books about music scenes

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What are some good narrative books on certain time periods in music? I'm specifically looking for 71-73: Glam Rock (T. Rex, Roxy Music, Bowie) , 80s new wave, or any others that are really good.

― A Nairn (moretap), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 20:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Glam Rock? Well, it's a photo book more than anything else, but try BLOOD AND GLITTER by Mick Rock.

80's New Wave? I'd first recommend both of Julian Cope's sceney memoirs, HEAD-ON and REPOSSESSED, both largely documenting the Liverpool scene.

Legs McNeil & Gillian McCain's PLEASE KILL ME is a great oral history of late 70's American Punk Rock that is highly enjoyable.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 20:37 (twenty-three years ago)

"Lexicon Devil" is really good if you have any interest in the Germs or LA punk or Scientology or drug addicts.

― dan (dan), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 20:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I've heard great things about Brendan Mullen's We've Got the Neutron Bomb, but haven't read it. Lexicon Devil and Please Kill Me are great, though. Some chapters of Our Band Could Be Your Life are, too...

The problem I have with these sorts of books, though, is that they're usually quite depressing towards the end, as bands usually end badly because of in-fighting or death.

(And on a side note, does anyone know where I can pick up Julian Cope's Krautrocksampler for a decent price. It seems to be kind of hard to come by...)

― die9o (dhadis), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 21:01 (twenty-three years ago)

(Oh yeah, maybe someone should blur out s*ientol*gy so we don't get served with some sort of lawsuit by that group's net-surfing lawyers? Or something.)

― die9o (dhadis), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 21:04 (twenty-three years ago)

[they don't sue you unless you reveal "trade secrets"]

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 21:07 (twenty-three years ago)

hm...there's a couple ones about D.C. in the 80's...(anyone care to reccomend which one(s) are good?)...i remember seeing a book about about the UK 'pubrock' scene in the 70's.

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 21:39 (twenty-three years ago)

clinton heylin's "from the velvets to the voidoids" is really informative, and although it's not as fun of a read as "please kill me" it does have an awesome chapter on cleveland proto-punk/new wave.
"we got the neutron bomb" is likewise well worth reading, but the last chapters take the usual tales of scene-ending breakups/falling-outs/od's/bankruptcy/general misery to new heights.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 00:07 (twenty-three years ago)

ones i've enjoyed :

days in the life - london underground mid-late 60s
glam! by barney hoskins - although the enthusiasm fades as this short tome winds down
england's dreaming - takes itself a bit to seriously but a good read
stranded - the australian scene post-punk (centres on the more mainstream things)
waiting for the sun - all things LA
please kill me - as recommended above
sniffin glue - to get the real punk feel of the times

― phil turnbull (philT), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 02:08 (twenty-three years ago)

hm...there's a couple ones about D.C. in the 80's...(anyone care to reccomend which one(s) are good?)..

"Dance of Days" is tedious. avoid unless you are hopelessly DC-obsessive. Better to get the photo-and-anectdote-filled "Banned in DC" (almost no proper "writing" in it, though).

― arch Ibog (arch Ibog), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 18:44 (twenty-three years ago)

The Hundred Thousand Fools of God: Musical Travels in Central Asia (And Queens New York) by Theodore Levin.

I wish I liked the music.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:47 (twenty-three years ago)

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