Review by Choice Review
Taylor (writing, poetics, and interarts/music, Naropa Univ.) has constructed a rich combination of scholarship and personal experience in exploring punk music. He begins with a scholarly analysis and brief historical background, with discussions of the Fugs, MC5, and other seminal groups. He also contrasts the American and British wings of punk, the latter producing such working-class groups as the Sex Pistols. But Taylor draws the majority of his detailed account from his experiences as a band member of False Prophets from 1988 to 1993 (seemingly long past punk's prime). He mostly quotes from his lengthy journal notes, weaving them together with numerous comments and interpretations. Though committed to a hard life on the road, both in the US and Europe (the group lived a meager existence, with mostly difficult times), Taylor thrilled at being a punk performer, an enthusiasm he captures here. Numerous illustrations, notes, and a bibliography are most helpful. The lyrics to the songs on the accompanying False Prophets CD are also useful. ^BSumming Up: Optional. Large collections supporting study of popular music; lower/upper-division undergraduates and above. R. D. Cohen Indiana University Northwest
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Taylor, in the punk band False Prophets as a temporary replacement for five years (1988-93), contends that punk is intellectually undervalued and examines the punk paradox and the problem of culture. The punk community is a disorderly group . . . initiated and codified as a movement by musicians and dancers. Music/dance is . . . the forum where \lquote identity' is constituted and questioned. Punk enacts identity as paradox. Egad! Downright Peter Townshendian in blustery depth, Taylor follows an interesting line of inquiry for those inclined to the semiotic way of life. He also coherently conveys a sense of what an ambitious band was trying to accomplish, and just so his words won't get terminally in the way of the music, an accompanying CD samples the Prophets at their best. And after all, they were just a bunch of guys on the road trying to make it in the music biz. --Mike Tribby Copyright 2003 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
