BOOKSHELF IS BACK!

After much popular demand, we've put the Bomp Bookshelf back up! We do not sell these books on our store. This is a list of great books compiled by Greg over the years. You can find most of these books on Amazon.com or they are simply out of print. We're doing our best to get it all back up on the site a quickly as we can. So far here's a bunch of Mod, Punk, and Garage stuff to check out. More books will continually be added as we dig through the old archives of bomp.com.

Punk Rock

Please Feed Me: A Punk Vegan Cookbook

by Niall McGuirk [Soft Skull 8/04, 200pp.]

"Developed from the Hope Collective, a popular punk venue in Dublin, Ireland, this unique cookbook links healthy eating with the punk rock community and subculture. With over 120 vegan recipes and personal anecdotes collected from bands who performed at the club, Please Feed Me presents tasty offerings such as Fugazi Chocolate Cake, Bikini Kill Chili non Carne, and Neurosis and Pincer Martin Tomato and Orange Soup. Also included are thoughts on punk rock culture as a vital underground network, and insider stories of well-known U.S. and international bands."

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Punk is Dead: Punk is Everything!

by Bryan Ray Turcotte, Christopher Miller [Gingko 11/02; 9/03, 240pp.]

"An exposition of the lasting impact of punk on visual culture worldwide. Punk slipped quietly under the cultural radar before rising again to inspire new generations of creative and idealistic artists and musicians. This work features an essay by one of the most respected voices of the fiercely independent DIY music underground, Ian Mackaye. Other contributors include Malcolm McLaren, Vincent Gallo and Matt Burosso."

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Punk : Loud, Young and Snotty -- The Story Behind the Songs

by Steven Wells [Thunder's Mouth 3/04, 144pp.]

"It has been over twenty-five years since punk rock transformed the landscape of music and popular culture, but the significance of the era continues to endure. Whether you take your Year Zero from The Stooges in 1969 or the heady bile of The Clash and Sex Pistols, it's impossible to overstate the importance of punk. This book examines the songs that encapsulated punks' message of dissatisfaction, anger, and integrity. From The Stooges, The Clash, and Sex Pistols through The Buzzcocks, The Stranglers, The Undertones, and The Damned to the later, artier punk of Joy Division, Wire, and The Fall, as well as the American front of Ramones, Suicide, Talking Heads, and Blondie, author Steven Wells dissects punk's nihilistic classic tunes. Why were The Clash 'So Bored with The USA'? What made Johnny Rotten dismiss the Queen as 'a moron'? What were the undertones of The Stranglers' seemingly benign 'Golden Brown'? What '"Psycho Killer' was the focus of the Talking Heads classic song? Why were the Bad Brains 'Banned in D.C.'? And who was the Ramones' Sheena? All of these answers, dozens of photographs and more are provided in detail in Punk: Loud, Young, and Snotty."

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Punk Rock Aerobics: 75 Killer Moves, 50 Punk Classics, and 25 Reasons to Get Off Your Ass and Exercise

by Maura Jasper, Hilken Mancini [DaCapo 1/04, 208pp.]

"This book was hard to put down. The pictures are adorable (especially of Clint Conley!) and the interviews kept me reading ahead. It made me want to start doing aerobic exercises again, having shunned them for years due to the creepy workout culture. Big credits to Hilken and Maura for spreading the word that you don't have to spend a pile of money to be fit or buy into a bulls**t philosophy about punk or a choke down a corporate spin on health. I am also relieved to know that there is a class I can take that plays the music I like where I won't feel like a Bally's reject. I will recommend this book to all my friends."

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Punk Is A Four-Letter Word

by Ben Weasel [Hope and Nonthings 4/02, 192pp.]

"This book is okay. It's a great read when Weasel is talking about his old band, Screeching Weasel, but is completely boring when he drones on about past day jobs or solitary hobbies (like running). Some critics say Weasel is the punk-rock Charles Bukowski, but that's an inacurate comparison. Where Bukowski was brutally honest, Weasel is annoyingly evasive, choosing to hide behind his stadium-sized ego. This book would have been great if Weasel talked more about what helped make him a punk-rock celebrity, namely his ex-girlfriend of 10 years and his old band. That said, this book does have two fantastic articles, one on Weasel meeting Curt Kobain, the other -- previously unpublished -- on advice for novice musicians."

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Amped : Notes from a Go-Nowhere Punk Band

by Jon Resh [Viper Press 1/01, 168pp.]

"This book is a real friggin gem. Very well written (cannot say the same for most 'punk' books that have surfaced recently), concise,and engaging. Though a work of non-fiction, it reads like a very modest historical account of a guy getting turned on to punk rock and how his band, friends, and life develops. Funny anecdotes, honest perspective ... Amped is about as good as it gets when analyzing a time in 'punk' when punk and hardcore had gone different ways and indie rock was developing. Amped captures the spirit of many who drifted between scenes and couldn't help themselves from being underground. This paints a pefect picture."

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Q Magazine Book of Punk Legends (UK only)

by the editors of Q [1996]

"Small paperback with lots of good info on the Clash, Pistols, Damned, Siouxsie, Blondie, Buzzcocks, Iggy, Stranglers and more."

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In the Fascist Bathroom : Punk in Pop Music, 1977 - 1992

by Greil Marcus [3/99]

"By now, first-generation rock critic Greil Marcus is better known as the author of highbrow pop-culture tomes than as a workaday, keep-it-pithy critic. This collection of columns and short pieces (most rewritten to varying degrees for the book) churned out for New West, Artforum, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone presents the erudite Marcus as a periodical commentator subject to deadline and word-count pressures. As such, it gives a history-as-it-happens perspective on the music scene rather than a sweeping overview, meaning it's perhaps less provocative than Marcus's more recent efforts, but it's also more readable. Invigorated by the emergence of the Sex Pistols, Marcus delighted in chronicling the music and behavior of the first wave of punk provocateurs. Here are pieces on the import of the Pistols, the Clash, Elvis Costello, the Gang of Four, and (closest to the author's heart?), the Mekons, presented largely as they were originally written, with the din still ringing in the scribe's ears."

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Lipstick Traces : A Secret History of the 20th Century

by Greil Marcus [9/90]

"It does it! It traces the exact path I took in 1976, when 16, upon going from the Beats (Kero and Burro) into Dada... then on to Kent Ohio where the insane punk scene swept me up, cemented my sensibilities and threw me for a loop.

Everything comes together in this book, although Marcus almost ignores what was happening in US at the time, he traces the roots of punk. His thesis is that the Sex Pistols' Anarchy for the UK/etc trace back to earlier ideas such as Dada, the SI, etc. He does a good job in dissecting what punk was without selling it out. Recommended for 30-something former punks AND for anyone currently 13-24."

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Punks : Street Revolution

by Stuart Coles [12/01]

"The companion volume to Mods and Rockers, Punks documents the history of that radical phenomenon which, 20 years after its birth, continues to grow. The first complete visual record of this characteristically visual movement, it recreates for fans old and new the dramatic experience of this street revolution. 208 photos."

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Up Yours! (UK only)

by Vernon Joynson (ed.) [9/01]

"25 years on from the punk explosion, this massive book provides a detailed guide to UK punk, new wave and early post punk. Concentrating primarily on the 1976-82 period, the book provides an A-Z listing of the relevant artistes with discographies, personnel details and, for most entries, band histories and comment on the music. Individual entries also include details of reissues and retrospective compilations. At the end of the book there are sections detailing many of the various artists compilations of this era and key record label discographies."

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Punk Diary : 1970-1979

by George Gimarc [8/94]

"Opening appropriately with the August 1970 release of the second LP by the Stooges (from whom sprang Iggy Pop), Gimarc's chronicle of the punk era is a day-by-day accounting of the formation (and often demise) of dozens of punk rock bands, their recordings and performances, and their many highlights (and lowlights, so to speak). The volatile reaction to the stale state of most 1970s rock, punk was a do-it-yourself movement that gave voices to a disenfranchised population of young rebels and nihilists. Although he does take a few important U.S. acts (the New York Dolls, Patti Smith, the Ramones, etc.) into account, Gimarc emphasizes UK punk, placing the most infamous punkers of all, the Sex Pistols featuring Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious, at the center of his coverage--while also entertainingly, informatively treating the likes of the Clash, the Damned, XTC, Elvis Costello, the Cure, the Jam, and the Mekons. An excellent companion to Savage's England's Dreaming ."

Greg Shaw comments: George Gimarc, longtime Dallas DJ and longtime collaborator of John Lydon in his syndicated radio show and other projectsThis book, and its sequel, are the result of obsessive note-taking. He records, day by day, everything that was going on in the world of punk. It's a unique perspective that no student of the era should be without.

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Post Punk Diary : 1980-1982

by George Gimarc [10/97]

"This is an essential guide to the music that was called new wave and post punk. Not only is it thoroughly entertaining but a great reference source. It has all the acts from that era, from commercial to ridiculously obscure (Girls at Our Best, Hurrah!, Freshies, New Musik, et.al.) It comes with a bonus CD that has some nice interviews and snippets of featured artists' songs. "

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The Philosophy of Punk : More Than Noise

by Craig O'Hara [2/99]

"The Philosophy Of Punk is an awesome look at the underground scene, philosophies, history, political and social happenings of the punk movement. Craig shatters what the mass media portrays as punk and gives you the truth. No one can do it all but Craig does a pretty damn fine job. There are also some great pictures to boot. I can't say how good this book is. The Lithuanian authorities stopped the printers from distributing it in their country saying it was "a vile, rebellious, offensive document" so you know it is a good one. :-)

"Here are the chapter headings (after forward and intro) to give you a small glimpse: *Why Punk: Background Comparisons With Previous Art Movements; Some Defining Characteristics of Punk. *Media Misrepresentation: How Television, Glossy Magazines, And Mindless Media Have Done Their Best To Defang The Beast. *Skinheads And Racism: Who They Are, Where They're From And What Do They Have To Do With Punk Anyway. *Intra Movement Communication: Fanzines-Communication From The Xerox Machine To The Underground. *Anarchism: An Alternative To Existing Systems. What It Is And Why It Is Embraced By Punks All Over The World. The Failure Of "Bought And Paid For" Politicians Has Ensured A Counterculture Receptive To The Idea That We Would Be Better Off Without These Vampires. *Gender Issues: Sexism, Feminism and Open Homosexuality. *Environmentalism And Ecological Concerns: The Ideas And Techniques Of Earth First, ALF and Others Have Found A Comfortable Home In The Punk Scene. *Straight Edge: A Movement That Went From Being A Minor Threat To A Conservative Conformist No Threat. *DIY"

Greg Shaw review: I wonder if this is what Richard Hell and Malcolm McLaren had in mind....

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From the Velvets to the Voidoids: A Pre-Punk History For a Post-Punk World

by Clinton Heylin [6/93]

"This book illuminates the dark, underground history that preceded the spectacle now known as punk. It's so entertaining...so lucidly written... I could hardly sit it down...should be required reading for all pop culture classes concerned with rock and roll...and anyone who really loves the music."

Greg Shaw note: unless you think "punk" means "New York" and nothing else, this somewhat misleadingly-titled book may disappoint you. There is a much broader, less standardized perspective on what happened between Altamont and Anarchy--perhaps someday it'll be written. Meanwhile, here is the predictable tale of Velvets- Dolls- Patti- Ramones- Hell, thankfully filled with quotes from the principal characters.

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Blank Generation Revisited : The Early Days of Punk Rock

by Roberta Bayley, Stephanie Chernikowski, George du Bose, Bob Gruen, Ebet Roberts, David Godlis [3/97]

"Six preeminent rock photographers reveal the photos that launched their careers--in the process, revealing the acts that launched modern rock. From the B-52s and Talking Heads to Richard Hell and Blondie, the influence of the legendary bands that shaped the punk rock movement continues to be heard in music as diverse as folk, rap, alternative, and heavy metal. 120 photos. "

Bomp review: Some of New York's best rock photographers, who were there at the beginning and captured it all, have put together some of their best work for this excellent book. Keep it by your side while reading "Please Kill Me"

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Illustrated Collectors Guide to Punk : Band by Band Documentof the Punk Era

by Dave Thompson [7/95]

"A collector's guide to punk is a huge undertaking, but Dave Thompson pulled it off. He made this book "Part One". "To be included in this book, a band needed to be actively recording (for radio or record) during the period 1976-1978," he wrote. He focused on the UK. By allowing himself to work within these parameters, Thompson made the book an easier read, as well as saving himself a lot of work. Thompson makes some outstanding points in his introduction that explain his take on the scene, and he invites readers to argue and "write the publisher long, well-reasoned letters about how 'x' should not have been included, while 'y' was a ghastly omission." Thompson acknowledges that punk is different to everyone.

"Meanwhile, the rest of the book includes useful information for collectors including descriptions of UK singles, UK albums, UK radio sessions and a fantastic label guide. He even lists the chart position of the releases at the end of each section. I can't imagine the amount of work that went into this book, and I recommend it highly. The book is designed to look like a double CD set, so it fits nicely in most CD racks. A fun extra."

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Between Montmartre and the Mudd Club: Popular Music and the Avant-Garde

by Bernard Gendron [4/02]

"Fairly readable as academic works go, some interesting discussions of the early days of punk rock and the music press, including Bomp itself."

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We Owe You Nothing, Punk Planet : The Collected Interviews

by Daniel Sinker [2/01]

"The first compilation of the riveting and provocative interviews of Punk Planet magazine, founded in 1994 and charging unbowed into the new millennium. Never lapsing into hapless nostalgia, these conversations with figures as diverse as Jello Biafra, Kathleen Hanna, Noam Chomsky, Henry Rollins, Sleater-Kinney, Ian MacKaye, and many more provide a unique perspective into American punk rock and all that it has inspired (and confounded). Not limited to conversations with musicians, the book includes vital interviews with political organizers, punk entrepreneurs, designers, film-makers, writers, illustrators, and artists of many different media. Punk Planet has consistently explored the crossover of punk with activism, and reflects the currents of the underground while simultaneously challenging the bleak centerism of today's popular American culture."

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Punk Rock: So What? The Cultural Legacy of Punk

by Roger Sabin (Ed.) [5/99]

"This text brings together a different generation of academics, writers and journalists to provide a comprehensive assessment of punk and its place in popular music history, culture and myth. The contributors, who include Suzanne Moore, Lucy O'Brien, Andy Medhurst, Mark Sinker and Paul Cobley, challenge standard views of punk prevalent since the 1970s. They: re-situate punk in its historical context, analyzing the possible origins of punk in the New York art scene and Manchester clubs as well as in Malcolm McClaren's 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 punk's 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; and discuss the role played by such key figures as Johnny Rotten, Richard Hell, Malcolm McClaren, Mark E. Smith and Viv Albertine. This text 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."

"To say this book is a disapointment is an understatement. Give academics free rein to discuss Punk and this is the claptrap you get. Half baked intellectual theorising that can't make up its mind whether it's Rock criticism or Sociology. It could have been so good. Instead Sabin (a heavy metal fan who liked Wire because the songs were easy to learn!) invites people to discuss various issues and come to conclusions. Sabin himself tries to debunk the myth that punk wasn't racist. One of his premises is 'that punk didn't stand up for the Asians' so it wasn't totally anti- racist. When are people going to understand. Punk = music. No 76-79 punk band spouted any racist shit in any of their songs and that includes Skrewdriver. The examples he gives are ludicrous -- Art Attacks, Adam & The Ants -- and his selective quoting and distortion from fanzines like Ripped & Torn is not a recognised academic process but more akin to fitting the facts to theories. Steal it for articles on punk fashion, the birth of punkand a few photos." --www.punk77.uk/

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Ranters & Crowd Pleasers : Punk in Pop Music 1977-92

by Greil Marcus [Doubleday 4/94, 438pp.]

"Marcus succeeds in articulating in print what was so wonderful about bands like Gang of Four, the Raincoats, X-Ray Spex, the Clash, etc. There is something truly significant captured in that music between 1976-late 1980s called 'punk,' and the author explains it unlike no other in this collection of previously-published articles."

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Adulterers Anonymous

by Lydia Lunch, Exene Cervenka [11/96]

Poetry from the two most outrageous punk sirens of both coasts.

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Kiss This: Punk in the Present Tense

Gina Arnold [10/97]

"Argues that the art form punk has been slowly annihilated by the likes of Courtney Love, Geffen Records, Lollapalooza and, surprisingly, the Sex Pistols. The text goes on to contend that the music industry exploits to the point of extinction every manifestation of pop culture that appears."

"Someone was bound to write a book-length polemic decrying the commercialization of punk, and Gina Arnold is just to firebrand to do it...Unsparing, caustic, and cogent, Arnold's impassioned argument rings out like a cry in the pop-cultural wilderness."

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Break All Rules! : Punk Rock and the Making of a Style

by Tricia Henry [6/90]

"A superficial, outsider's book on the development of punk rock from the Velvet Underground to the Sex Pistols. Also discusses Andy Warhol, David Bowie, Patti Smith, the Ramones, and others. This book is basically a fashion-oriented view of the punk scene, privately published. Lots of pictures of people sporting safety pins and looking most stylish. Not only that, it stops at about 1981 with almost no mention of any US bands whatsoever."

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20th Century Rock and Roll : Punk

by Dave Thompson [8/00]

"The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, The Vibrators, The Buzzcocks, and many more, they're all here, with stories, records and facts that will make you feel more in touch with what they're all about about.Complete with interview excerpts, discographies and a lot of detail, this book is about the people who made the music - where they came from, where they're going, and why they did what they did, and do what they do. To fully understand Punk music, you have to understand Punk people. This book will show the way."

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Real Conversations, No. 1: The Death of Independent Everything

by V. Vale, Henry Rollins, Billy Childish, Jello Biafra, et al [RE/Search 4/01, 180pp.]

"The interviews in this book shed light into the world of independent media existence (making and promoting one's music, books art) and how it relates to these four famous figures. The Rollins interview is interesting in that both the interviewer and Rollins admit to having poor book sales up front. From there they go into the state of independent book sales, and readers will learn a lot about the practices of book sales (a lot of stuff I didn't know at least.) The Biafra interview was politically charged, as one would expect, and did mention a little bit about his lawsuit with the ex-Kennedys. It also discusses his involvement in the WTO protests in Seattle a while back. Lawrence Ferlinghetti's interview is particularly interesting because he has such philosophical insight into the world. He discusses how the pursuit of fame affected Allen Ginsburg, and the way the Internet is affecting book sales. Also, Billy Childish discusses punk principles and the do it yourself ethic to some extent. If you're interested even mildly in any of the people interviewed in this book, I would highly recommend it. Although it sometimes strays from the subject at hand (being independent in the corporate world), it lends insight into the way these people think, which I think is just as important."

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Album Cover Art of Punk

by Burkhardt Seiler [12/98]

"Foreword by Malcolm McLaren. Hundreds of color illustrations of classic punk albums and singles, including: Misfits, Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Cure, Blondie, Bauhaus, Dead Kennedys, Sonic Youth, The Residents, The Cramps and many more. Album themes include monsters, necrophilism, teeth, and vampires."

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Planet Joe

by Joe Cole [12/96]

"I learned about Joe Cole and 'Planet Joe' from reading Henry Rollins' books, particularly Get in the Van: On the Road With Black Flag. Planet Joe is a collection of Joe Cole's (long time friend of Rollins' until he was murdered in 1991) tour journals as a roadie during the final Black Flag tours. Cole's writing shows a young man who comes from a difficult upbringing, who managed to survive the strangeness of his home life and now dreams of adventure. His desire to elevate himself and define himself from everyday people is inspiring and strengthening. Cole leaves none of his thoughts unwritten & puts the truth out onto the table. From first and last experimentations with drugs, the struggle to move forward, hard times, friendships on the road and the adventures that spawned from the travels, this book will keep your eye and leave you wanting to read more. I only wish that I could have met Joe Cole as so many of his thoughts in this collection of journals are just like my own.'

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Garage

MC5: The Future is Now

by Michael Simmons, Cletus Nelson [Creation 8/03, 192pp.]

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Black Monk Time : Coming of the Anti-Beatle

by Thomas Edward Shaw [Carson Street 1/95, 397pp.]

"Incredible. Everything you've ever wanted from a band that time forgot, but never get. Really well written, with the ring of truth and a great sense of humor. Some great cold war stuff too. Maybe this is what Johnny Rotten was refering to when he talked about going under the Berlin Wall. Such a strange, interesting story, that now I've read the book, listened to the CDs over and over, even saw one of the guys walking around NYC with a baseball cap on and still have a hard time believing all this really happened. But right there in the book is a photo of a tonsured Dave Day comparing notes with a spit-curled Bill Haley; and there's even a German poster advertising, in clockwise order, an album from The Who, Hums of The Lovin' Spoonful, Fresh Cream, and lo and behold, Black Monk Time."

"After reading this book and listening to the CD of the same name, readers/listeners will say "The Velvet who?" This is rock and roll at its strangest, most twisted and rebellious. Mr. Shaw's story borders on the fantastic, but it really happened! Five GIs shaving their heads and dressing in black and pumping out punk music a decade before the Sex Pistols, the Clash et al. Who woulda thunk it? This is truly an essential addition to any rock musicologists library."

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Openers II; The Lyrics of Roky Erickson

by Roky Erickson, Casey Monahan [2-16-61 12/96, 317pp.]

"A book of almost all of Erickson's lyrics, from his days with the psychedelic supergroup the 13th Floor Elevators, on up to the present. A volume of lyrics and photos documenting some 30-plus years of his creative genius. Openers II includes material by Erickson never before published as well as photographs, a complete Erickson discography and first line index. [320 p., paperback] "

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Playing for a Piece of the Door : A History of Garage & Frat Bands in Memphis 1960-1975

by Ron Hall [7/01]

"It's very easy to see why the garage rock revival appeals to an old guy like me, or Steven Van Zandt. This is music we grew up listening to, loving and playing. Of course we're getting off hearing twenty- somethings play it live again. And of course it also strokes our egos that twenty- somethings are into music we loved in our youth­another affirmation that maybe the era of our youth really was the coolest ever, just like we keep telling everybody. I do have to ask why the twenty- somethings themselves are getting off on this music, though. Clearly garage rock is this year's retro fad, like lounge music and the swing revival before it. I need to be told again if and how it's more than that. Still, if the fad means that Ron Hall will find a bigger audience than he might have a few years ago for his new book and CD, I'm all for it. The book's called Playing for a Piece of the Door: A History of Garage & Frat Bands in Memphis 1960-1975 . The CD's called A History of Garage & Frat Bands in Memphis 1960-1975 . They're both from Shangri-La, Memphis' well-loved record store/ record label/publisher, and they're both great, grassroots exercises in popular history.

The book's very straightforward: brief portraits of dozens of 60s and early 70s bands, most of whom you and I never heard of because they never made it out of Memphis. Bands with names like Flash & the Casuals, Butterscotch Caboose, Danny Burk & the Invaders, the Guilloteens, the Escapades, the Jesters, the Yo-Yo's, the Torquays, the Coachmen, the Load of Mischief. Wearing Beatles haircuts and turtlenecks and shades in their official band photos. They played Memphis' sock hops and CYOs, its rock clubs and local rock shows on tv, including one hosted by George Klein, of the Memphis Mafia. Some were homegrown, others were attracted to Memphis from all over the South because it had the recording studios and the labels, including Sun and Stax. A very few became famous­the Box Tops, the Gentrys, the Mar-Keys, Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs­but most are completely unsung heroes, bands who'd never get mentioned in any mainstream rock history. Many of them wouldn't even rate the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's insulting wall dedicated to one-hit wonders, because they never made anything resembling a "hit" record. Many just managed to do a vanity single or a demo tape before disbanding­because the singer had to go off to college, or someone got drafted, or the drummer and singer got in a fight. Some of them don't have much to say for themselves, and only a trainspotting record-collector type will care about their mundane tales. But others have great stories to tell..."

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Savage Lost : Florida Garage Bands : The '60s and Beyond

by Jeffrey M. Lemlich [Distinctive Publishing 7/91, 416pp.]

This is the definitive history of Florida's extensive garage band scene, with profiles of bands and labels, discographies broken down by city and in full details, and many photos. Plus Jeff's introductions and commentaries, which put the whole phenomenon of '60s garage bands into nice historical context. Sadly, this is out of print, but the author has a few copies left. Visit his website for more info, or send $15 to Jeff Lemlich, Box 655018, Miami, FL, 33265.

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Till the Stroke of Dawn : A Discography of New England Garage Bands From the 1960s

by Aram Heller [Stanton Park 7/93, 72pp.]

Bomp review: This self-published book does a sensational job of gathering all the 45s, LPs, and compilation appearances by New England bands. Lavishly illustrated, with an informative introduction. Though published several years ago, it is still available from the author for $12 plus postage, while supplies last.

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Louie Louie: The History And Mythology of the World's Most Famous Rock 'n' Roll Song

by Dave Marsh [Hyperion 8/93, 245pp.]

"Here, rock critic Marsh ventures beyond mere celeb biography or fan-boy appreciation. This cultural history of a single rock tune is an exercise in modern legend-making that also tells 'the story of rock 'n' roll in a nutshell.' For Marsh, the official investigation of the allegedly obscene lyrics in 'Louie, Louie' prefigures current efforts to censor pop music. The lesson in this case is skewed in Marsh's favor, since 'Louie, Louie,' despite years of rumor and myth-making, is really a harmless sea chantey composed by a small-time performer in the mid-50's as 'an R&B dance tune with a hint of cha-cha.' When Richard Berry sold the publication rights to the tune for $750, he had no idea it would re-emerge in the early 60's as a monster hit. Although numerous West Coast artists cut versions, it wasn't until the Kingsmen recorded their slurred, one-track interpretation that the rumors began concerning the 'true' lyrics. In Marsh's view, the 'protopunk' sloppy recording of the song 'is the most profound and sublime expression of rock 'n' roll's ability to create something from nothing.' Down and dirty, the Kingsmen's version frightened parents and inspired a thorough FBI investigation based on the underground circulation of spurious vulgar lyrics. Meanwhile, the 'stop-time cluster-chord' song spawned offshoots by the Kinks, the Who, and Jimi Hendrix. The song was remade by the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Otis Redding, and disco king Barry White. There are instrumental remakes, jazz-fusion versions, punk homages, and a rap rendition. Despite references to Camille Paglia and Theodor Adorno, Marsh is no Greil Marcus. Though he tells the story of 'Louie, Louie'' well, his cultural analysis is shallow and dependent on all sorts of p.c. insights. A full discography attests to his central point: 'Louie, Louie'' lives!"

Greg Shaw comment: I really enjoyed this book, which in many ways is Marsh at his best. The "pc" is at a minimum here; the subject is rock & roll, something Dave has a real, visceral grasp of. He knows intuitively that "Louie Louie" is simply the most perfect song ever, and in these pages he helps you understand why. My favorite insight: that Nirvana's "Feels Like Teen Spirit" is really a rebirth of the "Louie Louie" spirit, being 'unintelligible at any speed.'

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It Was All Just Rock 'n' Roll

by Pat O'Day, Jim Ojala [R-n-R, 10/02, 400pp.]

"Pat O'Day first gained fame as the top DJ in the '60s the Northwest at radio station KJR-AM in Seattle. Considered by many the most influential figure in the development of rock 'n' roll in the region, O'Day influenced the musical tastes an entire generation of listeners. Later, he founded the company that became Concerts West, at one time the largest concert promotion firm in the world."

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Les Hou-Lops: Pour Toute la Vie

by Serge Gingras

"Can you believe it? Les Hou-Lops have a BIOGRAPHY?? Yes, it's true! Minutely detailed, and often mired in the facts (and not really giving the story or setting the scene) this book is rather austere when it comes to the goods, as far as I can tell! The author, it seems is new at this rock 'n roll game (prefering hockey) - and could be doing a darned good job of the story, for all I know! I can barely READ the book, it's in French (I'm doing my best). The photographs are fantastic, and really, every little tiny fact is covered. So if you read French, buy it! " --Glynis Ward

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Flip Side : An Illustrated History of Rock and Roll Music - Southern Minnesota

by Jim Oldsberg [Prairie House 1997, 256pp.]

Greg Shaw review: A fascinating book with profiles of 41 of the greatest Minnesota bands of the '60s, with interviews, photos, label pix, and discographies. Absolutely a milestone of research and a model of how such things should be done.

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An American Rock History Vol. 4: Indiana, Iowa and Missouri (1960-1993) (UK only)

by Hugh MacLean and Vernon Joynson [England, Borderline12/95, 170pp.]

"The fourth in the regional US Rock History series. A detailed study of artistes and groups with album discographies, band personnel details and, in most cases, some comment about the artistes and their music. Rock, pop, jazzrock, country rock, folk rock, punk, new wave, garage, psychedelic, heavy metal, new country, all are covered."

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Children of Nuggets : The Definitive Guide to the Psychedelic '60s Punk Rock on Compilation Albums

by David Walters [Popular Culture Ink 1990, 372pp.]

Greg Shaw review: This beautiful 8 1/2 x 11 hardcover book was published in 1990. It contained complete listings, by album, artist, and song title, of all '60s garage compilations then extant, with photos of virtually all of them on high quality glossy paper, and with original release info for most of the tracks. A beautiful job, now out of print, that really deserves to be updated and reprinted. Still, I use it all the time for reference. For those with Microsoft Access, there is a downloadable, updated (to-the-moment) database of the same material online: Searchin' For Shakes, and the great Garage Compilation Database, taken from the same source.

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Sixties Rock : Garage, Psychedelic, and Other Satisfactions

by Michael Hicks [Univ. of Illinois Press 4/99, 8/00, 192pp.]

"Hicks admirably describes some often-overlooked varieties of rock. Garage is rock made by unprofessional, often adolescent musicians who typically practice in a member's auto shed. The term implies a charming lack of sophistication, and Hicks lengthily explains the implications of musical decisions that many garage bands made based on what members could play, decisions that could eventuate in the overexhilaration garage rock often expressed. Hicks' discussion of psychedelic rock is no less detailed, and he cites resemblances to garage that many fans may not have noticed. His academic bent is best employed in the chapter on the song "Hey Joe," recorded by scads of bands (the Leaves and the Jimi Hendrix Experience cut the most familiar versions). In a musicologically riotous passage, he traces conflicting "Hey, Joe" authorship claims and winds up suggesting it is a venerable folk song of unknowable attribution. The technical side of this book can't be ignored, and casual readers and fans may be put off. Diligent, musically engaged readers, however, will glean much information and insight."

"Unlike their rock 'n' roll predecessors, many rock musicians of the mid-sixties came to consider themselves as artists, as self-conscious makers of a new sonic medium. Sixties Rock offers a provocative look at these artists and their innovations in two pivotal rock genres: garage rock and psychedelic music. Delving into everything from harmony to hardware, Michael Hicks shows what makes this music tick and what made it unique in its time."

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Crying Out Loud: Life in a Sixties Rock Band

by Sean Hutchinson [John Daniel 5/88]

"As '60s rock bands go, Far Cry was fairly obscurea lot of one-nighters and bar jobs, a record that flopped, a gig at New York's Fillmore East that was 'a debacle.' Certainly no one has been waiting for the group's story to be told (except, perhaps, in Syracuse, where Far Cry was 'quite popular'). But that doesn't stop bass player Hutchinson, who covers all the bases (sex, drugs and draft-dodging) in this recollection of the group's two years together. With his bland style and lack of insights, the Tufts University dropout has produced a boring book about a crazy era. Of an LSD trip, he writes, 'It was then that I suddenly got a vivid sense of the massive arrogance of automobiles.' He describes the various band members' sexual relationships with a groupie named Ruthie as 'extraordinarily pleasant,' devoid of 'jealousy or rancor.' An underlying problem with this memoir, in Hutchinson's words, is that 'beneath it all, Far Cry was quite normal, and we were neither warped nor wealthy enough to have the carnal tastes of real jaded show biz kids'."

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The Magic Land : South American Beat, Psychedelic & Progressive Rock 1966-1977, Argentina-Uruguay

by Marcelo Camerlo [Art Books Intl 6/99]

"As a huge fan of South American rock, as well as music of all Latin cultures, this book for me is truly indispensable. Maybe if there were any others like it, there would be stiff competition, but as far a I know, there ain't. A friend of mine had a copy which I xeroxed because I could not locate it before I went to Argentina last year. Of course, once in Argentina I encountered books like it, but only written in castellano (Argentine Spanish). I needed it to help guide me through locating high-quality, relevant discs, vinyl and therwise of Rock Nacional, or classic Argentine Rock of the 60's and 70's. it is sad that all of this music is not available here in the U.S., but hey, I'd love to be proven wrong. The rewards are great for any rock fan with an open mind. This book is brilliant in its originality, economy and general opinions on the music by the author, for as a music fan I had to agree with many suggestions he had of must-haves for collectors of this freaky, melodic stuff. Believe me, there's more where the music discussed in this book came from."

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Shakin' All Over: Die Beatmusik in Deutschland 1963-1967 (Germany only)

by Hans-Jurgen Klitsch [Fantasy Prod. 10/01, 488pp.]

"Beat music in Germany -- was there ever such a thing? Well, the author of this massive tome certainly does not fail to make his point that, indeed, there was. In Part One, Klitsch recaptures the zeitgeist in 29 anecdotal chapters, dealing with subjects like Hamburg's Star-Club, the music press of the time, beat festivals and many more, thus creating an exquisite sense of deja vu for everyone old enough to remember the times first-hand, and painting a vivid picture for everyone else. The remaining 350 pages of the book is an encyclopedic overview of the German beat band scene of the years in question, broken down into regional chapters and featuring a wealth of information on locally or nationally known beat combos or solo artists, with band bios, set lists, tour reports, record contract details and reminiscences of many of the artists involved. With many footnotes and the compehensive index."

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Dreams, Fantasies and Nightmares From Faraway Lands : Canadian, Australasian & Latin American Rock & Pop 1963-1975 (UK only)

by Vernon Joynson [England, Borderline 2/00]

"Covers rock, pop, beat, folk, folk-rock, blues-rock, psychedelia, flower-pop, garage, progressive rock and more from Canada and Australasia. It also provides a general introduction to Latin American beat, psychedelia, garage and progressive rock. Each section includes an A-Z listing of the artistes with discography's and personnel details are also included. It contains over 2600 entries. Profusely illustrated including 12 pages of colour. 476pp"

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Fuzz, Acid and Flowers (UK only)

by Vernon Joynson [England, Borderline 8/93, 402/570pp.]

"Incomplete but valiant encyclopedic attempt to index all obscure '60s garage & psych bands of the US, with discographies, bios, photos, etc."

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Tapestry of Delights (UK only)

by Vernon Joynson [England, Borderline 7/98, 700pp.]

"An encyclopaedic guide to British music of the beat, R&B, psychedelic and progressive, 1963 -1976. It includes an A-Z listing of the artists with bibliographies, personnel details and, for most entries, histories and comment on the music. Brand new update with the orig 600 page text plus a new 100 page section containing around 1,000 new entries, lots of illustrations. 700 pages"

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Scented Gardens of the Mind (UK only)

by Dag Erik Asbjornsen [England, Borderline, 552pp.]

"Latest release of the Borderline series. Subtitled A Guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock (1968-1980), this is the fourth in a row after Fuzz Acid & Flowers, Tapestry of Delights and Cosmic Dreams at Play. This superb book provides a comprehensive guide to progressive and psychedelic rock in more than 20 European countries. It perfectly complements all the above publications. Most entries contain personal details and discographies and a description of the music. With 552 A4 pages, the book is profusely illustrated, with a color section in the center. There is no similar English language encyclopaedic guide to the music of all these countries, so it is a must-have for all collectors of European psychedelic and progressive music."

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Wild Things They Don't Tell Us (UK only)

by Reg Presley [Metro 8/03, 288pp.]

"Reg Presley has encountered many things in his life - as the lead singer of The Troggs he has lived the life of a rock star to the full - but nothing he encountered on the road is as strange as the extraterrestrial forces he believes permeate the world in which we live. His notions may seem incredible, but reading this book, you might just find yourself wondering if the faceless authorities who control our lives are letting us know everything - or if there really are wild things they don't tell us."

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Rock's Wild Things : The Troggs Files

by Alan Clayson, Jacqueline Ryan [Helter Skelter 4/00, 11/00, 187pp.]

Bomp comment: Clayton is a respected fan and music historian, and he tales the Troggs' primal tale in a straightforward manner; Ryan, head of the group's UK fanclub, provides an annotated discography.

Mod Related

The Lamberts (UK only)

by Andrew Motion [Faber & Faber 8/95, 399pp.]

"A story of three generations destroyed by drink, drugs and bohemian life. George Lambert served as a war artist in Palestine and Gallipoli, and became Australia's leading painter. His son Constant founded the Sadlers Wells ballet, and Kit Lambert managed the pop group, The Who, and was murdered."

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Everyone's Gone to the Moon

by Philip Norman [Random House 4/96, 437pp.]

"Set in London during the Pop heyday of the 1960s, Everyone's Gone to the Moon gives us Louis Brennan, a naive but talented young reporter who has been recruited from a small-time daily to work for The Sunday Dispatch, London's most prestigious weekend newspaper. The job lands him smack in the middle of many of the mod era's golden moments, including recording sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the Rolling Stones' notorious drug bust."

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Subculture: The Meaning of Style

by Dick Hebdige [Methuen 1979, 1981; Routledge 1979, 3/81, 1991, 200pp.]

"Hebdige broadens his writing. This volume is concerned with the UK's postwar, music-centred, white working-class subcultures, moving from teddy boys to mods and rockers to skinheads to punks."

"From mods to rastafarians this books covers the history and social significance of them all. Although heavy at the start the book levels out at a nice factual tempo providing meaning to every subculture youth movent interlinking them and weaving them with the music scene. There are a few gaps, perhaps due to lack of knowledge, which I believe are significant but have been left out. Worth a read if you are intrested in fasion, youth, sociological research or music."

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Style Of The Mods

by Dick Hebdige [Univ. of Birmingham 4/74, 14pp.]

"An academic look at youth and fashion in the 60s. One review described it as a "....piece of coursework done by a student in the 70s. it isn`t a good book if you`re just getting into the scene. if you are already quite knowledgeable it is well worth obtaining."

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Ready, Steady, Go: The Smashing Rise and Giddy Fall of Swinging London

by Shawn Levy [New York, Doubleday 7/02; Broadway 7/03, 336pp.]

"The 1960s in Swinging London brought about a sudden a wave of bob cuts, mod struts, pink-shirted blokes and Scotch-and-cokes. Had it not happened, 'nothing nothing of the modern world we share could have been the way it is,' writes Levy. Sure, the American journalist/film critic admits, there were youthquakes at other points and in other cities, but this was 'a cultural paradigm' that erased the classes and embraced freedom of expression, exploration and entertainment. The book, which lifts its title from the era's what's-hot-now! TV hit, spotlights the places and the faces who made dowdy London fabulous: The Snapper, photographer David Bailey, credited as first on the scene; The Crimper, hair liberator Vidal Sassoon; The Draper, Mary Quant, a fearless clothes designer; The Loner, Brian Epstein, who found his calling and when he found the Beatles. 'For a few years, the most amazing thing in the world was to be British, creative and young.' In three main sections structured loosely around the decade's rise, saturation and dark demise, Levy deftly correlates its many moods with such markers as the latest Beatles album, nightclub or drug first it was booze, then amphetamines, pot, LSD, heroin. An invigorating book, it's packed with can't-miss material on the skirt-chasing escapades of actor flatmates Terence Stamp and Michael Caine; the acid party that jailed two Stones and one famous art dealer; the reaction of London musicians to the coming of the "prophet of their downfall," Jimi Hendrix from the States. Levy has gleaned his insights from interviews and from books, but the book reads as if he'd lived the era himself."

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London In the Sixties

by George Perry (ed.) [Pavilion 1/03, 96pp.]

"A cutting edge series of books on cult cities London, Paris, New York and San Francisco, captures the key moments of the sixties through key images, accompanied by a succinct narrative by film critic George Perry. With the passing of the twentieth century into history, the 1960s can be confirmed as one of its most crucial decades, an era of unprecedented social and cultural revolution. Across the world, barriers collapsed, new freedoms were claimed and an explosion of creative energy electrified the arts, fashion, politics and general lifestyles, often with accompanying anguish. Certain world cities - London, Paris, New York and San Francisco - were, in their very different ways, at the vanguard of this global ferment. The series of books reveals the arts, fashions, passions, people and events in each of these cities during this extraordinary era, by means of candid, striking images by contemporary photographers. The selection has been made with the advantage of hindsight, and offers both insights and surprises. London in the Sixties includes the famous - Mick Jagger, Terence Stamp, Michael Caine - and the beautiful - Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy and Marianne Faithfull. Seminal moments are captured of Swinging London to give a thrilling taste of how it was to live in this exciting decade."

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The 60s : Mods & Hippies

by Kitty Powe-Temperley [Gareth Stevens 1/00, 32pp.]

"Part of a series which charts the evolution of fashion from the Edwardian tea-gown to Lycra sportswear, this book looks at the 1960s period. It contains eight looks, information about advances in design and technology, theme spreads, and an illustrated glossary."

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Groovy Bob : The Life and Times of Robert Fraser

by Harriet Vyner [Faber & Faber 5/01. 336pp.]

"The first authorized biography of one of 1960s London's most influential trendsetters. Arrested for possession of drugs with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in the infamous 1967 Redlands bust, Robert Fraser embodied many of the elements that made up Swinging London in the 1960s: pop music, fashion, drugs, art, and cinema. Yet he was himself a curious representative of his culture. An Eton-educated, former Kings African Rifles officer, and the son of a highly successful banker, Fraser was a promiscuous homosexual who avoided the gay scene. He was also a trendsetter, a hedonist, and a lousy businessman, whose artists -- including Peter Blake, Bridget Riley, Richard Hamilton, Jim Dine, Andy Warhol, and Ed Ruscha -- adored him. By the time of his death from complications due to AIDS in 1986, he had become an almost forgotten figure, his sixties vision out of tune with the conservatism of the eighties. In this new biography, the first to have the complete co-operation of Fraser's family and friends, Harriet Vyner has recreated not only an extraordinary figure, but also a compelling and colorful era. Told through the voices of those who knew Fraser best -- Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Kenneth Anger, Dennis Hopper, and many others -- Groovy Bob is both a fascinating biography and a portrait of the most exhilarating period in postwar British social history."

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Swingin' Chicks of the 60's

by Chris Strodder [Cedco 10/00, 204pp.]

"An affectionate tribute to the women who waged a cultural revolution, this book offers photos, profiles, and little-known details of the lives of 101 defining divas of the decade. Twiggy, Annette Funicello, Ann-Margret, Diana Rigg, Patty Duke, Janis Joplin, Mia Farrow, Marianne Faithfull, Cher, Jane Fonda, Edie Sedgwick, plus ninety more!"

"Chris Strodder's Swingin' Chicks of the 60's is a well-researched, fact-filled and very humourous trip down memory lane. Even if you don't remember the 60's or know all 101 of the girls, this book is for you. Strodder gives the 60's lowdown on the careers and lives of these women but also fully chronicles their lives from their early beginnings to what they are doing today. Many of these swingin' chicks have lived the 60's ideal that one person can indeed change the world for the better: Julie Newmar's political activism, Chris Noel's lifelong commitment to Vietnam Vets, Mary Tyler Moore's tireless work for the Diabetes Foundation, Tina Louise's school literacy programs and Cathy Rigby's involvement with the Special Olympics. This lively, informative book has chapters which include Beach Girls, Bond Beauties, Elvis Girls, Movie Stars of America, Britain and International, Songbird, TV Stars and even Cartoon Cuties. The book is a large-format trade paperback with colorful graphics which capture the 60's look and the text is enhanced with over 300 photos. This book is a must-read for everyone!"

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The Mini-Mod Sixties Book

by Samantha Bleikorn [San Francisco, Last Gasp 12/02, 144pp.]

"The 1960s was a revolutionary time not only in action and spirit but also in fashion. Filled with color photos, this book looks at 1960s youth culture through the hippest clothes of the day. Author Samantha Bleikorn covers everything from Day-Glo to daisies, with special emphasis on the miniskirt and go-go boots. Top models and actresses, from Twiggy to Stefanie Powers, display the most outrageous styles of the time."

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All Dressed Up (UK only)

by Jonathan Green [Jonathan Cape 1998; Pimlico 8/99, 496pp.]

"More of an overview of 60s culture. It begins with the "teenager", then Teds, Beats and CND, ending with the Oz trial, the women's movement and gay politics. Comprehensive, detailed, often hilarious, this will be the definitive account of the sixties in Britain, challenging the myths fostered by those who were there and enlightening those who were not."

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Sawdust Caesar

by Howard Baker [Mainstream 1/99, 223pp.]

"While there has been a fair amount of pulp fiction about the skinhead subculture (most notably Richard Allen's Joe Hawkins series in the early to mid-'70s), the mod subculture has mostly been absent in fiction. Baker looks to fill that gap with this novel of one early mod's exploits in and observations of 'the scene.' Apparently drawing largely on his own background as an early mod, Baker seeks to set the record straight through the character of Tommy. He firmly paints the movement as arising from working class kids who didn't want to buy into the existing social system. So, while there's plenty of detail on clothes, haircuts and the like, there's also quite a bit of social commentary-and as with any good pulp fiction, plenty of violence, drugs, and sex and sometimes all three at once. Baker's mods are violent, nasty, and always on the prowl. Tommy's definitely a scene snob of the 'old-school' variety, as he sneers at the middle-class mods who appear in greater and greater numbers. Indeed in fall 1963, 'The Who began to promote themselves as mod icons and we knew it was time to move on' and the Hastings 'riots' in August 1964 are described as 'the death' of mod. While much of the book's initial action has to do with early mod vs. rocker bank holiday battles, as Tommy starts to distance himself more from the scene, he gets involved in organized crime. The book then becomes something slightly different-portrait of the mod as a young criminal (actually as this point he's turned into a 'smoothie'). Things get heavier and heavier until Tommy is forced to make a choice. His adventures continue in Enlightenment and the Death of Michael Mouse, which I have not read."

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Teenybopper Idol (UK only)

by Richard Allen [1973; STP 1996]

"From London to Los Angeles, from Berlin to Paris, student riots are becoming more militant. In DEMO, the threat of a young people's uprising grows more real every day! Meanwhile, Bobby Sharp is the newest star in a growth of youthful worship. His records sell in their millions thanks to his manager who knows exactly how to manipulate the teeny-boppers. But not even Steve Morash can stop Johnny Holland in Teenybopper Idol. But Johnny Holland's rapid rise to fame made him enemies in the music business, and in Glam an the conflict finally erupts at the largest pop festival of the year!"

Bomp note: according to Jon Savage, this book was the source of the phrase "The Boy Looked at Johnny."

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Lambretta Innocenti : An Illustrated History

by Nigel Cox [Haynes 2/97, 96pp.]

"Nigel Cox is the premier Lambretta enthusiast of England. He owns a wonderful museum that includes every model of Lambretta ever made. HE IS THE AUTHORITY on the LAMBRETTA. This book covers Lambrettas from A to Z on everything from literature, sales brochures, advertising---heck everything. Go out and buy this book!"

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Scooter Boys

by Gareth Brown [Olmstead 7/01, 128pp.]

"Dead cool, if you're into sharp suits, shades and Wuadrophenia: this mostly pictorial document of the rise, fall and rise again of the humble Lambrette and Vespa scooter -- and the associated scenes which centered around this eminently impractical machine -- is written from the enviable perspective of an . Years of observation have clearly gone into this portrait of the original '60s movement, its spread until the early '80s and Britpop's adoption of the 'italian skateboard' in the mid-'90s. Although Brown has attempted to embrace the whole of scooter culture in this slim tome, he can only be partially successful due to the enormity of the scenes he needs to address. But he paints an appealing sketch nonetheless, and in any case it's the pictures which draw the reader in, especially the South Coast shots and the candid (and earthy) festival and rally scenes." --Joel McIver, Record Collector

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Vespa : An Illustrated History

by Eric Brockway [Haynes 5/99, 96pp.]

"This really is a great book with wonderful pictures. The title is however misleading in terms that it is in no way a definitive history of Vespa. It is however a very valuable resource on the Vespa in the UK and Douglas motorcycles. If you already have an interest and other resources on the Vespa history at large, and a passing interest in the socio-economic conditions in the UK in relation to the rise and fall of British motorcycle companies (a stretch, but I certainly do), the book is a must have. Some time is spent on the earlier Vespa clubs in the late 40s and early 50s, as well as detailed information on UK-only modifications and offerings well into the 1960s. Several pictures offer insight into Vespa production facilities and methods."

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How to Restore and Maintain Your Vespa Motorscooter

by Bob Darnell, Bob Golfen [Motorbooks Int'l 1/00, 160pp.]

"I am currently restoring my 1970 Rally 180 and this book has been a priceless resource. I am somewhat handy with tools but don't know all that much about engines and all that. This book helped me with everything I was unsure of. It contains just about everything you need to know in easy to read steps. In addition to the restoration section it also give tips for maintaining your scoot. Also, it has a nice little history of Piaggio and the Vespa motorscooter. This book is necassary for anyone who is restoring a Vespa. Especially if you are not as mechanically handy as you would like to be like me. The only downside to this book (and it really isn't a downside) is that everything is generalized for either large frame or small frame bikes. It doesn't really get into individual models very much. This isn't that big of a deal since they are all very similar. Just combine this book with the Haynes Manual for your bike and you are good to go."

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Scooterama : Cafe Chic and Urban Cool

by Alistair Walker, Steve Berry [Motorbooks Int'l 8/99, 128pp.]

"This book gives a quite good history of those beautiful little hair-drying machines that are scooters. It is filled with pictures of the old and the new (an advancement technologically, not stylistically...)and offers information about all the greats including Vespa, Piaggio and Lambretta and some newer brands to the scooter market. The only downside is the small amount of text, but mechanics buffs will be delighted the amount of detail it does contain. I myself didn't really mind, but it would've been nicer if there was more. A good one for the enthusiast."

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Scooters

by Michael Dregni, et al [Motorbooks Int'l 12/95, 96pp.]

"Just when I thought nothing could top the Dregni's earlier book (Illustrated MotorScooter Buyer's Guide), they have come up with another masterpiece with their new book. In Scooters! the authors trace the history and development of the scooter and make an ambitious attempt to show the effect of the scooter on society and popular culture. The book boldy attempts a full tour de force of the wonderful world of scooters and scootering.... Visually, the book is dazzling. Drawing from archival photos, advertisements, and brochures, many long forgotten or unknown images appear for the first time. Like the text, the photographs are often whimsical and attempt to cover the full panorama of scootering....If you are looking for a book to introduce a friend to the joys and romance of scootering, this is definitely the book. Quite possible, it is the best scootering book of all time." --John Gerber, American Scooterist magazine, Autumn 1996

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Vespa : From Italy With Love

by Stefano Biancalana [Geirgio NADA Editore 11/00]

"Especially LOTS of great colour photos, including ones of various models with some specifications (up to modern models), and extracts from vintage Vespa calendars and advertising as well as photos of muddy messy scooter scrambling! The text is also very interesting and gives a history of the development of the Vespa scooter. The only thing I did not like about it was the use of American spelling (it's an Italian book), but I coped with that. I think anyone who has a Vespa should own this book."

Mod

Before I Get Old : The Story of the Who

by Dave Marsh [St. Martin's 10/83, 546pp.]

"It seems to me that if you pick up a rock bio and expect to get something even close to the reality of what really went on, you are setting yourself up for a hard fall. Dave Marsh does a really good job, however, at summing up the Who's career and belting out the facts with nice writing and concise direction. You're given behind the scenes looks at a lot of infighting, songs, albums, lives and careers and it all gels rather well together. Marsh definitely has his opinions and is not hesitant in letting loose with them. I say good. Rock journalism is not the place for objectivity, just as rock n' roll is the essential forum to spill out everything you ever thought about everything. He has his biases and likes and it's nice to see because from that you understand that you are reading a Who fan's bio of the band. A much more well-informed fan than most, but basically, a fan.

"The downside is also an upside: almost all the quotes and personal asides in the book are taken from other interviews or films or whatnot, but that's also an upside. You get a collage view of the Who from their early days of snotty-punk-rock and their later days of fried-out elegance. Pound for pound, in my book, the Who were the best band to come from the whole British invasion. And this book is as good a companion piece to the music as you're apt to find.

"Some great stuff in here about Shel Talmy, Kit Lambert, Radio Caroline, Reaction/Track Records, and a good section about Mod culture (essential reading for those outside the UK... Mod was more than just wearing a bulls-eye T-shirt). The book ends after Keith Moon dies, and the first "final tour", so if you were looking for more recent Who history, it's not in here. Still, it's a decent read if you can stomach Dave Marsh."

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This is a Modern Life: The 1980s London Mod Scene, Mod Chronicles Vol. 1 (UK only)

by Enamel Verguren [Helter Skelter 5/04, 224pp.]

"This is a Modern Life is the first in-depth history of the mod revival that was sparked off by the 1979 release of the movie Quadrophenia. It features interviews with many of the key faces in the 80s mod scene, as well as fliers, posters, record sleeves and some absolutely classic photos. As Jim Watson writes in one of the introductions - This is a very tasty collection of good reading matter for you to vide. Featured in this programme are step by step the Mod revival of '79, the dangers associated with the Mod life, the clubs, the pubs where we all have spent our youth, the Bank holiday runs, and their clashes, to the Stylists of the mid-80's and their obsession to detail."

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Soul Stylists

by Paolo Hewittt, Paul Weller (Introd.) [Trafalgar Square 3/01]

"This is a celebration of Britain's enduring youth cult, the Mods. Including personal testimonies from both well-known and unknown contributors, it attempts to trace the link between the two key elements of modernism - American rhythm and blues and British working-class fashion. It follows the transition of musical styles from London in the late 1950s, with the black American servicemen and their love for bebop, and from the sharply-dressed Mods of the early 1960s to the dawning of the skinhead and suedehead movement which provided the musical and stylistic inspirations for 1980s bands such as Madness, the Beat and the Specials. The book discusses such diverse characters as Pete Townshend, David Bowie and Ray Davies, as well as club owners, tailors and shop owners, in an analysis of the changing trends. The work also explores Britain's northern soul scene, which saw thousands of youngsters in the North of England dedicate their lives to buying the most obscure American soul records. It claims that the Mods live on still, with many hip-hop disciples sporting the Tommy Hilfiger look of the early jazz modernists."

"The concept behind this book is very simple. The 'author' writes a short paragraph to make a point then supports it with a series of quotations from people he has dubbed 'The Soul Stylists'. These 'stylists' are in the main successful upper-middle class folk who have escaped their working class roots and comment on their more youthful times as cult members of one or other 'Mod' fashion. These people range from record producers, to magazine editors, to successful writers and lawyers. What they all have in common is the fact that they at one time belonged to one of the youth cults which embraced Black American Music. Paulo Hewitt's main thrust is that all this cults, Seudeheads, skinheads, smoothies, soulboys etc are not only united in their love of soul music, but are also just different manifestations of the same original 'Mod' culture."

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The Story of Mod: A Very British Phenomenon

by Terry Rawlings [Omnibus 10/00, 360pp.]

"Mod defined an era and created a lasting impression on the world of fashion. This book presents a richly illustrated celebration of all things Mod; from the suits and the scooters, to the music, movies, riots and revivals."

"Why read The Story of Mod? What possible relevance and interest does Rawlings' well written and fascinating history of a scene begun in London in the early 1960's hold for today? For an answer we should return to the Summer of 1979; out of the nihilism of post-punk England there arose a revival of a 1960's Youth Culture phenomenon called "Mod" . Bands such as the Jam typified this rebirth with a heavy emphasis on their musical antecedants the Who, The Small Faces and The Kinks. Alongside this revival was a renewed interest in motor scooters and ska music. A variety of tangentially related fashions coalesced in the US and made Mod the Thinking Man's Answer to the increasing uniformity of Punk Rock and Rockabilly. Flash forward 20 years and we have the corporate pre-fab "rebellion" of Blink 182, Greenday and sundry other well scrubbed (but tatooed) "punkers", What of Mod? Well, the parkas may be missing but the echoes are CLEAR in the music and style of such genuinely diverse pop music giants Oasis, No Doubt, Pulp, Blur, The Verve , and The Shazam (from, of all places Tennesee). Mod is the ONLY authentic, non "corporate", grass roots youth culture dynamic going today. The book chronicles the uniquely British birth and transmogrification of the fashion from its birth in postwar England to the potent and creative force that it is today. Any student of youth culture and British pop music will find the book invaluable."

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The Sharper Word: A Mod Reader

by Paolo Hewitt (ed.) [Interlink 3/00, 224pp.]

"Paolo Hewitt, celebrated rock journalist and biographer of Oasis, The Jam and The Small Faces, has collected some of the best writings ever on mod: the music, the fashions, and the entire way of life. As well as new essays from Hewitt, The Sharper Word rediscovers impossible to find writing by Tom Wolfe, Mary Quant, Tony Parsons and Nik Cohn. Going beyond the surface cliches, Hewitt's hugely readable collection fully documents one of the most misunderstood cultural movements of the post-war era.

"One of the finest books I have read in a long time, a very sharp look at the mod culture of which I was one, this book took me back to a time I had enjoyed and lived, I would recomend this book to any one who has followed the mod culture through all its rebirths over the last 40 years. If I had any critisism it would be a lack of photographs but this doesnt detract from the content of the book I have read it three times now, the first reading was accomplished in one sitting I could not put the book down."

Bomp note: This book is devoted to the original '60s mod movement; you won't find Paul Weller or Quadrophenia here.

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Empire Made: The Handy Pocket Guide to All Things Mod

Keith Badman, Terry Rawlings [Cherry Red 8/97, 150pp.]

"A highly illustrated pocket sized guide to everything Mod. The people, the faces, the records, the pop-stars, television programs and even scooters."

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From Somewhere Out of Here (UK only)

by S G Grey, M D Sandon [Walsall Local History Centre 2/97, 240pp.]

"This is a superb read for anyone interested in Mod culture. Well written, and very precise (just what you'd expect from a Mod really) it traces the rise of the Mod movement in the West Midlands very well. My only complaint is that it is a bit snobbish at times."

"An excellent companion to Generation X, this is an historical account of the Birmingham Mod Scene from 1978 to 1988, and is a "must read" for anyone looking into the real heritage of today`s scene."

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Mods!

by Richard Barnes [London, Eel Pie 1979; Plexus 9/94, 128pp.]

"This book has become the acknowledged starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about the 1960's Mod youth movement. The book is filled with photographs and articles from the time. Thoroughly recommended for Mods or anyone wishing to find out about this most important of subcultures."

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The Complete Guide to the Music of Paul Weller and The Jam (UK only)

by John Reed [Omnibus 3/99, 128pp.]

"This handy cd sized book has everything you need to know about all theJam, Style Council and Paul Weller releases up to Heavy Soul. It's ideal to dip into as you're listening to your collection, giving snappy little anedotes on each release. It also has essential information on the rarer releases, guest appearances and b-sides of singles, in fact it's all here. Included too is all the original artwork, in fact I'd go as far as to say that this books entries make ideal sleeve notes. A must for all serious Weller collectors."

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Paul Weller : The Unauthorised Biography

by Steve Malins [London Bridge, 5/97, 256pp.]

"The life of one of the greatest singer/songwriter/guitarists from the music scene of the late '70s until now is documented greatly in this book. It deals with his earlists influences, his first (and so I think, his best) group The Jam, to the laid back cappuccino and white overcoat times of The Style Council, to the rough guitar driven solo work. It talks to the people around him, his friends, his fans, people who didn't like him and even the man himself. Its a great book because it captures all aspects of him and all his poetic/rock genius."

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Paul Weller: My Ever Changing Moods

by John Reed [Omnibus 11/96, 392pp.]

"From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down again (which was hard because it's really heavy). It's packed with more detail than an encyclopedia and is an absolute must for any Weller fan. Reed's writing talents are clear and focused, his use of descriptive imagery immaculate and the research that went into this book is exemplary. Though Weller doesn't talk directly to the author, the book is incredibly well written and includes hundreds of quotes here from friends, family and the Modfather himself to enrich and complement Reed's excellent biography 287 pages chronicling his entire life from childhood to the present. Features tons of info on the Jam and also over 20 pages of photos."

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