What do you think?
Rate this book
Looking for Europe: The History of Neofolk
The music underground's best-kept secret?
Neofolk is not to be confused with folksy sing-along music - rather, this music is rooted in the Dark-Wave and Industrial music scenes; it is a playground for punk attitudes, SS death-heads, pastoral romanticism, and Riefenstahl-inspired aesthetics.
For many years now, Neofolk has been surrounded by controversies. Indeed, no other contemporary music raises so many questions about the freedom of speech and artistic expression.
Some of the bands express Eurocentric worldviews. Is this right-wing populism or the cultural vision of a truly diverse Europe?
Other bands offend by using Third Reich symbolism. Political statement or critical shock art?
A few of the bands even wear Nazi-like uniforms. Purely an aesthetic rejection of the mainstream or an expression of fascist leanings?
In over 500 pages, Looking for Europe takes a comprehensive and non-dogmatic look at one of the most mysterious phenomena of the music underground. All relevant Neofolk bands are portrayed in exclusive chapters featuring interviews and photos.
This book examines the area of tension Neofolk is situated in. The spectrum ranges from fragile folk to noisy Industrial, from right-wing anarchists to modern counter-cultural subversions, and from queer fetishism to artistic explorations of obscure ideologies.
Neofolk is not to be confused with folksy sing-along music - rather, this music is rooted in the Dark-Wave and Industrial music scenes; it is a playground for punk attitudes, SS death-heads, pastoral romanticism, and Riefenstahl-inspired aesthetics.
For many years now, Neofolk has been surrounded by controversies. Indeed, no other contemporary music raises so many questions about the freedom of speech and artistic expression.
Some of the bands express Eurocentric worldviews. Is this right-wing populism or the cultural vision of a truly diverse Europe?
Other bands offend by using Third Reich symbolism. Political statement or critical shock art?
A few of the bands even wear Nazi-like uniforms. Purely an aesthetic rejection of the mainstream or an expression of fascist leanings?
In over 500 pages, Looking for Europe takes a comprehensive and non-dogmatic look at one of the most mysterious phenomena of the music underground. All relevant Neofolk bands are portrayed in exclusive chapters featuring interviews and photos.
This book examines the area of tension Neofolk is situated in. The spectrum ranges from fragile folk to noisy Industrial, from right-wing anarchists to modern counter-cultural subversions, and from queer fetishism to artistic explorations of obscure ideologies.
536 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 27, 2023
all in all good account for the genre, references are caught up on pretty well while some of the apologetic parts are borderline cringe
January 13, 2015
Looking For Europe is a great book on an underexplored subject. Neofolk is a fascinating offshoot from industrial music and this seems to be the definitive word on the subject at present. Space is devoted both to an overview of crucial acts in the genre and an exploration of the surrounding themes and controversies. At times there is a tone of slight apologism for the some of the imagery and statements acts have used and made, Diesel makes these points far more articulately than many of them would have done. On one hand commenting on this once or twice and then leaving it go would've been the best way of avoiding accusations of protesting slightly too much that none of these acts are Nazis.
On the other hand, stripped of controversial political ambiguity a lot of this music is just basically a bunch of common or garden in black uniforms holding copies of Evola books so it'd be far worse for some of the more tedious acts involved if they were reviewed on strictly musical terms. Looking For Europe is very intelligently written and offers a lot of food for thought, pointing me in the direction of some writers and thinkers who knowledge of (whether I agree with them or not) could be very enriching and some music that my life hasn't been improved by hearing. It's always nice to read someone else praising Coil, Current 93 and Death In June to the stars though.
On the other hand, stripped of controversial political ambiguity a lot of this music is just basically a bunch of common or garden in black uniforms holding copies of Evola books so it'd be far worse for some of the more tedious acts involved if they were reviewed on strictly musical terms. Looking For Europe is very intelligently written and offers a lot of food for thought, pointing me in the direction of some writers and thinkers who knowledge of (whether I agree with them or not) could be very enriching and some music that my life hasn't been improved by hearing. It's always nice to read someone else praising Coil, Current 93 and Death In June to the stars though.
January 28, 2009
Umfangreiche Bandgeschichten und Diskographien sind mit Sicherheit ein Pluspunkt, ebenso wie die dazu gehörende CD. Das Buch wirkt aber unübersichtlich, da man sich in langen Aufzählungen von Line-Up Wechseln verliert und sich Passagen auch wiederholen.
Die Interviews sind sehr lesenswert, davon hätten es gerne mehr sein können.
Die Interviews sind sehr lesenswert, davon hätten es gerne mehr sein können.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews