I mean, the title is not a word I or any cis person have the okay to use, so how are we supposed to ask for this book or talk about it? I don't know.
December 22, 2016
The inclusion of the journal entries is very interesting and revealing. I wish Laura had found people or sources to help her understand her transition sooner. I found myself yelling at the book from time to time because of the terminology that she was using to refer to herself, but I very much understand that this was the only rhetoric she knew to understand herself. This is why LGBTQ visibility is so important--if she had better, more loving and understanding terms with which to understand herself, would she have continued to torture herself for so long? I really liked hearing about the history of the band, too--I freely admit that they had never been on my radar until after Laura's coming out, but I've also gone back to listen to the pre-transition stuff and I like it, as well.
Good book. Highly recommended.
Good book. Highly recommended.
June 23, 2017
Well, it’s an understatement to describe Tranny as a different take on the usual rock bio. This is as close as most people will ever get to feeling trapped in the body of someone with gender dysphoria.
“If I was drunk enough, I would hang my chain wallet from my dick piercing, and swing it around for a party trick.�
Yes, even the “rock star� shenanigans are a bit different here!
No other musician’s memoir has described the enjoyment of coming home from a tour so they can sit around in a dress drinking beers, dreaming of the woman they wish to become.
Never has a musician being so brutally honest and candid in a memoir. Laura Jane Grace bares her soul throughout, often quite self-depreciating. The usual tales of substance abuse and alcoholism are featured, but the driving forces behind them, coupled with gender dysphoria make them an overwhelmingly fresh, and gripping read.
I remember buying a copy of Rolling Stone as the news of Tom’s bombshell transition into Laura Jane Grace was made public. I remember wanting the article to be longer, in order for Laura to express herself further � Tranny finally satisfies this and so much more. Tranny is a real page-turner, though not a book for everyone. It’s fast-paced - a reflection of Laura’s fast-paced living.
Is it a happy story?
“I want my heart to stop beating. The band and crew can find me blue-faced and cold to touch in the morning.�
Nope. It’s gritty, soul-baring and downright depressing in many places, as Laura struggles with dysphoria and a host of suicidal, substance abuse issues. I felt depressed for days after finishing it.
Laura’s journal entries were one of the strongpoints, demonstrating a bravery not usually associated with rock star memoir. Sometimes reading an entry would feel familiar, and then a slow smile would form on my face as I discovered the origins (and lyrics) to one of my favourite songs. The hints of Laura’s dysphoria in the lyrics to numerous Against Me! songs made me go back and listen to their entire back catalogue with added hindsight.
White Crosses is an all-time favourite album of mine, so I was excited to read the chapter featuring this period. I would have loved more emphasis on the music itself though, rather than what became an almost monotonous self-loathing of someone struggling with an identity crisis and personal demons.
It was interesting to learn how the modern punk music scene works - the corporate elements (cutthroat major labels), the sales and money figures, the accusations of being sell-outs from the punk community and the intense, soul-destroying lawsuits. Don’t worry punk fans - arrests, violence and deaths are featured too; along with ‘punk squats� that made me immediately want to go shower. Standout touching moments were a letter from Bruce Springsteen and the relationship that developed between Laura and producer, Butch Vig.
It’s a book about learning to be happier with the person we see in the mirror, more than it necessarily is about music. Laura is only 37, and her transition, music career is still very much a work in progress � which kind of reflected the lack of finality in the ending.
Hachette is to be applauded for taking on a book like Tranny and allowing Laura and Dan full creative control over it; the result being a brutally honest, candid memoir that the book world would benefit from having more of.
I hope you've found that happiness, Laura.
“If I was drunk enough, I would hang my chain wallet from my dick piercing, and swing it around for a party trick.�
Yes, even the “rock star� shenanigans are a bit different here!
No other musician’s memoir has described the enjoyment of coming home from a tour so they can sit around in a dress drinking beers, dreaming of the woman they wish to become.
Never has a musician being so brutally honest and candid in a memoir. Laura Jane Grace bares her soul throughout, often quite self-depreciating. The usual tales of substance abuse and alcoholism are featured, but the driving forces behind them, coupled with gender dysphoria make them an overwhelmingly fresh, and gripping read.
I remember buying a copy of Rolling Stone as the news of Tom’s bombshell transition into Laura Jane Grace was made public. I remember wanting the article to be longer, in order for Laura to express herself further � Tranny finally satisfies this and so much more. Tranny is a real page-turner, though not a book for everyone. It’s fast-paced - a reflection of Laura’s fast-paced living.
Is it a happy story?
“I want my heart to stop beating. The band and crew can find me blue-faced and cold to touch in the morning.�
Nope. It’s gritty, soul-baring and downright depressing in many places, as Laura struggles with dysphoria and a host of suicidal, substance abuse issues. I felt depressed for days after finishing it.
Laura’s journal entries were one of the strongpoints, demonstrating a bravery not usually associated with rock star memoir. Sometimes reading an entry would feel familiar, and then a slow smile would form on my face as I discovered the origins (and lyrics) to one of my favourite songs. The hints of Laura’s dysphoria in the lyrics to numerous Against Me! songs made me go back and listen to their entire back catalogue with added hindsight.
White Crosses is an all-time favourite album of mine, so I was excited to read the chapter featuring this period. I would have loved more emphasis on the music itself though, rather than what became an almost monotonous self-loathing of someone struggling with an identity crisis and personal demons.
It was interesting to learn how the modern punk music scene works - the corporate elements (cutthroat major labels), the sales and money figures, the accusations of being sell-outs from the punk community and the intense, soul-destroying lawsuits. Don’t worry punk fans - arrests, violence and deaths are featured too; along with ‘punk squats� that made me immediately want to go shower. Standout touching moments were a letter from Bruce Springsteen and the relationship that developed between Laura and producer, Butch Vig.
It’s a book about learning to be happier with the person we see in the mirror, more than it necessarily is about music. Laura is only 37, and her transition, music career is still very much a work in progress � which kind of reflected the lack of finality in the ending.
Hachette is to be applauded for taking on a book like Tranny and allowing Laura and Dan full creative control over it; the result being a brutally honest, candid memoir that the book world would benefit from having more of.
I hope you've found that happiness, Laura.
November 19, 2016
I want to love this-I just wish she had spent less time talking shit about the rest of the band
Want to read
November 17, 2016I'm not a super fan of Against Me!, the punk band whose singer is now publicly a woman. But I do think is a fuckin' warhead of a song; it's been on my "favorites" Spotify list for, geez, a couple years now. She's got a kickass story and I would like to hear more of it.
ooh, I just found an acoustic version of that song. Not as good, I like this (and everything else) loud, but her voice sounds great
ooh, I just found an acoustic version of that song. Not as good, I like this (and everything else) loud, but her voice sounds great
February 2, 2018
Laura Jane Grace is an incredible storyteller but her's is a story that is clearly not yet finished, and it shows. Much of the book flies through as a chronological retelling, with journal entries often wedged in awkwardly. It gives an intriguing backstory to the early days of Against Me! but feels pressed for time in its final chapters. It's an enjoyable, if not entirely satisfying read. It feels like the start of something rather than a recounting of it.
March 29, 2017
Laura, her transition and her music will always be huge for me, but I think she severely rushed this book. Unfortunately, she comes across as an asshole. That's just punk rock I guess? From the early days of Against Me! to coming out, considering the emotions of others is not her strong suit. The prose leaves a lot to be desired--What was Dan Ozzi doing? Her journals are the best part.
November 20, 2016
I first heard selections of Laura's autobiography material when she read from her diaries on a solo tour a year or so ago. Her entries are remarkably honest and powerful and moved me to tears. The book weaves the journal entries with song lyrics that she was writing at the time and her play-by-play of her career and personal life.
My two cents: After the release of their (2nd?) album, (maybe sooner), Against Me! would get heckled by punks at their shows for selling out. These punks sound like pretentious troll brats. Why are they even at these shows then? Bye.
In interviews LJG has said that she hates the word of the book title, but it's a way of saying the possible worst thing about yourself first, before others can get a chance to hurt you with it. I cringe at the book title. I think a slur isn't the best choice for this because;
a) People who do not identify as trans* could think it's ok to throw around the word. (It's not. Don't.).
b.) Laura Jane Grace doesn't address the reason for the title in the book.
c.) It's not a book solely about the word and the history of it's use.
d.) This book is a great pick for fans of LJG and Against Me! and members of the LGBT community, but I think the title could attract a readership that is unwanted, specifically creepers who objectify and dehumanize trans* people and are looking for a salacious read. Which feeds back into being uninformed through b.) and a.) The cycle continues.
My two cents: After the release of their (2nd?) album, (maybe sooner), Against Me! would get heckled by punks at their shows for selling out. These punks sound like pretentious troll brats. Why are they even at these shows then? Bye.
In interviews LJG has said that she hates the word of the book title, but it's a way of saying the possible worst thing about yourself first, before others can get a chance to hurt you with it. I cringe at the book title. I think a slur isn't the best choice for this because;
a) People who do not identify as trans* could think it's ok to throw around the word. (It's not. Don't.).
b.) Laura Jane Grace doesn't address the reason for the title in the book.
c.) It's not a book solely about the word and the history of it's use.
d.) This book is a great pick for fans of LJG and Against Me! and members of the LGBT community, but I think the title could attract a readership that is unwanted, specifically creepers who objectify and dehumanize trans* people and are looking for a salacious read. Which feeds back into being uninformed through b.) and a.) The cycle continues.
December 2, 2016
Don't read a trans woman's biography hoping to find out that there's happy endings for #girlslikeus. This is a pretty rough read all the way through but it's a story I'm somewhat familiar about, a story about hating what you see in the mirror, about dealing with suicidal depression and dysphoria and what happens when those two mix together and how removing one doesn't get rid of the other but makes it not so bad.
It's a great read, truly interesting and somewhat reassuring as a fucked up punk trans woman to know that your heroine is also fucked up, that really the best we can all do is survive for as long as possible.
It's a great read, truly interesting and somewhat reassuring as a fucked up punk trans woman to know that your heroine is also fucked up, that really the best we can all do is survive for as long as possible.
May 28, 2018
Loved this. I love the candor, the vulnerability and the strength of it. A wonderful, heart-wrenching story which touched me deeply. Having my own history with punk in the 80s, I was drawn to this book but little did I know how I would be affected. I read this in one day, I couldn't put it down. As soon as I closed the book I went on youtube and watched a couple of videos/interviews with . I'm a new fan. 5 stars for hitting me on an emotional level.
March 26, 2021
4.5* Powerful and very candid. This is : 1 - A solid punk rock music memoir (complete with making it, being seen to "sell out", the unsavory ins & out of the music industry, the hardships of touring, debauchery & shenanigans). And 2 - An exceptionally vulnerable and sometimes heartbreaking account of what it's like to feel like you were born in the wrong body, and how very isolating it is to not be free to be your authentic self.
August 9, 2018
Laura has broken boundaries and proven that, regardless of one's gender identity, they can be a self-absorbed, raging narcissist.
This book is terrible. I don't read memoirs of rock musicians expecting an extraordinary degree of nuance, but Tranny is a repetitive, amateurish slog. Laura recounts Against Me's rise to prominence in the punk rock world, how she hates every band member she's ever had, every record label she's ever had, and how she does a whole lot of drugs. She frequently discusses her gender dysphoria, but never in any depth; it's 100% surface-level analysis.
There's simply no substance to this book. We're left with an extremely unflattering portrait of Laura. She criticizes everyone around her, and fails to recognize herself as the sole common denominator.
This book has a co-author, which makes the poor writing quality even more glaring. I wouldn't be surprised if the mountains of cocaine Laura has insufflated over the years degrades her ability to form a cogent narrative, but with a professional writer behind her, the amateur-ish writing is simply unacceptable.
This book is terrible. I don't read memoirs of rock musicians expecting an extraordinary degree of nuance, but Tranny is a repetitive, amateurish slog. Laura recounts Against Me's rise to prominence in the punk rock world, how she hates every band member she's ever had, every record label she's ever had, and how she does a whole lot of drugs. She frequently discusses her gender dysphoria, but never in any depth; it's 100% surface-level analysis.
There's simply no substance to this book. We're left with an extremely unflattering portrait of Laura. She criticizes everyone around her, and fails to recognize herself as the sole common denominator.
This book has a co-author, which makes the poor writing quality even more glaring. I wouldn't be surprised if the mountains of cocaine Laura has insufflated over the years degrades her ability to form a cogent narrative, but with a professional writer behind her, the amateur-ish writing is simply unacceptable.
November 20, 2023
okay personally - there was a little too much industry talk for my liking which made it a bit draggy at times (but i think if you loved this band you would love the juicy music goss) - the portions where she was talking abt her mental health, gender, family relations and all that though were very well written and very good at conveying the pain, confusion, and euphoria she felt at all diff times
February 7, 2017
I won a copy of this from ŷ, and here's my (somewhat late) review of it.
I was curious to check out Laura Jane Grace's memoir for two reasons: I'm interested in punk music and politics, and I also really want to read more non-fiction, particularly post-election, to get more perspectives from others, especially those in groups that the US tends to marginalize.
I got into punk via Plan-it-X Records around 2008 when I was 18 (a late bloomer to the scene, I know). Plan-it-X released one of Against Me!'s earliest releases, the Crime as Forgiven By EP. By the time I got into the DIY punk scene, though, Against Me! had already abandoned its roots and "sold out." While I missed the falling out between the band and the now-former fans who felt betrayed by Against Me!'s rise in the record label ranks, the latter group's residual feelings of anger, disgust, resentment, and hurt at the band, in their eyes, leaving them behind in exchange for money was still felt on the Plan-it-X message board for years to come. (Part of the Plan-it-X fans' issues stems from the band not letting Chris Clavin, the label's owner, know that No Idea Records would be putting out the next Against Me! album, information he found out from the No Idea site. Grace addresses this by noting that Clavin didn't own a phone and was thus difficult to get in touch with, which seems like a fairly reasonable explanation to move to the larger No Idea without notice, if i'm being objective.)
I never really listened to Against Me! much, despite living in Gainesville for about a year and half from 2008-2009. This wasn't necessarily out of principle, though that did make me less likely to give the band an honest listen. A friend put on Reinventing Axl Rose during a shift once at Wayward Council, a now-defunct not-for-profit record store and show space that Grace mentions in the memoir. When I told her I didn't like Against Me!, she told me that it was "cool" for those in the Gainesville punk community not to like them. I wasn't trying to be cool, though--what I did hear of Against Me! just never resonated with me. I had two opportunities to see them play "secret" shows under fake names. They played a house show at my friend John's in the spring of 2009 under the name Gift Certificate. I broke my arm and had to have surgery a day or two before the show, and I wasn't willing to brave the swarm of people for it. I missed Spoonboy as an opener, though, and that bummed me out. Against Me! also played at The Atlantic as The B-Sides (or something like that) later that year. I went with a couple of friends just out of curiosity. We got there late, however, and Against Me! had played first for some reason. We still got to see Averkiou, so I wasn't disappointed. But enough about me.
All of this is to say that I've never cared enough about Against Me! for the band to mean something to me one way or the other, either as an ever-loyal fan or a disgruntled former one. I always thought that Tom Gabel was kind of an asshole, though, and Grace freely admits that in her memoir. This is an embodiment of what I appreciate the most about Tranny--its honesty. Grace doesn't try to whitewash her past, nor does she ever look for readers to sympathize with her, whether the topic is about Against Me!'s struggles of trying to make it big as a punk band or her own personal struggles of making sense of her being born male instead of female and what to do about it, if anything (not that these are always distinct topics).
A good example of this is when she recounts the story of an altercation at a coffee shop in Tallahassee that led to her being arrested for battery (in 2007, before her transition). Touring to support New Wave, Against Me!'s first major-label release, the frustration of former fans constantly reminding Grace that she had sold out and betrayed them--whether it be by yelling at the band in between songs during shows or by vandalizing the tour bus--caught up to her, and she snapped. While the memoir makes it clear that her struggles of wanting to transition but feeling uncertain or unable to do so added to the anxiety one would already feel in this situation, Grace never uses it as an excuse for her actions. I really like that Grace seeks empathy rather than sympathy, because I don't think there's much to go around of the latter.
I'm also really impressed with Grace's talent as a writer. I gave Against Me! another listen for this reason alone--I just don't like the vocals at all, unfortunately. One thing I didn't understand, though, was the setup of the book. Grace's old journal entries appear every few pages within the narrative, and while I enjoyed reading them, I found their inclusion to really disrupt the flow of the narrative. The entries would refer back to events discussed earlier, look ahead to the future, or sometimes include details or incidents not discussed elsewhere. Because this is a memoir and not a biography, I really don't understand why the entries couldn't have just been integrated into the rest of the narrative. Excerpts here and there could have been useful, but I found the several-page chunks of journal entries periodically inserted within a chapter jarring and unnecessary.
I also would have liked to see more about Grace's life since she became public with her transition, but the 4-5 years since the Rolling Stone interview only make up the last 25 pages or so (of about 300). For this reason, I think many interested in reading Tranny solely for this element of Grace's life and are not interested in her music career might be disappointed (though I'm sure there are reviews on ŷ from this group of readers, so don't take my word for it). Despite these issues I had with it, though, I found Tranny to be a very compelling read.
I was curious to check out Laura Jane Grace's memoir for two reasons: I'm interested in punk music and politics, and I also really want to read more non-fiction, particularly post-election, to get more perspectives from others, especially those in groups that the US tends to marginalize.
I got into punk via Plan-it-X Records around 2008 when I was 18 (a late bloomer to the scene, I know). Plan-it-X released one of Against Me!'s earliest releases, the Crime as Forgiven By EP. By the time I got into the DIY punk scene, though, Against Me! had already abandoned its roots and "sold out." While I missed the falling out between the band and the now-former fans who felt betrayed by Against Me!'s rise in the record label ranks, the latter group's residual feelings of anger, disgust, resentment, and hurt at the band, in their eyes, leaving them behind in exchange for money was still felt on the Plan-it-X message board for years to come. (Part of the Plan-it-X fans' issues stems from the band not letting Chris Clavin, the label's owner, know that No Idea Records would be putting out the next Against Me! album, information he found out from the No Idea site. Grace addresses this by noting that Clavin didn't own a phone and was thus difficult to get in touch with, which seems like a fairly reasonable explanation to move to the larger No Idea without notice, if i'm being objective.)
I never really listened to Against Me! much, despite living in Gainesville for about a year and half from 2008-2009. This wasn't necessarily out of principle, though that did make me less likely to give the band an honest listen. A friend put on Reinventing Axl Rose during a shift once at Wayward Council, a now-defunct not-for-profit record store and show space that Grace mentions in the memoir. When I told her I didn't like Against Me!, she told me that it was "cool" for those in the Gainesville punk community not to like them. I wasn't trying to be cool, though--what I did hear of Against Me! just never resonated with me. I had two opportunities to see them play "secret" shows under fake names. They played a house show at my friend John's in the spring of 2009 under the name Gift Certificate. I broke my arm and had to have surgery a day or two before the show, and I wasn't willing to brave the swarm of people for it. I missed Spoonboy as an opener, though, and that bummed me out. Against Me! also played at The Atlantic as The B-Sides (or something like that) later that year. I went with a couple of friends just out of curiosity. We got there late, however, and Against Me! had played first for some reason. We still got to see Averkiou, so I wasn't disappointed. But enough about me.
All of this is to say that I've never cared enough about Against Me! for the band to mean something to me one way or the other, either as an ever-loyal fan or a disgruntled former one. I always thought that Tom Gabel was kind of an asshole, though, and Grace freely admits that in her memoir. This is an embodiment of what I appreciate the most about Tranny--its honesty. Grace doesn't try to whitewash her past, nor does she ever look for readers to sympathize with her, whether the topic is about Against Me!'s struggles of trying to make it big as a punk band or her own personal struggles of making sense of her being born male instead of female and what to do about it, if anything (not that these are always distinct topics).
A good example of this is when she recounts the story of an altercation at a coffee shop in Tallahassee that led to her being arrested for battery (in 2007, before her transition). Touring to support New Wave, Against Me!'s first major-label release, the frustration of former fans constantly reminding Grace that she had sold out and betrayed them--whether it be by yelling at the band in between songs during shows or by vandalizing the tour bus--caught up to her, and she snapped. While the memoir makes it clear that her struggles of wanting to transition but feeling uncertain or unable to do so added to the anxiety one would already feel in this situation, Grace never uses it as an excuse for her actions. I really like that Grace seeks empathy rather than sympathy, because I don't think there's much to go around of the latter.
I'm also really impressed with Grace's talent as a writer. I gave Against Me! another listen for this reason alone--I just don't like the vocals at all, unfortunately. One thing I didn't understand, though, was the setup of the book. Grace's old journal entries appear every few pages within the narrative, and while I enjoyed reading them, I found their inclusion to really disrupt the flow of the narrative. The entries would refer back to events discussed earlier, look ahead to the future, or sometimes include details or incidents not discussed elsewhere. Because this is a memoir and not a biography, I really don't understand why the entries couldn't have just been integrated into the rest of the narrative. Excerpts here and there could have been useful, but I found the several-page chunks of journal entries periodically inserted within a chapter jarring and unnecessary.
I also would have liked to see more about Grace's life since she became public with her transition, but the 4-5 years since the Rolling Stone interview only make up the last 25 pages or so (of about 300). For this reason, I think many interested in reading Tranny solely for this element of Grace's life and are not interested in her music career might be disappointed (though I'm sure there are reviews on ŷ from this group of readers, so don't take my word for it). Despite these issues I had with it, though, I found Tranny to be a very compelling read.
February 22, 2021
Against Me! kažkada buvo labai mėgiama mano grupė. Nepaisant to, kad dėmesys jai vėliau išblėso, iki šiol Against Me! man kelia malonius prisiminimus ir karts nuo karto jų muzikos vis dar paklausau. Grupės vokalistės (-o) autobiografiją perskaičiau su dideliu susidomėjimu. Čia radau visko: pankroko filosofija, komercinės pinklės, šeima vs. asmens laisvė; knyga yra kaip meilės romanas, trileris, siaubo filmas, paaugliška istorija - viskas čia dera ir viskas tinka. Skaitant buvo malonu mintimis grįžti prie tam tikrų konkrečių grupės dainų ir jų tekstų - skaitant autobiografiją kai kurios dainos įgijo visai kitokias reikšmes. Niekad nelaikiau savęs Against Me! fanbojumi, bet skaitydamas knygą ne kartą pagalvojau, kad jei reikėtų sudaryti kokį nors dainių topą, tai Laura Jane Grace ten užimtų aukštą vietą.
July 26, 2022
Tranny was everything I was hoping for in the story of Laura Jane Grace, Against Me!, and her journey of discovering her true self. I have been a fan of the band from early on, but there was still a lot of stuff here that was new to me. It was interesting to read about the band politics, life on the road, the insight into other bands on tour, and the rawness of Grace's life on the page. She does not always come off in a positive light, and I really appreciate that honest view. It is at times both heartbreaking and incredibly hopeful. I am so happy to see a book like this in the world.
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