When Old Hymerian Keith Webb first discovered the Mercury Prize-winning indie rock band Wolf Alice back in 2015 on the recommendation of his wife, Pam, he felt like an isolated super-fan. Fast-forward nearly a decade, and Webb has turned that deep passion into an extraordinary literary endeavor. His upcoming book, A Penny For Your Truth: Wolf Alice – A Fan History (set to be published by Spenwood Books), has officially entered its first edit after an exhaustive nearly two-year journey collecting stories and photographs from across the globe.

What began as a personal fascination has evolved into a massive cultural archive. Containing over 200,000 words and 400 photographs, the book brings together more than 600 previously unpublished fan contributions detailing the extraordinary rise of Wolf Alice, from playing open-mic nights in Camden pubs to playing a massive 45,000-capacity homecoming show at London’s Finsbury Park and dominating the charts with their UK #1 album, The Clearing. Keith is  quick to downplay the tag of traditional "author," describing himself instead as a "Collector of Stories."

"I’m in no way shape or form the ‘author’ of this monumental tome. What I hoped to get—and have—is a gig history of the band through the eyes and ears of its fans, capturing the symbiotic relationship between the band and its community. It’s mutualism to a level I doubt has ever been seen in the music industry."

 Keith Webb (OH 1964-1974) 

From Camden Pubs to Global Stages

The fan stories inside the book span emotional highs and lows, tracing Wolf Alice’s journey across continents, from intimate UK venue gigs to massive international shows in the USA, China, Australia, Indonesia, and South America. With the manuscript now in the publisher's hands, the project is moving swiftly toward release:

Late November: Pre-orders open via Spenwood Books

January: Final editing complete

Publication Target: Mid-2027 (making it an ideal gift for music lovers)

You can register your interest, follow the release updates, or reserve a copy directly on the Spenwood Books Official Page.