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We're Having Much More Fun: Punk Archives for the Present from CBGB to Gilman and Beyond
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 15, 2026
Based on archives in Ithica, this is a punk history focusing on US geographical areas: New York, LA, and the Bay Area, with a final section about other areas such as Chicago and the Pacific Northwest.
Each section has chapters focusing on various people, bands, or venues. It was interesting hearing about the very early punk bands in the 70s and 80s and how drag and other queer scenes were pretty key. I liked the part about the LA band The Screamers, because I was all why have I never heard them? And it’s like, well yeah they never recorded a single record.
My public library had this book, but it would also make a fantastic coffee table book. Pick one up for your local punk house!
Each section has chapters focusing on various people, bands, or venues. It was interesting hearing about the very early punk bands in the 70s and 80s and how drag and other queer scenes were pretty key. I liked the part about the LA band The Screamers, because I was all why have I never heard them? And it’s like, well yeah they never recorded a single record.
My public library had this book, but it would also make a fantastic coffee table book. Pick one up for your local punk house!
April 23, 2026
Incredible history of punk across the ages and regions from the 1970s to the late 2000s.
June 30, 2026
I’m not well versed enough in punk history to call this the seminal work, but I learned quite a bit, and I suspect at the very least it’s the defining history of intersectionality in punk music. The authors tackle head on the misconception that punk is a genre by and for white men, bringing in voices from across identities, while describing punk as a movement, attitude, and aesthetic, much more than a particular musical style.
There are bands here I didn’t realize were considered punk (such as Devo, who I’ve seen live more than once) and a multitude of bands I’ve never or only barely heard of who certainly fit the definition. It’s those lesser known bands who fill the pages, with interviews, personal essays, and pages of artwork from show flyers, album art, and club photos. For that reason, I recommend this volume as a collector’s item. The images are cataloged in an appendix, the artists mentioned are all given at least brief biographies, and the index makes this a solid reference book.
The narrative also include the elements that bring any rock or punk memoir/history to life, the crazy stories, the youthful indiscretions, the search for meaning that veered into an artist’s life, and the references to clubs, gigs, neighborhoods, or industry names that evoke our own memories of how we first encountered or heard about these scenes.
The Bay Area and NYC punk scenes get the highest word count (per the subheading “From CBGB to Gilman and Beyond”), but more than a nod is given to Los Angeles (of course), Chicago, The Pacific Northwest, and small towns across America.
There are bands here I didn’t realize were considered punk (such as Devo, who I’ve seen live more than once) and a multitude of bands I’ve never or only barely heard of who certainly fit the definition. It’s those lesser known bands who fill the pages, with interviews, personal essays, and pages of artwork from show flyers, album art, and club photos. For that reason, I recommend this volume as a collector’s item. The images are cataloged in an appendix, the artists mentioned are all given at least brief biographies, and the index makes this a solid reference book.
The narrative also include the elements that bring any rock or punk memoir/history to life, the crazy stories, the youthful indiscretions, the search for meaning that veered into an artist’s life, and the references to clubs, gigs, neighborhoods, or industry names that evoke our own memories of how we first encountered or heard about these scenes.
The Bay Area and NYC punk scenes get the highest word count (per the subheading “From CBGB to Gilman and Beyond”), but more than a nod is given to Los Angeles (of course), Chicago, The Pacific Northwest, and small towns across America.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews