Some record stores serve their purpose while the other are almost institutions that shaped the generations of music enthusiasts. Dr Strange Records belongs firmly to the second category. For over three decades, Bill “Doc” Plaster has nurtured one of punk rock’s true sanctuaries, a shop, label, and mail-order operation that survived the changing tides of the music industry and thrived on them. His book, My Life Song by Song: The Story of Dr Strange Records, is not just another memoir, but a love letter to punk, a chronicle of survival, and an unfiltered account of a man whose personal life and musical mission were always tightly interwoven. Doc grew up in Southern California, right at the epicenter of the early ’80s punk explosion. That environment alone could have produced a solid memoir, nights spent in sweaty clubs, afternoons flipping through record bins, encounters with bands who would become legends. But Doc isn’t content to write another nostalgia-drenched walk through punk history. He’s not afraid to show the highs and the devastating lows, the moments of reckless fun and the years of internal struggle. The personal and the communal are constantly intertwined. For every anecdote about seeing the Dead Kennedys or snapping a 35mm shot of GBH, there’s a reflection on perseverance, loss, and the dedication it takes to keep a dream alive.
Dr Strange Records is central to the story, not just as a business but as a philosophy. Punk, at its core, is about self-determination, and the book makes it clear that Doc embodied that ethos. Starting as a mail-order business in the days when you had to rely on trust, envelopes, and word-of-mouth, he expanded into a label and then a physical record store. These weren’t calculated business moves, they were acts of necessity and passion. For many punks scattered across the United States and beyond, Dr Strange became more than a source of records. It was a lifeline, proof that someone out there still believed in this music and kept the flame burning. The book captures this sense of mission. Doc writes with warmth and precision, never lapsing into generic myth-making. The details matter, the way a band showed up late for a gig, the smell of a packed venue, the nervous excitement of opening shipments of vinyl. The hundreds of unseen photographs included aren’t just visual candy, they function as evidence, grounding the stories in the lived reality of the golden age of punk rock. There’s a thrill in seeing candid shots of Bad Brains or The Dickies, not as museum pieces but as people caught in fleeting moments. My Life Song by Song isn’t simply about bands, but about the endurance of a vision. Punk rock has always been precarious, scenes collapse, venues shut down, and trends move on. To keep a store like Dr Strange alive for more than three decades is more than remarkable. The book reveals the strain behind the accomplishment: the sacrifices, the financial risks, the secret burdens Doc carried while presenting a brave front. He’s candid about the “Grand Canyon lows” that tested his resolve, as well as the euphoric “Mt. Everest highs” when everything clicked. That willingness to show his vulnerable side elevates this book beyond mere fan service. It exemplifies the stubbornness required to carve out a space for punk in a hostile world.
Doc writes as he speaks, direct, unpretentious, and full of personality. There’s no academic distance here, as this is a lived experience, filtered through someone who still carries the fire of that first blast of punk energy. At times, the book feels like a long conversation in the record shop itself, complete with digressions, jokes, and moments of sudden candor. That style makes it approachable, but it also gives weight to the deeper confessions that surface. This book also refuses to separate the individual from the collective. Doc’s story is inseparable from the wider narrative of Southern California punk, from the warehouse shows and suburban rebellion of the early ’80s to the eventual global reach of the scene, but it’s also inseparable from the thousands of scenesters who ordered a 7-inch through his mail-order catalog, drove hours to visit the shop, or who tattooed the Dr Strange logo on their skin. The community is present throughout, not as faceless “fans” but as co-conspirators in the ongoing project that keeps the punk rock scene alive. Perseverance is a central theme here. The music industry, especially on the independent side, is littered with burned-out labels, shuttered stores, and disillusioned ex-punks. Doc’s achievement lies not only in surviving but in doing so with integrity. The book makes clear that his commitment was never about profit margins, but about passion, connection, and belief. That sincerity is why Dr Strange has a following that goes beyond customers, why it’s seen as a cultural touchstone rather than just a business. This book is also about durability. The bands change, the formats shift, but the spirit remains stubbornly resistant. The book functions as a memoir and alternative history of American punk rock told from the trenches. Where other accounts might focus on the bands or the records, Doc gives equal attention to the infrastructure that kept the scene running, mail orders, small labels, and shops that doubled as community hubs. Without people like him, much of punk rock’s history would have remained scattered and ephemeral.
This book should not only be read by die-hard fans of Dr Strange or the Southern California scene. It’s essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to sustain independent culture against all odds. It demonstrates that the greatest punk rock heroes aren’t always on stage, but sometimes they’re behind the counter, stuffing envelopes, balancing books, and refusing to quit when quitting would be the easier option. Bill “Doc” Plaster has given us more than just a behind-the-scenes glimpse of a record store. He’s offered a blueprint for persistence, a candid look at the costs of dedication, and a heartfelt celebration of the ability to endure. It’s a story that is at once deeply personal and resonant, the book that will inspire anyone who has ever believed in music as more than just entertainment. Dr Strange Records is still here. The tattoos, the followers, and the loyal community all testify to its impact. With this book, Doc has cemented its legacy in print, ensuring that future generations will understand not just what Dr Strange was, but why it mattered. This isn’t just the story of a record shop. It’s the story of punk rock’s survival, told by one of its quiet architects, and it’s an essential read for everyone. Head to Earth Island Books for more information about ordering.
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