Chris Knowles

Chris Knowles

Chris Knowles is the author of the novel, He Will Live Up in the Sky. He is also the author of The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll: The Mysterious Roots of Modern Music, the Eagle Award-winning Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes (RedWheel Weiser), and the critically-acclaimed Clash City Showdown: The Music, The Meaning and The Legacy of The Clash. He's co-author of The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies (Insight Editions), the authorised companion to the long-running TV series.

Latest articles by Chris Knowles

The Clash posing for a photograph in 1984
Bust-ups, busking and the last days of The Clash

By Chris Knowles Published

When punk legends the Clash went out, it was with a whimper not a bang

Bands & Artists
Wendy O. Williiams close-up
The story of Wendy O Williams and the Plasmatics: "I woke up in a pool of blood on the way to the hospital"

By Chris Knowles Published

Fuelled by outrageous onstage theatrics, Plasmatics shows were the hottest ticket in New York, but trouble and trauma awaited at every turn

Bands & Artists
Mohawk Revenge artwork
Meet the guy who hated The Clash's last album so much he re-recorded it for them

By Chris Knowles Last updated

Recutting The Crap: The story of one fan's quest to pluck victory from the final Clash LP’s jaws of defeat

Albums
Joe Strummer in 1985
Back-stabbing, bullying, busking: how The Clash disintegrated

By Chris Knowles Published

In 1983, The Clash sacked founder Mick Jones, hired three new members and tried to return to their punk rock roots. Cue two years of fighting and one of the worst albums ever made

Interviews