Tony Fletcher — Pow!: When UK Punk Went Pop, 1980-84 - with Seth Lorinczi — at Union Market

Tony Fletcher, the British-born music writer and author of several best-selling biographies, comes to Politics and Prose at Union Market for an evening centered on his memoir *Pow!: When UK Punk Went Pop, 1980-84*. He will be joined in conversation by Seth Lorinczi, a writer on culture and music, and the event is presented in partnership with Byrdland Records, the Union Market record store. The memoir is a sequel to Fletcher’s earlier book *Boy About Town* and tells the story of his teenage years in early-1980s England, when he published the *Jamming!* fanzine, ran a record label of the same name, interviewed some of the era’s biggest artists, befriended rock stars, appeared on television, played in a band, and fell in and out of love — all while still a young striver. The book includes standout experiences like an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney and a friendship with Paul Weller of the Jam, as well as the less glamorous realities of heartbreak and the financial struggles of running an independent label.

The conversation-style event gives fans of post-punk, pop, and the early-1980s UK music scene a close-up look at an era defined by bands such as Madness, Wham!, the Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and Killing Joke. It also highlights Fletcher’s long career in music journalism and writing, along with Lorinczi’s own background as a music writer and lecturer with a particular focus on DC punk.

When: Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 7:00pm.

Venue: Politics and Prose at Union Market, 1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Tickets: This event is free, with first come, first served seating.

Partnership: The event is held in partnership with Byrdland Records, the sister record store to Songbyrd Music House. Byrdland is located in the Union Market District and carries over 5,000 new and used vinyl records.

Lineup: Tony Fletcher in conversation with Seth Lorinczi.

About Tony Fletcher: Tony Fletcher is the author of eleven books, including best-selling biographies of Keith Moon, the Smiths, and R.E.M., as well as a memoir, a novel, and other works. As a London teenager he started the fanzine *Jamming!* in 1977 and later ran a record label of the same name. He moved to New York in the late 1980s and has played in bands, promoted concerts, DJed, written for numerous publications, hosted podcasts, and appeared on or produced TV and radio shows. He also writes twice weekly at tonyfletcher.substack.com.

About Seth Lorinczi: Seth Lorinczi writes on culture and music, with work appearing in The Guardian, Narratively, Maggot Brain, Fretboard Journal, Sunday Long Read, and various print and digital anthologies. He is the author of *Death Trip: A Post-Holocaust Psychedelic Memoir* (Spiral Path Collective, 2024) and has presented on music, including DC punk, at institutions such as Yale, Berkeley, and Washington DC’s MLK Library.

Book: The featured book is *Pow!: When UK Punk Went Pop, 1980-84* by Tony Fletcher, available for preorder in paperback at $22.95. It has an ISBN of 9798999048776 and a publication date of August 18, 2026.

Accessibility: To request accommodations for this event or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally one week in advance. The venue will make an effort to accommodate requests up until the time of the event.

Run time: Not specified.

Age restrictions: Not specified.