The novel is set in 1979 and it was an amazing year for music. Punk still had some teeth, reggae was stepping into dancehall and both punk and reggae were in conversation. Dub was showing the possibilities of what was around us could be, 2 Tone was moving, as well as what became known as post-punk throwing up the weird and wonderful; Cabaret Voltaire's 'Nag Nag Nag' was a fave of my sister and me. Less so with my mum.

The book has a lot of music in it, it was where good times were had and ideas explored in a time before the interweb and social meeja. I'll post a full playlist of all the songs in the book in the future. This is the first song mentioned in the book, partly because a pup is a young dog and partly beacuse they were from the Essex Road end of Islington. It was the first release on Small Wonder, a label that packed one hell of a punch.

Zip up yer bondage trousers and pogo...