Rapidfire Book and Zine Reviews
Going Underground by George Hurchalla
Though I like reading about 80s hardcore, I’m beginning to get bored of them at large. They end up regurgitating the same plotlines. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read about Black Flag or the infamous Fear show at Saturday Night Live. It creates a very boring idea of those early days before hardcore became codified. It ends up erasing what existed on the margins by only focusing on the same five or six bands.
Going Underground takes a different tact than many other music books about 80s punk and hardcore that I’ve read. In some chapters, Hurachalla inserts himself into the narrative, telling about his experience firsthand living in Florida. It erases some of that distance that exists in music books where the author takes on the role of objective narrator. The rest of the book ping-pongs between different scenes across the country, giving more detail than I’ve seen in other books. I think I most appreciated the inserted quotations from various zines. It makes the book more distinctive and allows the characters to speak for themselves.
I would not necessarily recommend Going Underground for someone just delving into music books on 80s hardcore. It is sometimes confusing if you’re unfamiliar with the macro trends that were happening then. It moves between various scenes, and that may throw some people off. But for someone who has read plenty of music books, it was nice to read one that actually felt like I was obtaining new insights. I could see myself using it as a reference text for years.
Nardcore: 1981 to Infinity by Zach Nelson
Nardcore, the phrase used to describe hardcore from Oxnard and the surrounding areas, has always been something I’ve wanted to learn a bit more about. When I saw Shining Life had copies of it, I immediately purchased it. And it helped that it was written by Zach Nelson, whose podcast 185 Miles South has become a great resource for me. But it unfortunately left me wanting a bit more. There is some great stuff in there. I had fun flipping through the pages and finding old flyers with a bunch of bands I didn’t recognize. There is also a collected discography that I will slowly make my way through (100 records is a lot).
My main issue is that, at times, I felt like there was an information overload. It felt like I was reading a Wikipedia entry and couldn’t make sense of any bigger picture. That may be on me and my lack of knowledge of Nardcore. It still would have been nice if there was a little more context on some of the bands. Trying to condense 40 years of hardcore history into one zine is a hell of a task, and I imagine there is no easy way to present the information. It still left me wanting. I’d love to see the idea of the zine expanded out into a book, where you can go a bit deeper and even document some eras that aren’t talked about as much (I’m thinking of the 2000s). I still appreciate the effort, as it’s clear Nelson deeply cares about Oxnard and the lovingly tagged genre “Nardcore.”
Between The Lines-Issue 8
If I had to choose, Between The Lines is my favorite fanzine right now. It adheres to the basic format of a hardcore fanzine. Most of the issue is composed of interviews, and sometimes there will also be some record reviews. Though it’s a format that has been done for decades, when executed well, it is some of my favorite stuff to read. My favorite interview in issue 8 is with Blow Your Brains Out, a hardcore band from Japan doing faithful NYHC worship. I especially like where Tats from BYBO talks about lifting some ideas from “Backtrack” by Killing Time. I don’t think issue 8 of the zine is available online anywhere. I picked up a copy while at This is Hardcore in August. I would recommend visiting Between the Lines’ Blogspot if you want to get a look at some earlier issues.
Jesus Christ, I’m 36: Celebrating 10 Years of The Greatest Generation
Though I haven’t clinged to The Wonder Years the same way as other writers, this zine makes a strong argument for its impact. The writing is what I want out of a zine. It is personal and more about the writer than the band. It matches the heart-on-your-sleeve energy that Wonder Year exudes on the record. It makes me think of what music I loved so deeply that I wanted to etch it into my skin to become one with it. Each essay is relatively short and is told in conjunction with each song on the record.
And though I will never love the wonder years as many writers here do, it makes a strong case for why I should. It makes me envision a different version of myself who jumps from fueled by ramen 3rd wave emo to clinging to Wonder Years lyrics like it’s the only thing that matters when I’m 16.
Why Be Something You’re Not: Detroit Hardcore 1979–1985 by Tony Rettman
I’ve long been a fan of Tony Rettman, dating back to when I first read his oral history book on New York hardcore several years ago. His work is invaluable for me in filling in some gaps in my knowledge. Why Be Something You’re Not is similar to the New York Hardcore book in that it looks into the first wave of hardcore in Detroit. It is very clearly Rettman’s first attempt at writing an oral history book. Some of the chapters are shorter than others and not as filled out. You can sometimes feel the DIY nature of the project, for better and worse. There were times I wish there were more people interviewed. But mostly, I enjoyed it as someone who only thinks of Negative Approach when I think of early Detroit hardcore. It’s a quick and enjoyable read; I think I knocked it out over a few days.
Radon by Aaron Cometbus & Travis Fristoe
Even if I weren’t already a fan of Radon and Aaron Cometbus, the conceit of the zine would make me curious. I used to read a lot of 33 1/3 books several years ago but have been burned a couple of times. It made me a little more reluctant to pay money to read them. So, a riff on the series but with a punk bent appeals to me. And there is no way in hell that 33 1/3 would ever commission a book on Radon. While not as beloved as other bands from Gainesville (Against Me!, Hot Water Music), their impact is notable for a certain strand of punk. You can hear Radon throughout the No Idea Records catalog and, by extension, on a whole generation of punk that goes down to play FEST every year.
The conceit of the Radon book is relatively simple in that it is split into two sections. The first is a Cometbus essay. He comes as an outsider who lived across the country and as an admirer of Radon. The second section from Friscoe is the opposite. He lived in Gainesville, and his experience of Radon is much more personal. The two writers end up representing the two polarities I sometimes find myself existing as. I have those bands as a Chicagoan that I deeply love beyond all rationale. I can talk for hours about some band with 100 monthly listeners but cannot utter a single interesting thought about The Strokes or some other canonical indie band. But I have plenty of other bands I love where I don’t need that type of familiarity. The less I know about an artist, the better. All I need are some good riffs and a decent melody by a singer who sings like shit.