Ruffian Books is an independent publishing company founded by Mike Shea, the creator of Alternative Press. AP started in 1985 as a photocopied fanzine handed out at Cleveland shows, and grew into one of the most influential music magazines in America. Ruffian is the same instinct, four decades sharper: document the underground like it matters, because it does.
We publish oversized, obsessively researched nonfiction on music, film, visual art, and entertainment history. Punk, pop punk, emo, goth, hardcore, and the scenes and subcultures around them. Our books have been covered by Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, and AV Club, and praised by artists like Bob Mould. We build limited slipcase editions and companion zines because we believe a book about records should be made with the same care as the records themselves.
We publish for readers who care about authenticity and insight, and we work closely with writers to make books that last, as reading experiences and as objects.
Still building the underground. Now in hardcover.
Have a book idea? Visit our Submissions page. Want Ruffian titles in your store? See Wholesale.
