Punk - by Rich Weidman (Paperback)

About the Book

Punk: The Definitive Guide to the Blank Generation and Beyond serves as the most exhaustive treatment of the punk movement-not only its music, which Rich Weidman exhaustively details from the proto-punk bands of the 1960s through the pop punk of the 1990s and 2000s to today's ...

Book Synopsis

Infused with a raw and energetic sound that stripped rock 'n' roll to the bone, punk rock transformed rock's landscape in the 1970s, deconstructing bloated arena rock and leaving a lasting influence on the music and cultural scene in the United States and overseas. Punk was all about extending a middle finger to the status quo while pushing boundaries in uncharted directions. According to punk poet laureate Patti Smith, "To me, punk rock is the freedom to create, freedom to be successful, freedom to be not successful, freedom to be who you are. It's freedom."

Punk: The Definitive Guide to the Blank Generation and Beyond focuses on the origins of punk, ranging from disparate influences such as Dadaism, the Beat Generation, the garage bands of the 1960s, the Paris-based Situationist International movement, Jamaican ska bands, Stanley Kubrick's dystopian masterpiece A Clockwork Orange, and the glam rock of the early 1970s. Rich Weidman highlights the best and worst punk bands, the greatest punk songs and albums, the most notorious concerts, and the rise of American hardcore punk. Legendary venues such as CBGB and classic punk films and documentaries like The Decline of Western Civilization propelled the rise of pop punk bands into the mainstream and every other aspect of punk subculture, including its lasting impact on rock 'n' roll and society as a whole.

About the Author

Rich Weidman is a writer and editor from Florida. His works include The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock, The Beat Generation FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Angelheaded Hipsters, Guns N' Roses FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Bad Boys of the Sunset Strip, and Breaking Bad FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Hustlers, Bunsen Burners, and Heisenberg, as well as several regional travel guides. He is also the editor of a travel blog called Wandering Florida and an avid hiker.