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Smash!: Green Day, the Offspring, Rancid, Nofx y la explosión del punk de los 90
< Dos décadas después de que los Sex Pistols y los Ramones dieran nacimiento a la música punk, sus herederos artísticos irrumpieron en escena y cambiaron el género para siempre. Mientras que la fama de los inventores del punk circulaba a un nivel casi clandestino con ventas regularmente bajas, sus herederos hicieron estallar todas las expectativas comerciales del género. Son muchos los libros, artículos y documentales que han centrado su interés en el nacimiento y auge del punk de los 70, pero pocos han dedicado un tiempo considerable a su resurgir durante los 90.
"Smash!" es el primero que lo hace, con el relato detallado de las circunstancias del cambio en la cultura musical de los 90 desde el grunge. Gracias a su fabuloso acceso a los protagonistas clave del momento, incluyendo a los mismos miembros de Green Day, Offspring, NOFX, Bad Religion, y muchos otros, el celebrado crítico musical Ian Winwood nos brinda por fin la historia, trascendental y absorbente que merecen.
"Smash!" es el primero que lo hace, con el relato detallado de las circunstancias del cambio en la cultura musical de los 90 desde el grunge. Gracias a su fabuloso acceso a los protagonistas clave del momento, incluyendo a los mismos miembros de Green Day, Offspring, NOFX, Bad Religion, y muchos otros, el celebrado crítico musical Ian Winwood nos brinda por fin la historia, trascendental y absorbente que merecen.
346 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2018
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July 26, 2023
My first introduction to punk was a couple of used records I found at a garage sale: the Clash’s “London Calling” and the Cramps’ “Songs the Lord Taught Us”, both absolute masterpieces, but they were already “old” records by the time I got my hands on them. The punk music I actually grew up on is the stuff this book is about: Bad Religion, Rancid, the Offspring, NOFX, Green Day. That was the newest wave of punk rock at the time, the bands whose records I hunted down at the woefully understocked record shop of the shitty burb I spent my teenage years in (most riot grrrl stuff had to be inexplicably special ordered from Europe: it was a cultural wasteland!). It is only in hindsight that I realize why they were so relevant to me: most of those bands came from the same environment I did, North American suburbia and it’s weird veneer of conformity that felt all wrong. My parents were not conservative, but they were a bit checked out (as a lot of parents were at the time) and really didn’t get why I felt alienated, which means music made by people who felt the same was a source of live-saving comfort. I know that can seem odd, but that comfort means I have a visceral attachments to bands and records from that era, so this book was just irresistible.
This book is very California-centric: additionally to the other bands mentioned above, Ian Winwood talks about X, Social Distortion and Pennywise – but the emphasis on Green Day seems disproportional to the amount of page-space dedicated to other bands (the author’s picture on the dust jacket is of him with Billie Joe Armstrong…), so I think it could have been more balanced (if you name a book after an Offspring record, it could easily lead one to assume the book was about them!), but this was simply too much fun for me to rate lower than this. I am still very fond of the records discussed, I will always love those bands to death, and the story of Epitaph Records is fascinating to me; I remember picking up random records from bands I had never heard of because they were on Epitaph, which was basically a badge of excellence I could trust with both eyes closed.
Books like this one and like “Sellout” bring me a lot of joy because if there is anything I love geeking the fuck out about, it’s music, especially that genre. It makes me dig out some records and build playlists I can bang my head to as I read. It makes me want to take out my dusty guitar! Obviously, I recommend listening to the bands and albums mentioned as you read this book: the minute Operation Ivy came up, I had “Knowledge” on repeat.
Definitely a must-read for fans of that era of punk rock!
This book is very California-centric: additionally to the other bands mentioned above, Ian Winwood talks about X, Social Distortion and Pennywise – but the emphasis on Green Day seems disproportional to the amount of page-space dedicated to other bands (the author’s picture on the dust jacket is of him with Billie Joe Armstrong…), so I think it could have been more balanced (if you name a book after an Offspring record, it could easily lead one to assume the book was about them!), but this was simply too much fun for me to rate lower than this. I am still very fond of the records discussed, I will always love those bands to death, and the story of Epitaph Records is fascinating to me; I remember picking up random records from bands I had never heard of because they were on Epitaph, which was basically a badge of excellence I could trust with both eyes closed.
Books like this one and like “Sellout” bring me a lot of joy because if there is anything I love geeking the fuck out about, it’s music, especially that genre. It makes me dig out some records and build playlists I can bang my head to as I read. It makes me want to take out my dusty guitar! Obviously, I recommend listening to the bands and albums mentioned as you read this book: the minute Operation Ivy came up, I had “Knowledge” on repeat.
Definitely a must-read for fans of that era of punk rock!
March 23, 2022
They need to be kept separate
Don't wanna be an American idiot
Don't want a nation under the new mania
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America...
Instead of American, you can substitute any other of your choice. It won't make you happy, but it will make you feel a little more free. Relevant at the time of the return of the Aesopian language.
I didn't think that a book with the title "Shattered: GREEN DAY, THE OFFSPRING, BAD RELIGION, NOFX and the punk wave of the 90s" would allow me to emerge from the muddy swamp in which I have been floundering for a month, would become a breath of fresh air - but that's exactly what happened. I understand. that it's like analgin - an analgesic is not serious and not for long.
But a short-term cessation of pain is better than continuous pain, and I got it by singing along-shouting along with Green Day "American Idiot" and "The Kids aren't Alright" with The Offspring. I'm sharing, maybe it will suit you. You can find videos with text on the web.
Before the book by the British journalist and music critic Ian Winwood, my idea of American punk was limited to a clip of the very "American Idiot" that the children watched and listened to twenty years ago, it seems there was even a Green Day poster on the wall of their room at one time.
And I certainly didn't think that the story of these guys who made great music and achieved unthinkable success on material that seemed to deliberately deny popularity - that their story could be so excitingly interesting.
Их нужно держать отдельно
Don't wanna be an American idiot
Don't want a nation under the new mania
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America...
Вместо American вы можете подставить любое другое по своему выбору. Это не сделает вас счастливым, но позволит почувствовать себя чуть более свободно. Актуально во времена возвращения эзопова языка.
Не думала, что книга с названием "Вдребезги: GREEN DAY, THE OFFSPRING, BAD RELIGION, NOFX и панк-волна 90-х" позволит вынырнуть из мутного болота, в котором месяц уже барахтаюсь, станет глотком свежего воздуха - однако именно так и случилось. Понимаю. что это как анальгин - болеутоляющее не всерьез и не надолго.
Но кратковременное прекращение боли лучше, чем непрерывная боль, а его получила, подпевая-выкрикивая вместе с Green Day "American Idiot" и "The Kids artn't Alright" с The Offspring. Делюсь, может быть и вам подойдет. В сети можно найти ролики с текстом.
До книги британского журналиста и музыкального критика Иэна Уинвуда мое представление об американском панке ограничивалось клипом того самого "Американского идиота", который дети смотрели слушали лет двадцать назад, кажется даже на стене их комнаты был одно время постер Green Day.
И уж никак не думала, что история этих парней, которые делали классную музыку и добились немыслимого успеха на материале, словно бы намеренно отрицающем популярность - что их история может быть такой захватывающе интересной.
Тем не менее, это так. Хотя, что странного, феерический успех, связанный с преодолением серьезного сопротивления среды, не может не быть интересным. Так уж мы устроены: победителей любим и легко прощаем то, чего нипочем не простим побежденным. Впрочем, жизнь расставляет все по местам и порой одаривает удачей откровенных аутсайдеров.
Панк, который начинался как гаражный рок пацанов с бедных окраин довольно долго, по меркам современного скоростного мира, оставался в нише локального андеграунда. Откровенные и провокационные панк-тексты на социальные и политические темы далеки от мейнстрима. Но новое поколение открывало для себя панк-рок и использовало его необузданную силу против ограничений тихой жвачной жизни, которую пыталось навязать им общество.
В начале с коммерческим успехом группы, стоявшие у истоков панка. имели мало общего. Инструменты и аппаратура были самыми примитивными, мастерство музыкантов оставляло желать лучшего. Особенность книги в том, что, уделяя много внимания музыкальной, текстовой, инструментальной составляющей, она практически не затрагивает панка как стиля и идеологии. То есть, это не энциклопедия, а взгляд с достаточно локализованной точки на ограниченное количество исполнителей.
Здесь главными героями выступят коммерчески-успешные звезды панк-рока 90-х: Green Day, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Nofx -, сумевшие поймать удачу за хвост и взметнуться к недосягаемым прежде высотам, а также Epitaph Records - независимый лейбл, основанный в 1980 гитаристом группы Bad Religion Бретом Гуревичем.
Интересная книга даже для тех, кто считает себя страшно далеким от панка. А в аудиоварианте, прочитанная Игорем Князевым, это просто круто
Don't wanna be an American idiot
Don't want a nation under the new mania
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America...
Instead of American, you can substitute any other of your choice. It won't make you happy, but it will make you feel a little more free. Relevant at the time of the return of the Aesopian language.
I didn't think that a book with the title "Shattered: GREEN DAY, THE OFFSPRING, BAD RELIGION, NOFX and the punk wave of the 90s" would allow me to emerge from the muddy swamp in which I have been floundering for a month, would become a breath of fresh air - but that's exactly what happened. I understand. that it's like analgin - an analgesic is not serious and not for long.
But a short-term cessation of pain is better than continuous pain, and I got it by singing along-shouting along with Green Day "American Idiot" and "The Kids aren't Alright" with The Offspring. I'm sharing, maybe it will suit you. You can find videos with text on the web.
Before the book by the British journalist and music critic Ian Winwood, my idea of American punk was limited to a clip of the very "American Idiot" that the children watched and listened to twenty years ago, it seems there was even a Green Day poster on the wall of their room at one time.
And I certainly didn't think that the story of these guys who made great music and achieved unthinkable success on material that seemed to deliberately deny popularity - that their story could be so excitingly interesting.
Их нужно держать отдельно
Don't wanna be an American idiot
Don't want a nation under the new mania
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America...
Вместо American вы можете подставить любое другое по своему выбору. Это не сделает вас счастливым, но позволит почувствовать себя чуть более свободно. Актуально во времена возвращения эзопова языка.
Не думала, что книга с названием "Вдребезги: GREEN DAY, THE OFFSPRING, BAD RELIGION, NOFX и панк-волна 90-х" позволит вынырнуть из мутного болота, в котором месяц уже барахтаюсь, станет глотком свежего воздуха - однако именно так и случилось. Понимаю. что это как анальгин - болеутоляющее не всерьез и не надолго.
Но кратковременное прекращение боли лучше, чем непрерывная боль, а его получила, подпевая-выкрикивая вместе с Green Day "American Idiot" и "The Kids artn't Alright" с The Offspring. Делюсь, может быть и вам подойдет. В сети можно найти ролики с текстом.
До книги британского журналиста и музыкального критика Иэна Уинвуда мое представление об американском панке ограничивалось клипом того самого "Американского идиота", который дети смотрели слушали лет двадцать назад, кажется даже на стене их комнаты был одно время постер Green Day.
И уж никак не думала, что история этих парней, которые делали классную музыку и добились немыслимого успеха на материале, словно бы намеренно отрицающем популярность - что их история может быть такой захватывающе интересной.
Тем не менее, это так. Хотя, что странного, феерический успех, связанный с преодолением серьезного сопротивления среды, не может не быть интересным. Так уж мы устроены: победителей любим и легко прощаем то, чего нипочем не простим побежденным. Впрочем, жизнь расставляет все по местам и порой одаривает удачей откровенных аутсайдеров.
Панк, который начинался как гаражный рок пацанов с бедных окраин довольно долго, по меркам современного скоростного мира, оставался в нише локального андеграунда. Откровенные и провокационные панк-тексты на социальные и политические темы далеки от мейнстрима. Но новое поколение открывало для себя панк-рок и использовало его необузданную силу против ограничений тихой жвачной жизни, которую пыталось навязать им общество.
В начале с коммерческим успехом группы, стоявшие у истоков панка. имели мало общего. Инструменты и аппаратура были самыми примитивными, мастерство музыкантов оставляло желать лучшего. Особенность книги в том, что, уделяя много внимания музыкальной, текстовой, инструментальной составляющей, она практически не затрагивает панка как стиля и идеологии. То есть, это не энциклопедия, а взгляд с достаточно локализованной точки на ограниченное количество исполнителей.
Здесь главными героями выступят коммерчески-успешные звезды панк-рока 90-х: Green Day, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Nofx -, сумевшие поймать удачу за хвост и взметнуться к недосягаемым прежде высотам, а также Epitaph Records - независимый лейбл, основанный в 1980 гитаристом группы Bad Religion Бретом Гуревичем.
Интересная книга даже для тех, кто считает себя страшно далеким от панка. А в аудиоварианте, прочитанная Игорем Князевым, это просто круто
January 22, 2019
I was eager to read this because its subject is due for comprehensive revisiting. I have not read any other Ian Winwood books, and unfortunately I am not eager to after this. In terms of content, information and detail, it is a great idea. But the author refuses to get out of his own way. His writing is overstuffed with metaphors and analogies that are too self-consciously clever by half. Sentences bog down under the weight of their own self-importance. The book is just a clunky read. Instead of immersing me in the story being told, I was continuously reminded that I was reading IAN WINWOOD's telling of what happened. That's too bad because there is a treasure trove of memory being covered.
I gave it three stars because I did like the book, I just found the author's inescapable presence irritating. The 1990s mainstream punk era can probably support multiple explorations just like the 1970s has; that means that there is still plenty of space for other authors to give the same period a different and potentially better treatment.
I gave it three stars because I did like the book, I just found the author's inescapable presence irritating. The 1990s mainstream punk era can probably support multiple explorations just like the 1970s has; that means that there is still plenty of space for other authors to give the same period a different and potentially better treatment.
November 24, 2018
Required reading. An essential survey of some of the greatest music ever made and a thorough telling of a watershed moment in music history. What’s more, the author gives credit where credit is due to the greatest band in the universe: “…most of these events, and perhaps all of them, would not have happened without Bad Religion.” You’re goddamn right!
June 30, 2019
Comprehensive, entertaining, but a bit full of itself. Winwood loves telling us that “this author” hung out with all the bands and heard all the music. Somehow, I feel like a lot more of the story of the nineties could be told, since this book is so short.
April 22, 2021
Una gozada para cualquier fan del punk de los 90. A través de diferentes capítulos asistimos a la explosión y éxito de las mejores bandas del movimiento. Green day se ocupan la parte más grande del libro y de su mano asistimos a la fundación del sello Lookout y los períodos donde componen los discazos de "Dookie", "Insomniac" y "American idiot". Luego tenemos otras partes donde veremos aparecer discazos como "Smash" de The offspring, " Stranger than fiction" y " The gray race" de Bad Religion o " And out come the wolves" de Rancid.
Si te gustan estos grupos, este libro es un regalo porque esta plagado de anécdotas y curiosidades y te cuenta la historia de manera muy natural y cronológicamente. Además se detiene justo cuando toca, ya que al finalizar los 90 estas bandas han ido sacando discos menos inspirados, paradojicamente los más exitosos( Green Day y The offspring) se han ido apartando del punk y sacando discos más sosos, aunque conserven su éxito mientras que los demás siguen haciendo buena música.
Pero este libro es un recordatorio de que hubo una época donde el rock y la radio valian la pena, no estaban inundados de radioformula y reggaeton y en las listas aparecian Nirvana, Guns n Roses o Green Day cada mes. Y justamente algunos de esos grupos nos hicieron descubrir a los Beatles, los Stones y al rock en general. Es por eso que la explosión del punk de los 90 fue importante aunque no se haya hablado mucho sobre el tema o no hayan tantos libros sobre el tema. Un libro que me ha pasado volando. Voy a por el de Bad Religion.
Si te gustan estos grupos, este libro es un regalo porque esta plagado de anécdotas y curiosidades y te cuenta la historia de manera muy natural y cronológicamente. Además se detiene justo cuando toca, ya que al finalizar los 90 estas bandas han ido sacando discos menos inspirados, paradojicamente los más exitosos( Green Day y The offspring) se han ido apartando del punk y sacando discos más sosos, aunque conserven su éxito mientras que los demás siguen haciendo buena música.
Pero este libro es un recordatorio de que hubo una época donde el rock y la radio valian la pena, no estaban inundados de radioformula y reggaeton y en las listas aparecian Nirvana, Guns n Roses o Green Day cada mes. Y justamente algunos de esos grupos nos hicieron descubrir a los Beatles, los Stones y al rock en general. Es por eso que la explosión del punk de los 90 fue importante aunque no se haya hablado mucho sobre el tema o no hayan tantos libros sobre el tema. Un libro que me ha pasado volando. Voy a por el de Bad Religion.
January 28, 2019
Exhaustive and opinionated, this tracks the second wave punk scene from grubby dives to stadiums with a passion and knowledge that makes me want to hear all those albums and bands I'd missed. My only gripe is how the book just suddenly cuts out at 1995 with an epitaph (no pun intended) of "AND THEN WE ALL LOVED AMERICAN IDIOT. THE END." If you want me, I'll be shouting "I preferred Nimrod and Warning" into the traffic from 5pm til late.
November 20, 2019
This book had me thinking deeply - about my past involvement with Punk music, what bands I considered Punk and bit of confusion regarding it all. My review isn't going to be necessarily about the book itself, but my response to what I felt was lacking from this book and why the title is misleading.
The title of this book is, well, wrong. It appears this book is about the 90's Punk scene as a whole, highlighting a few bands across the board. This book is actually about West Coast Punk Bands. East Coast Punk Bands are hardly mentioned. As someone who followed punk in the early 2000's and being from the East coast, I felt this was a bit unfair.
To be honest, the majority of this book is about Green Day and Epitaph records. The book also does a decent job highlighting the Offspring. Rancid & NOFX are mere foot notes in the whole book. To me, there were SO many fantastic and great bands that were influential to the scene that were missing - even on the West Coast. While I didn't mind reading about Green Day's rise to fame, I did not pick up this book with the intention to learn about that. I picked up this book to read about a time in music history that I relished as a teen. It was truly disappointing.
That being said, the book wasn't poorly written. Instead it was well written, and I didn't mind reading it. It just wasn't something I could dedicate myself to. Yet at the same time, I couldn't stop thinking of what this book was lacking. I spent hours thinking about what this book was really about and I could only come up with that it was about an Indie label making it big and a punk band becoming mainstream.
My biggest problem is that I don't think most people would even classify Green Day, more so, the Offspring as punk bands. I grew up listening to them on the local Alternative Rock radio station. To me they were always rock bands. Punk was the music you DIDN'T hear on the radio, the bands you had to see live to find out about. Also - how can you discuss Punk music with out talking about the Warped Tour? It's not even mentioned!
Here's what I think the author should have done - instead of pretending to dedicate one book to the 90's Punk revitalization, he should have began a series of volumes dedicated to the Punk scene. There were way too many lost opportunities here. During the short discussion regarding the spin off small indie labels from Epitaph, I realized he could have been on to something there.. there was a lot that grew and was established from this time.. why only one book? Why the main focus on Green Day? They weren't the only band to make it big...
The title of this book is, well, wrong. It appears this book is about the 90's Punk scene as a whole, highlighting a few bands across the board. This book is actually about West Coast Punk Bands. East Coast Punk Bands are hardly mentioned. As someone who followed punk in the early 2000's and being from the East coast, I felt this was a bit unfair.
To be honest, the majority of this book is about Green Day and Epitaph records. The book also does a decent job highlighting the Offspring. Rancid & NOFX are mere foot notes in the whole book. To me, there were SO many fantastic and great bands that were influential to the scene that were missing - even on the West Coast. While I didn't mind reading about Green Day's rise to fame, I did not pick up this book with the intention to learn about that. I picked up this book to read about a time in music history that I relished as a teen. It was truly disappointing.
That being said, the book wasn't poorly written. Instead it was well written, and I didn't mind reading it. It just wasn't something I could dedicate myself to. Yet at the same time, I couldn't stop thinking of what this book was lacking. I spent hours thinking about what this book was really about and I could only come up with that it was about an Indie label making it big and a punk band becoming mainstream.
My biggest problem is that I don't think most people would even classify Green Day, more so, the Offspring as punk bands. I grew up listening to them on the local Alternative Rock radio station. To me they were always rock bands. Punk was the music you DIDN'T hear on the radio, the bands you had to see live to find out about. Also - how can you discuss Punk music with out talking about the Warped Tour? It's not even mentioned!
Here's what I think the author should have done - instead of pretending to dedicate one book to the 90's Punk revitalization, he should have began a series of volumes dedicated to the Punk scene. There were way too many lost opportunities here. During the short discussion regarding the spin off small indie labels from Epitaph, I realized he could have been on to something there.. there was a lot that grew and was established from this time.. why only one book? Why the main focus on Green Day? They weren't the only band to make it big...
July 17, 2019
You would think that a book with the name of Offspring's album would have more Offspring but this is 90% Green Day, 1% Offspring, and 9% the author talking about himself. It really is one giant defense of why Green Day is punk. Who cares? The author even contradicts himself when he says that Offspring do not get the credit they deserve and at times, they were bigger then Green Day, yet after saying this, the next 5 pages are devoted to Green Day.
Furthermore, I am not a Blink 182 fan, but they are only mentioned in one line when talking about Green Day's tour with them and how Green Day didn't headline. Well why didn't Green Day headline? What did Blink 182 do to steal their spotlight? If you want a book that is a Green Day love fest, then this is for you. If you want a book about the punk explosion then you need to pass on this one.
Furthermore, I am not a Blink 182 fan, but they are only mentioned in one line when talking about Green Day's tour with them and how Green Day didn't headline. Well why didn't Green Day headline? What did Blink 182 do to steal their spotlight? If you want a book that is a Green Day love fest, then this is for you. If you want a book about the punk explosion then you need to pass on this one.
December 14, 2022
SMASH follows author Ian Winwood through years of research, writing and interviews surrounding the 90s explosion in punk music.
Earlier this year, I read Dan Ozzi’s Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore, a book that looked at the major label feeding frenzy that swept punk, emo and hardcore music in the 90s and 2000s. While SMASH covers a lot of the same ground (SMASH was also published first), it was eye-opening all the same.
After reading both books, I will say that I know more about Green Day than I ever thought possible. We get the story of their humble beginnings followed by their explosive first album, all the way to American Idiot, the album that made them global rock superstars. The bulk of the rest of the book tended to focus mostly on Bad Religion, most notably the band’s guitarist Brett Gurewitz and his record label Epitaph. To this day, Epitaph still holds the record for the highest selling independent release with Offspring’s third album, Smash.
There is much to sort through with regards to what I’ve already mentioned. Winwood talks of an explosion in both popularity and critical acclaim for the once maligned genre of music. You had bands like NOFX and Rancid who were putting out their best work amid their own internal struggle with whether or not they should remain true to their punk roots as fiercely independent or allow the dump trucks full of money to back up to their front door.
In my mind, bands like Green Day and Offspring always seemed more mainstream than bands like Rancid, NOFX and Bad Religion. Maybe it’s just because they’re the ones that broke through on a massive scale? I have a few friends who are devout punk fans and I would be interested to hear what they think of Winwood’s take on the genre explosion of the 90s.
Earlier this year, I read Dan Ozzi’s Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore, a book that looked at the major label feeding frenzy that swept punk, emo and hardcore music in the 90s and 2000s. While SMASH covers a lot of the same ground (SMASH was also published first), it was eye-opening all the same.
After reading both books, I will say that I know more about Green Day than I ever thought possible. We get the story of their humble beginnings followed by their explosive first album, all the way to American Idiot, the album that made them global rock superstars. The bulk of the rest of the book tended to focus mostly on Bad Religion, most notably the band’s guitarist Brett Gurewitz and his record label Epitaph. To this day, Epitaph still holds the record for the highest selling independent release with Offspring’s third album, Smash.
There is much to sort through with regards to what I’ve already mentioned. Winwood talks of an explosion in both popularity and critical acclaim for the once maligned genre of music. You had bands like NOFX and Rancid who were putting out their best work amid their own internal struggle with whether or not they should remain true to their punk roots as fiercely independent or allow the dump trucks full of money to back up to their front door.
In my mind, bands like Green Day and Offspring always seemed more mainstream than bands like Rancid, NOFX and Bad Religion. Maybe it’s just because they’re the ones that broke through on a massive scale? I have a few friends who are devout punk fans and I would be interested to hear what they think of Winwood’s take on the genre explosion of the 90s.
January 6, 2025
Все с чего-то начинали, не так ли? Каждая история успеха сопровождалась целой лавиной неудач и ошибок. Сложно поверить что такие мастодонты от мира панк-рока (понятно из названия какие), когда-то спали в фургонах, собирали залы из нескольких человек и тусовались на сквотах. Правда, для большинства описанных в книге коллективов все закончилось больше чем удачно.
В книге Вы сможете узнать:
Когда и как альбомы Bad Religion возродил интерес к панк-року?
Кто из панк-селебрити заразился вшами во время Евротура?
Почему Вассермана из The Offspring прозвали «лапшой»?
Что давали группам на Epitaph Records, после того как продажи альбома достигали отметки в 100 тыс. копей? И многие другие интересности и подробности.
Так как групп много, то в книги постоянно происходит перетягивания одеяла и по ощущениям после прочитанного - больше всех внимания было уделено Green Day (скорее всего поэтому они первые в списке названия книги).
Как итог, книга вполне не плохая, с кучей цитат от известных Вами людей, а так же восхвалением перезапуска панк сцены и налетом воспоминанием о былых временах. Всем, кто ностальгирует по 90-ым и тру MTV - книга должна понравится или хотя бы заинтересовать.
В книге Вы сможете узнать:
Когда и как альбомы Bad Religion возродил интерес к панк-року?
Кто из панк-селебрити заразился вшами во время Евротура?
Почему Вассермана из The Offspring прозвали «лапшой»?
Что давали группам на Epitaph Records, после того как продажи альбома достигали отметки в 100 тыс. копей? И многие другие интересности и подробности.
Так как групп много, то в книги постоянно происходит перетягивания одеяла и по ощущениям после прочитанного - больше всех внимания было уделено Green Day (скорее всего поэтому они первые в списке названия книги).
Как итог, книга вполне не плохая, с кучей цитат от известных Вами людей, а так же восхвалением перезапуска панк сцены и налетом воспоминанием о былых временах. Всем, кто ностальгирует по 90-ым и тру MTV - книга должна понравится или хотя бы заинтересовать.
February 21, 2019
The prologue of this book seemed a bit jumbled. It was difficult to read at first, and had me worried that the entire work would not have a flow. Once you get past that part it became much easier to follow, and get into. If you are a fan of any of the bands included it is definitely a worth while read. A large focus is played to just a few of the bands, and it would have been nice to get a bit more about the others, but when some of the largest bands of the decade are included I guess it's hard to not pay them more attention. The author does mention himself more that I feel is necessary, but that does not really detract for the story being told. Overall, it's an enjoyable read for any 90s punk enthusiast.
April 29, 2019
This could have been a great book if it wasn’t so extremely focused on Green Day. The Offspring gets the second spot but there is so little mention of all the other bands from the “90’s punk explosion”.
And then to make things worse it just skips a decade and goes into a “American Idiot is the best album in the world” rant.
And then to make things worse it just skips a decade and goes into a “American Idiot is the best album in the world” rant.
October 9, 2022
A bit long and meandering in spots, this comprehensive history of the 80s/90s California punk scene was well written, and took me forever to get through, but in a good way- I would often stop at a chapter's end and spend a week or so listening to the myriad albums mentioned, and then wind up forgetting to return to the book till I had a hankering for some new old punk tunes. If you don't like Green Day, you'll hate this book, as they emerge as the main topic in several chapters. Personally, I'm a fan, and the deep tracks from them and the great Bad Religion history and discography detailed in this book inspired me making many new playlists with songs I haven't listened to since I was a teenager. 90s punks who preferred the melodic ounk music to the less so from the east coast (I actually grew up in MD, but I gravitated to the poppier sound of the west coast punks than the louder east coast Modern Threat and Fugazis of the scene), will enjoy the history of the bands on Lookout and Epitaph labels. 4 stars.
May 23, 2019
Hey-ay, come out and play! This first-of-its-kind look into the pop/punk explosion of the early 1990s is a head-banging read. In the midst of Nirvana's slaughter of the hair metal bands of the 80s, punk music inspired by the innovators of the 70s and 80s rose up through the alternative rock lens of bands like Green Day and the Offspring. It was never a smooth ride to the top though, as the successful bands in the scene were often accused of being sellouts and worse. A must read for fans of the era.
January 20, 2023
There isn’t anything particularly abhorrent about this book. But it isn’t particularly good, either. It just reads like a college freshman’s essay. It is entirely too dependent on quotes, with probably 80% or more of the book made up of either direct quotes or summarized anecdotes drawn from interviews. I respect the immense time and effort put into interviewing all the players in the story, but in the end it felt like a massive ego stroking session meant to show off all of Winwood’s friends in the scene. It was as if he had nothing to add from his own mind, except for trying to showcase his knowledge of song lyrics with surface-level (at best) analysis.
The organization of the book is disorienting, jumping around the chronology with no rhyme or reason, making it even harder to track who is who if you aren’t familiar with some of the bands covered. For example, the chapter dedicated to American Idiot (an album released in 2004) takes a random jump off a cliff in the middle to talk about a concert The Offspring gave in 2000 before returning to American Idiot again, with no real connection between the two. This is the layout of every chapter.
Regarding Green Day, entirely too much time is spent talking about them. And that’s coming from a Green Day fan. I wanted to read this book because I didn’t know much about The Offspring, NOFX, Bad Religion, etc. But all of these bands seemed to be the background characters of the Green Day story, with their anecdotes and histories feeling more like a perfunctory and obligatory nod to bands that were mere fillers in Winwood’s Green Day narrative. I’m sure he doesn’t actually feel that way, but that’s how it comes across. A more fitting concept would be how Green Day was a product of the ‘90s punk explosion and how they carried it into the 21st century.
A final note: if you’re going to write a book about punk music in the ‘90s, don’t spend 50 pages on American Idiot. Especially when Nimrod (1997) is only mentioned in passing. It was arguably Green Day’s most diverse and interesting work between Dookie and American Idiot, yet only a paragraph and a couple sentences are dedicated to it.
The postscript was good though. Probably because Winwood didn’t refer to himself as The Author like the rest of the book and gave an interesting, but short, look into the lives of punk rockers outside music.
There is a good deal of introductory information on these bands (even if it was mostly the thoughts and writings of other people), but it’s still a bit of a slog. But I got the book for $3 at Ollie’s so I can’t really complain.
The organization of the book is disorienting, jumping around the chronology with no rhyme or reason, making it even harder to track who is who if you aren’t familiar with some of the bands covered. For example, the chapter dedicated to American Idiot (an album released in 2004) takes a random jump off a cliff in the middle to talk about a concert The Offspring gave in 2000 before returning to American Idiot again, with no real connection between the two. This is the layout of every chapter.
Regarding Green Day, entirely too much time is spent talking about them. And that’s coming from a Green Day fan. I wanted to read this book because I didn’t know much about The Offspring, NOFX, Bad Religion, etc. But all of these bands seemed to be the background characters of the Green Day story, with their anecdotes and histories feeling more like a perfunctory and obligatory nod to bands that were mere fillers in Winwood’s Green Day narrative. I’m sure he doesn’t actually feel that way, but that’s how it comes across. A more fitting concept would be how Green Day was a product of the ‘90s punk explosion and how they carried it into the 21st century.
A final note: if you’re going to write a book about punk music in the ‘90s, don’t spend 50 pages on American Idiot. Especially when Nimrod (1997) is only mentioned in passing. It was arguably Green Day’s most diverse and interesting work between Dookie and American Idiot, yet only a paragraph and a couple sentences are dedicated to it.
The postscript was good though. Probably because Winwood didn’t refer to himself as The Author like the rest of the book and gave an interesting, but short, look into the lives of punk rockers outside music.
There is a good deal of introductory information on these bands (even if it was mostly the thoughts and writings of other people), but it’s still a bit of a slog. But I got the book for $3 at Ollie’s so I can’t really complain.
March 4, 2021
If you're looking for a book about the 90's punk explosion, don't read this book!
Title of this book is pretty misleading. First it's the title of an Offspring album yet they occupy maybe 3-5% of this book. 90% of this book is the author (as he refers to himself throughout the whole thing) drooling over Green Day. The book is supposed to be about the 90s punk explosion but the last 1/4 of the book is talking about Green Day's American Idiot from 2004... There were some interesting points in the book. I enjoyed reading about the early days and the other bands. Only problem is with the mention of any other band, a comparison to Green Day needed to be made.
Title of this book is pretty misleading. First it's the title of an Offspring album yet they occupy maybe 3-5% of this book. 90% of this book is the author (as he refers to himself throughout the whole thing) drooling over Green Day. The book is supposed to be about the 90s punk explosion but the last 1/4 of the book is talking about Green Day's American Idiot from 2004... There were some interesting points in the book. I enjoyed reading about the early days and the other bands. Only problem is with the mention of any other band, a comparison to Green Day needed to be made.
December 2, 2020
As someone who grew up on these bands this was right up my street. Definitely an underappreciated genre and era of alternative music. Could have done without the constant "the author met this band . . ." blah blah but otherwise, if you're a fan of any of the bands mentioned, you'll love it. 🎸🍻🎶
September 18, 2022
I found this a more coherent read than Ian Winwood's other book, Bodies: Life and Death in Music, though it's almost as chaotic but super compelling. This is more an ode to Green Day than any of the other bands listed on the cover (and weirdly no mention of Blink 182 at all apart from their co-headline tour with Green Day and I would certainly categorise Blink as part of the 90s punk resurgence but then the author does begin the book with a disclaimer that he decided what was punk and what wasn't and maybe Blink was too pop for him?) and maybe a little bit of slobber job for Epitaph as an indie punk label.
Some of what was covered, I had recently read in Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore with it's chapter on Green Day's Dookie so some of this was very recent familiar territory for me and yeah, some of it felt a bit repetitive, it was mostly the non-Green Day related stuff that I found the most fascinating. I've come to have a new appreciation of The Offspring, who the author identifies as a super underrated punk band, mostly due to their reputation as a novelty song act. For some it would come as a surprise to find on closer listening that Come Out and Play is about gang violence, while Pretty Fly is a satire on appropriation of Black culture for cool points.
There's a brief look at NOFX, Rancid and Bad Religion but like I mentioned, the look at Bad Religion is more of an excuse to focus on Epitaph. The former two bands also being on the labels roster at the time but there's no where near the focus on these bands as there is for Green Day.
Again, I find myself amazed at Gen X's about face. The punk scene was one big family. Until, you know... you did something someone didn't like and then it was all about exclusion and some backwards sense of betrayal. You can find the same theme running through Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge, and it's exhausting. How are these people not exhausted by their own antics?
Sounds like I didn't enjoy this book but I did. The byline is a bit misleading but still packed with super informative text. Ian Winwood has a great sort of wit laced through his retelling of events while weaving in interviews from the main players. But yeah. Way more Green Day than anyone else listed on the cover.
Some of what was covered, I had recently read in Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore with it's chapter on Green Day's Dookie so some of this was very recent familiar territory for me and yeah, some of it felt a bit repetitive, it was mostly the non-Green Day related stuff that I found the most fascinating. I've come to have a new appreciation of The Offspring, who the author identifies as a super underrated punk band, mostly due to their reputation as a novelty song act. For some it would come as a surprise to find on closer listening that Come Out and Play is about gang violence, while Pretty Fly is a satire on appropriation of Black culture for cool points.
There's a brief look at NOFX, Rancid and Bad Religion but like I mentioned, the look at Bad Religion is more of an excuse to focus on Epitaph. The former two bands also being on the labels roster at the time but there's no where near the focus on these bands as there is for Green Day.
Again, I find myself amazed at Gen X's about face. The punk scene was one big family. Until, you know... you did something someone didn't like and then it was all about exclusion and some backwards sense of betrayal. You can find the same theme running through Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge, and it's exhausting. How are these people not exhausted by their own antics?
Sounds like I didn't enjoy this book but I did. The byline is a bit misleading but still packed with super informative text. Ian Winwood has a great sort of wit laced through his retelling of events while weaving in interviews from the main players. But yeah. Way more Green Day than anyone else listed on the cover.
February 29, 2024
Since Green Day is my favorite band, I've been meaning to read this book with a primary focus on them for awhile. From average days at Gilman Street to the chaos of Woodstock 1994, this is a largely chronological story through the 1990s punk movement with many great bands along the way. Although not every punk band is included— "Unless a group serves the story," the author writes, "they're not getting past the door" — there's more than enough to go around, and certainly icons like Green Day and the Offspring get ample time. This was a time when punk rockers could actually make a living off of their music, and so it was time for everything to change.
I loved getting to spend so much time with biographical details of Green Day. Seeing this band that I love now deep into middle age, it's crazy and amusing to read stories of the days when they would cause riots and chaos wherever they want. This is a band who focus heavily on always evolving as musicians, after all. Green Day is just one of the bands whose members are extensively interviewed, giving the book an oral history vibe that I love.
The debate over selling out is a continual theme, and the acceptance of making money off of music is the path accepted by most of those mentioned. As someone who has always rolled my eyes at people accusing talented musicians of selling out, I appreciated this book's tone, although it maintained a punk rock ethos. It also discusses the increasing progressivism of the scene, on subjects like sexual orientation and race and gender, especially compared to many prior rockers. I recommend this book to fans of this scene like me, especially those who may have lived during that time.
I loved getting to spend so much time with biographical details of Green Day. Seeing this band that I love now deep into middle age, it's crazy and amusing to read stories of the days when they would cause riots and chaos wherever they want. This is a band who focus heavily on always evolving as musicians, after all. Green Day is just one of the bands whose members are extensively interviewed, giving the book an oral history vibe that I love.
The debate over selling out is a continual theme, and the acceptance of making money off of music is the path accepted by most of those mentioned. As someone who has always rolled my eyes at people accusing talented musicians of selling out, I appreciated this book's tone, although it maintained a punk rock ethos. It also discusses the increasing progressivism of the scene, on subjects like sexual orientation and race and gender, especially compared to many prior rockers. I recommend this book to fans of this scene like me, especially those who may have lived during that time.
July 31, 2025
I found this book in the references of Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore and was not disappointed. Smash! covers the 90's California punk boom, primarily focusing on Oakland's Green Day and SoCal's Bad Religion, The Offspring, and a sprinkle of NOFX. Overall I'd say the majority of this book focuses on Green Day, and the Bad Religion references relate more to Epitaph Records than the history or workings of the band itself. The story of Epitaph is incredibly important, though, and I think is well told within. You can tell the author is a fan in addition to a writer and has a history with the musicians he covers; the stories are told in a positive way and there is little critique to be found, though there is still plenty of honesty. While I've certainly spent time listening to every band the book discussed, I have a new appreciation (particularly for Green Day). My only real critique is with the writing; it's very good, but in the last third or so it gets heavier on "turns of phrase" that got a little old after a while (though I recognize how nit-picky that is, and it didn't dampen my enjoyment).
This is a great history for anyone who enjoys music and/or pop culture history, and was a good followup to Sellout, which I also really enjoyed. Most of my books come from the library and this was no exception; my ultimate rating system is, "would I spend money on this?" And in this case, I happily would.
This is a great history for anyone who enjoys music and/or pop culture history, and was a good followup to Sellout, which I also really enjoyed. Most of my books come from the library and this was no exception; my ultimate rating system is, "would I spend money on this?" And in this case, I happily would.
March 23, 2019
This book was so fun! I don't know much about Bad Religion, I picked this up for Green Day but it's presented really well in an easy to read style. I kept reading choice bits out loud, because goodness punk had a rough go in the 1980s and early 90s. It was also really fun to see references to loads of other bands I have listened to here and there - and opening with a Frank Turner lyric is always A+ too.
December 31, 2022
great book, nice to see the offspring get the credit they deserve. maybe would’ve benefited from touching on a couple more bands, but still had tons of information. all the authors interviews paid off, enjoyable read with lots of info.
April 12, 2023
I get to call this dissertation research :)
A great examination of second wave punk written in an accessible way by a veteran reporter of the scene.
A great examination of second wave punk written in an accessible way by a veteran reporter of the scene.
June 10, 2022
A good read, delving into parts of various bands I've read a lot about lately (Bad Religion, Green Day, The Offspring, etc.) and lots of great quotes from people who lived this in the 90's.
June 3, 2020
“Smash” was given to me on my 51st birthday. Do the math, I was a teenager in the ‘80s and in my twenties in the ‘90s. I lived in Los Angeles and listened to KROQ when I listened to the radio. I was a punk or a mod, just depended on how I felt on a given day. I say all this to put into context that I lived and experienced much that is covered by this book. And still, I learned a lot about those times and the bands covered in this book.
Read this book because you like the music of the bands mentioned in the title. Winwood prefaces that he is not covering all the bands during these times. I had to keep reminding myself of that. One glaring omission (he mentions the band in passing) is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the mid to late ‘80s, they along with a small cadre of others, were punk music in Los Angeles.
Overall, this was a well written book. Very entertaining.
I have to say, I heard much of the music covered in the book so much that I, honestly, don’t own much of it. Even to this day, I still feel like I’ve heard it so much that listening to it again as I read the book wasn’t that enjoyable. But, there were some songs that I may have listened to for the first time. My appreciation for Operation Ivy and Rancid continues to be strong.
Read this book because you like the music of the bands mentioned in the title. Winwood prefaces that he is not covering all the bands during these times. I had to keep reminding myself of that. One glaring omission (he mentions the band in passing) is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the mid to late ‘80s, they along with a small cadre of others, were punk music in Los Angeles.
Overall, this was a well written book. Very entertaining.
I have to say, I heard much of the music covered in the book so much that I, honestly, don’t own much of it. Even to this day, I still feel like I’ve heard it so much that listening to it again as I read the book wasn’t that enjoyable. But, there were some songs that I may have listened to for the first time. My appreciation for Operation Ivy and Rancid continues to be strong.
June 9, 2022
A must for 90s punk lovers!
April 8, 2019
Turns out, I don't care about Green Day. Shame they're the bulk of the book.
Lots of forbidden Bad Religion lore, though. Winwood's kind of fawning, but he swears artfully enough to remain credible as both a journalist and a grown-up punk kid. The afterword about playing pool with the Offspring was dumb, though.
Lots of forbidden Bad Religion lore, though. Winwood's kind of fawning, but he swears artfully enough to remain credible as both a journalist and a grown-up punk kid. The afterword about playing pool with the Offspring was dumb, though.
November 12, 2019
I'm of two minds about this book. On the one hand, it's great for learning facts about the California punk scene that evolved in the late 80s and early 90s. On the other hand, the writing itself is a bit disappointing. Winwood doesn't let the story play out without some unnecessary rhetorical flourish or linguistic jumble that ends up detracting from the story playing out.
The book promises at the start that it's more about depth than breadth, and that is incredibly true. This is a book that primarily exists to tell the story of Smash and Dookie. There are other underlying throughlines, particularly Brett Gurewitz's founding and running of Epitaph Records, and the story of Operation Ivy and Rancid plays out in the background, but this is about The Offspring and Green Day and their heyday in 1994.
The book starts very well, with the first chapter giving the early story of Bad Religion and then Social Distortion. We then go into Lawrence Livermore and Operation Ivy. NOFX makes an appearance, particularly the story of how they opened up the British market for American punk. Winwood has a tendency to tell a complete story and then make the end of the story an explicit relation between the story and the overall narrative. Social Distortion has pretty much nothing to do with the rest of the book, but they were the first Cali punk band to sign to a major label, so they're worth including. Lawrence Livermore founded Lookout Records, the first home of Green Day, and Operation Ivy helped build the label into something worthwhile in the Bay area.
The book is very enjoyable to read and informative about the selected subjects. I wish it had gone for a bit more breadth instead of spending a major part of a chapter detailing Green Day's first European tour, but for what it is, it's a good read.
The book promises at the start that it's more about depth than breadth, and that is incredibly true. This is a book that primarily exists to tell the story of Smash and Dookie. There are other underlying throughlines, particularly Brett Gurewitz's founding and running of Epitaph Records, and the story of Operation Ivy and Rancid plays out in the background, but this is about The Offspring and Green Day and their heyday in 1994.
The book starts very well, with the first chapter giving the early story of Bad Religion and then Social Distortion. We then go into Lawrence Livermore and Operation Ivy. NOFX makes an appearance, particularly the story of how they opened up the British market for American punk. Winwood has a tendency to tell a complete story and then make the end of the story an explicit relation between the story and the overall narrative. Social Distortion has pretty much nothing to do with the rest of the book, but they were the first Cali punk band to sign to a major label, so they're worth including. Lawrence Livermore founded Lookout Records, the first home of Green Day, and Operation Ivy helped build the label into something worthwhile in the Bay area.
The book is very enjoyable to read and informative about the selected subjects. I wish it had gone for a bit more breadth instead of spending a major part of a chapter detailing Green Day's first European tour, but for what it is, it's a good read.
July 7, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable, but largely unfocused and self-centered view of the 90s punk moment filtered through the opinions of the author -- a person who lived, not in Los Angeles or San Francisco/Berkeley, but reported from afar in Britain.
Winwood's writing style is to stuff his book with plenty of great verbiage and alliteration but offer little more than directed quotes and general praise to a point of fault. The book promises to follow the logical ascension of the scene, but quickly tosses aside Bad Religion once Mr. Brett is allowed to become the central figure in the story of Epitaph. Likewise, The Offspring seem to eclipse Rancid despite Rancid always having a better story and a longer, more critically acclaimed career.
But Winwood's central figures are Green Day. Much like he does with Offspring post-Smash, he's quick to ignore the missteps and misgivings in favor of trying to keep the subject matter light and positive. And he tries to frame Offspring songs such as "Get a Job" and "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" as anything other than what they were, no matter how catchy they may have been.
That said, for someone like myself who was an outsider to the scene and the explosion aside from being a teenager at the time (and all my friends owning copies of Dookie and Smash, so I never had to spend my own money on those releases), there was some protein to go with the sugary positivity Winwood uses to paint the scene. But having now read Winwood's articles and reviews, I'm not sure he's suited to write a real tell-all and truly investigate the scene with an even-keel. He's a fan, totally and completely, and this is his lengthy fan letter to a scene that came and went.
Winwood's writing style is to stuff his book with plenty of great verbiage and alliteration but offer little more than directed quotes and general praise to a point of fault. The book promises to follow the logical ascension of the scene, but quickly tosses aside Bad Religion once Mr. Brett is allowed to become the central figure in the story of Epitaph. Likewise, The Offspring seem to eclipse Rancid despite Rancid always having a better story and a longer, more critically acclaimed career.
But Winwood's central figures are Green Day. Much like he does with Offspring post-Smash, he's quick to ignore the missteps and misgivings in favor of trying to keep the subject matter light and positive. And he tries to frame Offspring songs such as "Get a Job" and "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" as anything other than what they were, no matter how catchy they may have been.
That said, for someone like myself who was an outsider to the scene and the explosion aside from being a teenager at the time (and all my friends owning copies of Dookie and Smash, so I never had to spend my own money on those releases), there was some protein to go with the sugary positivity Winwood uses to paint the scene. But having now read Winwood's articles and reviews, I'm not sure he's suited to write a real tell-all and truly investigate the scene with an even-keel. He's a fan, totally and completely, and this is his lengthy fan letter to a scene that came and went.
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