Days and Days

It might seem odd — a punk band introducing poetry into someone’s life. But what if this lyrical influence was the reason you became a writer in the first place?

Days and Days weaves together two stories. One is a tale of friendship and self-discovery that occurs during a backpacking adventure through England, Scotland, and Ireland. The other celebrates the highly influential yet underestimated UK band Leatherface, a group that The Guardian called “the greatest British punk band of the modern era.”

Without so much as a single hostel booked, Chris MacDonald and his friend Jason cross the Atlantic. They sleep in train stations, endure a haunting on top of a volcano in Edinburgh, are driven out of Belfast by the IRA, and witness the mother of all storms. They also find themselves in the rehearsal space of their teenage punk idols, a building steeped in cultural significance for the Sunderland music scene.

Days and Days is about the silver thread that connects us even after drifting apart. It’s a story about forgiveness and reflection, how beauty can be found within callous cladding. Leatherface band members, colleagues, and friends generously share personal insights that guide the reader into the melancholy, darkness, and humor that surround Sunderland’s best-kept secret.

Chris MacDonald is a writer and tattoo artist based in Toronto. His first book, The Things I Came Here With, was called “a heartfelt memoir with wide appeal” by Library Journal and was nominated for the 2023 Heritage Toronto Book Award.