Punk Rock: So What?

by Roger Sabin (Editor)

It's now over twenty years since punk pogo-ed its way into our consciousness. Punk Rock So What? brings together a new generation of academics, writers and journalists to provide the first comprehensive assessment of punk and its place in popular music history, culture and myth. The contributors, who include Suzanne Moore, Lucy OBrien, Andy Medhurst, Mark Sinker and Paul Cobley, challenge standard views of punk prevalent since the 1970s.
* re-situate punk in its historical context, analysing the possible origins of punk in the New York art scene and Manchester clubs as well as in Malcolm McClarens brain
* question whether punk deserves its reputation as an anti-fascist, anti-sexist movement which opened up opportunities for women musicians and fans alike.
* trace punks long-lasting influence on comics, literature, art and cinema as well as music and fashion, from films such as Sid and Nancy and The Great Rock n Roll Swindle to work by contemporary artists such as Gavin Turk and Sarah Lucas.
* discuss the role played by such key figures as Johnny Rotten, Richard Hell, Malcolm McClaren, Mark E. Smith and Viv Albertine.
Punk Rock Revisited kicks over the statues of many established beliefs about the meaning of punk, concluding that, if anything, punk was more culturally significant than anybody has yet suggested, but perhaps for different reasons.

Genres: Music, Punk, Nonfiction, Art

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Roger Sabin is a Professor of Popular Culture, and as well being a researcher, supervises PhD students. He also teaches across the BA and MA Culture, Criticism and Curation, and is based in the Culture and Enterprise Programme.

His writing includes books, essays and journalism (please see Research Profile), with other work involving broadcasting, consulting and curating for The Guardian, BBC and Tate Gallery. He serves on the boards of academic journals, and runs book lists for Palgrave Macmillan.

His interests and specialisms include comics studies, cultural studies, subcultural studies, cultural history and comedy studies, and he is currently researching the 19th century entertainment business.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a mixed bag. Some interesting points of view. Some waffle. I am glad I read it? Not really to be honest.

Ray Smillie

[Andrea Janov · Rating 2 out of 5]

I disagreed with most of the premises of these essays from the on set, so I wasn't able to fully give myself to this series of essays. It made two things very clear, in order to be punk you had to be in the UK in the 70s and all other off shoots did not meet the narrow definition of punk.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes an academic approach to the punk rock movement in the late 70s. It focuses predominatly on England and the social impact that the music had on culture. [return][return]Originally I thought this book was pedantic and overly academic but in retrospect it should be recognized as an intellegent insight into the scene during that timeframe.

[Lee]

Mixed bag.