Viv Albertine's first book – Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys – gave us an insight into the life of The Slits founder.

Her Brighton Festival talk was just as honest.

Albertine drew from her new book, To Throw Away Unopened, which revolves around her relationship with her mother – an inspiring woman who told young Viv to be fearless.

What did her mother think, though, when she started wearing Doc Marten boots and bondage-like gear when she was in punk icons The Slits? That question was posed by an audience member, to which Albertine said she wished she had had a camera to capture her mother's expression.

Albertine's mother was clearly a part inspiration for her daughter's punk ethos, however. In later years, Albertine would embark on a quest to discover where her anger – at times rage – came from.

The conclusion she came to here was that it was passed down by generations of women in her family, especially her mother, who "burned with anger, anger towards misogyny".

Albertine said her second book is aimed at young women (although I'd also like to claim it for the older demographic), to inspire them not to get bogged down by modern life and particularly the internet.

The path Albertine has taken has led to her being lonely, poor and an outcast but she said she wouldn't have it any other way.

She extolled the virtues of living honestly and expressing oneself through art. She also spoke about breaking the myth of the "legend".

Legends, as she said, are "unattainable" but "the truth and reality is so interesting".

Anna Moulson