BOOKS

Drug Wars

The first single-volume history of the UK’s War on Drugs, and the lost history of how Britain fits into this global policy disaster.

Calling upon the gripping first-hand accounts from those on all sides of this battle – cops, gangsters, drug users and politicians – as well as the authors’ own experiences as an undercover drugs detective and an investigative reporter, Drug Wars builds a complex, authentic and terrifying picture of the reality of the drug war in Britain.

Beginning with the Misuse of Drugs Act in 1971, we watch decades of violence, racial tension, organised crime and a monumental increase in addiction and corruption unfold. We see the birth of rave music and dance culture, and ever-increasing tabloid hysteria. And throughout, we look at the huge numbers of civilians that have fallen victim to the failing policies of the global War on Drugs.

Good Cop, Bad War

Neil Woods spent fourteen years infiltrating drug gangs as an undercover detective, gaining the trust of some of the most violent, unpredictable criminals in Britain.

But Neil was never your stereotypical gung-ho, tough-guy copper. This is the story of how a thoughtful, idealistic character learned to use his empathetic nature to master some of the roughest, most dangerous work in law enforcement. There was no training, no manual and no plan for when things went wrong; he was just dropped at a corner and told to make connections.

But, inevitably, having swords thrust against his jugular, witnessing beatings, stabbings, and gangsters burning suspected rats with acid took its toll – leading Neil to question the very logic of the War on Drugs he had given so much of his life to fighting

Live At The Brixton Academy

The wild story behind Britain’s greatest music venue.

From crazy rock ‘n’ roll tales to mixing it up with South London gangsters, this is equal parts the secret history of modern music, and the story of Brixton itself.

In 1982, aged twenty-three, Simon Parkes paid £1 for a virtually derelict building in Brixton. Over the next fifteen years he turned it into Britain's most iconic music venue. And now he's telling his story: from reggae and punk to grunge and hip-hop – not to mention putting on the first ever legal raves in the UK.

Full of wild tales of the legendary musicians who played at the venue – from The Clash and Iggy Pop to Nirvana, Public Enemy and the Rolling Stones.