Walls Come Tumbling Down: the music and politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge has won the Penderyn Music Book Prize 2017. 


 

‘The Mercury Prize of Books’ – NME

‘I am so thrilled to receive the Penderyn Music Book Prize. The last time I won a prize was the tombola at St Christopher’s Children Home when I was 8. It was the same day, I was inadvertently driven into a National Front march in the middle of Birmingham city centre. That moment was the genesis for Walls Come tumbling Down, via  much skanking to 2 Tone Records and a healthy shot of anti-Thatcherite songs from the Red Wedgers to shake up my hard-core Tory upbringing.  This award is a tribute to the 100 or more contributors to the book whose actions and songs changed our country’s cultural landscape and a reminder to tomorrow’s heroes that pop music can change the world. ‘ Daniel Rachel
 

 

 The Penderyn Music Book Prize is the only UK-based book prize specifically for music titles including history, theory, biography, autobiography. 2017 longlist and judges named below.

The 2017 award ceremony will take place at the Laugharne Weekend on Sunday 9th April 2017.Previous Winners

2016
Jon Savage ‘1966: The Year The Decade Exploded’ (Faber)

2015
Mark Lewisohn –

‘The Beatles – All These Years: Volume One: Tune In’ (Little, Brown)