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not to extrapolate textual meaning 20% into a novel, but this is a perfect companion piece to 3 months of reading about fame, reactions to fame, production (i.e. labels), the release and inner monologue of the creation of art, and of course, the egoism of the artist. Navigating whether it is enlightened or embarrasing to be so critical of art, in pursuit of something truly excellent.

I dont think I can grasp this as straight man. but ill try!

It's all Jawbreaker, isnt it?


always has been

zach shipped me a copy, picked up in SF and sent from rural maine. I read it while sitting in the grass while the power was out

at the drive in breaking up is responsible for garage rock revival, which was caused by nu metal fans. another L for cock rock.

need more of this style of book (vignettes of multiple bands that tell there story and make a point about a larger issue). The green day chapter was okay but he didn't have any firsthand sourcing, but Jawbreaker had some interviews from the guys and made it feel more complete (and sad)

The Courtney love interview is really bad, the last few chapters have dashed my hopes that fame and popularity can create true good in the world, because it seems like while nirvana blew open the door for independent music hitting it big, you also get Brazilian nirvana fans telling bitches to go home. You have Axl Rose. You have cash grabbing hacks like Hirschberg. Really made me sour on music journalism as a whole.

Brat is our Nevermind, by the way. Think about it. an album that becomes inescapably popular by word of mouth, so much so that labels do not know how to advertise it. Defining generational apathy in an intense political climate, implications of drug use as related to carelessness. Concise and simple lyricism that tackles big emotions. Cross-genre appeal. After it's release, major labels can't let go.

everyone here feels about as lovable as they are hateable. I liked Chad a lot. makes me want to listen to more k records

gonna read the nirvana book after this. J Mascis was a horrible horrible man. I love Ian MacKaye. nothing's changed. I lurv lou barlow <3

https://aleximou.neocities.org/blog/ab

sonic youth era imminent. I love the vibe of the guy with the big ass glasses, and also an intellectualized take on SST. Retroactive respect for the huskers as well. when i was sixteen I wanted to smoke weed and listen to sonic youth all day which as it turns out is not enlightened (SHOCKER!)

Mould is the evil member of husker du (even though the drummer threw the woman in blue paint). The replacements did not make a ton of sense at first but it creates the scene for what a loser is in the gen x slacker world.

The Minor Threat chapter was really beautiful. Not only do i feel some camraderie with his opinions, and not only do I think hes based as fuck, but the way he describes the detereoriation of DC punk feels 1:1 with a lot of 21st century scenes. Seeing him dissapointed in mid 80s hardcore because it is no longer inventive is exactly what hyperpop felt like in 2022. Also complete discog was lowkey perfect.

"The first four years" by black flag is alright, minutemen were much better on my first listen. Henry Rollins is a questionable character (they all were really) but he's certainly their best vocalist.

attempting to finish the book and listen to at least an album by each of the mentioned bands this april

listening on my audiobook cd copy I picked up at volunteers of america a few months ago. In a bit of a music slump but these stories hit the spot. "The Girl Next Door" made me really upset though

fixed my goodreads to things im actually reading (the rest, which i am in between, sit in a beautiful google sheet document in the cloud, ready for when the "time is right") and credence (which I am going to postpone until eloise finishes it. i am not reading one sentence until eloise catches up with me. This book is good and so short I did not realize I was halfway through

On my backlog of dear hank and john episodes (I am on 125, I have heard 100-124 + 150-present sans guest episodes) I got to the point where this book came out, and it was on libby with no wait so I peeked in. its good enough that I'll finish it

short. easy to read. Much like flat earth but the pretention is even more overt, mostly because it is more direct about what the political landscape was in 2017-18. Sad and thoughtful, especially around the halfway mark. circles of creatives have this specific vibe on display here, but I cannot decide if it is a good or bad one. Lowkey a book about being friends with an ex. awesome poet recs throughout.