Rating: 
Summary: Snah....
Review: Not a bad book. The topic is interesting. I missed the main hardcore scene by a couple of years, but I still find the music fascinating. Personally I do not find it "punk" or "Hardcore" to have such lousy editing though...A bit of detachment from the whole scene, at least when writing about it, would have also served the author very well.Overall I would recommend the book, the pictures alone are very cool. The stories are interesting. I had no idea that there was so much fighting!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Worthwhile Read
Review: Others have ripped the editing of this book and I'd have to agree. However, the poor editing does give the book a certain raw charm. Overall, i found the book to be very informative and I often find myself going back to the book to look up this or that fact. I've found it very helpful as a new fan of this music. In particular, the american hardcore discography at the end of the book is quite useful. One other thing that blows about this book is the lack of an index. Having said all that though, the bottom line is I haven't found anything else on the market that even compares to what Mr. Blush has put out. Thanks for putting this together! It's really quite impressive and definitely worth every penny.
Rating: 
Summary: I really just want to light my copy on fire!!!!
Review: Steven Blush is an idiot. This book could have been excellent. The quotes, pictures, and information are amazing, but it seems that anything he writes makes the book suck. His musical analysis of Harcore is worthless. He obvioulsy has no musical knowledge. His language is irritating to say the least. I would like to see something more formal and serious. Not 300 pages of his opinions on hardcore. Sorry to be so critical, but it had to be done. It is good to see that people are starting to write more on early hardcore because it was extremly influential and there has yet to be a scene that matches it.
Anyway. Do not buy this book. If you are truly intrested in hardcore punk look into it further and buy something like "Banned in DC". Avoid this!!!!
Rating:
Summary: I really just want to light my copy on fire!!!!
Review: Steven Blush is an idiot. This book could have been excellent. The quotes, pictures, and information are amazing, but it seems that anything he writes makes the book suck. His musical analysis of Harcore is worthless. He obvioulsy has no musical knowledge. His language is irritating to say the least. I would like to see something more formal and serious. Not 300 pages of his opinions on hardcore. Sorry to be so critical, but it had to be done. It is good to see that people are starting to write more on early hardcore because it was extremly influential and there has yet to be a scene that matches it.
Anyway. Do not buy this book. If you are truly intrested in hardcore punk look into it further and buy something like "Banned in DC". Avoid this!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Steven Blush is a Barn
Review: The author is a complete barnacle. When he's not interviewing notorious self-aggrandizing liars (at least from the NYHC scene), he's worming his way into the history of a scene with which he had a marginal relationship, at best. I can just see this dweeb going through the stacks of flyers he's kept in his room at his parents' house all these years from shows he was probably too scared to actually go to or went to but never left the safety of the corners. Assuming the people he "interviewed" weren't as big liars as the guys from NYC, there are some interesting facts and anecdotes. Still, he's so annoying the book is difficult to get through.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Book
Review: This book fills in a lot of unanswered history & questions of that era, one of the few references of how a lot of these bands started & ended with the stories behind some of the songs and much other stuff. Really like the semi interview format of how musicians & other key figures tell it in their own words rather than rumors and second-hand information. It was really great to see chapters on scenes between the two coasts like Texas, Detroit, Phoenix and others. Perhaps not a complete documentation on the smaller scenes, but not bad coverage either. He wrote mostly about the larger well-known bands and notorious tales of the smaller cities, guess it makes sense otherwise readers will go 'Who, what? Never heard of it??' After reading the book, I suddenly realized that we were a bunch of unstable social outcasts back then, to me it was pretty normal and entertaining. Today if one of my children attempted to go 'old school hardcore' I'd do anything to turn them toward another direction. Highly recommend, it's great to see a book documenting a piece of ugly history that is rarely written about.
Rating:
Summary: Old hc at its finest
Review: This book is amazing, yes at times the writing is pretentious, biased and sexist, but on the whole this book opens may peoples eyes to things they never even knew happened. It also gives kids (such as myself) involved in todays hardcore scene to see what thier idols and influences went through, it forms a perfect base for comparison. now all we need is a book about the scene right now.
Rating:
Summary: american hardcore hits hard
Review: this book is great. From the front cover to the last page it is packed with the stories and history of the american hardcore movement from 80-86. using interviews from many of the integral members of that scene this book hits hard with its facts. the only real problem with it is that doesnt delve deeply into the influnece of the earlier punk movement upon the american hardcore scene.
Rating:
Summary: Forget the glam. This is hardcore.
Review: This book is no ordinary account of mainstream musical history, and its layout successfully merges with the atypical nature of its content. American Hardcore describes, as its title suggests, the formation of a tribe. The book is written for an audience who is not unfamiliar with the material, who will appreciate the extensive number of interviews Blush has attained to make this book a collaborative commentary by people in the know. Each page offers different people's personal experiences and contains photographs taken at shows, pictures of the albums being discussed, and/or the original show flyers. Through these elements, anyone reading this book will feel like they're really experiencing the vibe of the hardcore scene as it existed now twenty years ago. As I say, it is clear that this book is intended for a particular audience. I can guarantee you that whether or not Jane Doe decides to stroll into Urban Outfitters and charge a purple Ramone's shirt to daddy's VISA, there is an extremely small chance that she will next hit Newbury Comics across the street and buy American Hardcore. The reason is, simply, that hardcore exists completely outside of the mainstream. The Ramones, Punks from New York, influenced the first hardcore band of the East Coast -- Bad Brains, because the Ramones were playing the fastest music out there at the time. But Bad Brains, and other early American hardcore bands, took the music to a different level than earlier punk bands had. First off, the movement was completely DIY, or do-it-yourself. There was no big band corporate promotion, no glossy record covers, or even magazine coverage for the kids who started the scene. (It ought to be here-noted that the kids who attempt to keep hardcore alive -- many Bostonians of whom do shop, and more often work, in Cambridge's Harvard Square -- are still busting their asses to promote their bands, make flyers, and put on shows in a completely DIY fashion.) Ian MacKaye contributes to Blush's coverage of Hardcore and DIY by saying:
"This was the first time Rock Music was being written by, performed by, shows being put on by, fanzines being put out by, networks being created - all by kids, completely outside of the mainstream music business, for reasons that had very little or nothing to do with economic incentive" (21).
The kids were in charge of all aspects of production, and it was definitely not about the money. Blush's detailed coverage of the way bands like Black Flag lived while touring - out of trash cans, clothed by thrift stores, sleeping in their van, intensifies the irony of a Ramones shirt sold for $16. There's nothing punk about that. Blush doesn't present a glittered-up version of what the scene was because the scene was anti-glitter. His prose is not poetic, and though occasionally amusing, it's a far cry from Nobel material. He certainly conveys a specific style however, and that is one of his successes. He swears, uses colloquialisms, and refers to bands and people in a familiar way that excludes readers who know nothing about the scene, while drawing in those who do. Blush's primary success of American Hardcore is his obvious wealth of connections. His ability to attain interviews from many of the influential musicians he writes about, as well as editors, artists, and music biz execs gives variety and substance to this historical account. Blush aptly weaves his own paragraphs of information with paragraphs contributed by the people he identifies. It is clear that Blush played a role in the scene's early years, and he sometimes discusses personal interactions with people, making his voice credible and commanding. American Hardcore begins with an introduction that may allure the average reader into thinking that this book will move slowly enough to take a person unfamiliar with the hardcore movement along the journey of its evolution. Blush begins by defining hardcore as the "suburban American response to the late-70's Punk revolution," noting that despite its connection to Punk, Hardcore is a tribe of its own. This definition comes after the foreword, in which Blush stakes his claim to the scene as a Hardcore show promoter, college-radio DJ, independent label owner, band manager, and tour coordinator who had a range of connections to the bands he goes on to discuss (9). Blush next makes some fundamental distinctions between Punk, New Wave, and Hardcore, by offering the reader-in-perusal some one-hit-wonder and stereotypical examples of each. But by the first musician contribution by Ian MacKay, discussing the Brit Punk band Sham 69, the casual reader has most likely lost interest. For anyone truly interested in the creation, evolution, life, growth, and death of hardcore, this book is a must-own. Blush covers important themes in relation to hardcore, such as Straight-Edge culture, fashion (or anti-fashion), skateboarding, police and political influence. He covers the emergence of hardcore on the West Coast, the East Coast, and centers in on specific bands and their touring experiences. Blush discusses Orange County CA, New York, Boston, Texas and other major hot spots, defining the elements of the hardcore movement that originated in each place. The details are extensive. The feeling is up-close and personal, as if these guys were sitting next to you on the train with one arm somewhat imposingly draped behind you, smelling like sweat and perhaps bleeding, telling you how it all went down. I was more than thankful that this book was not written in the style of a typical band autobiography, which may incorporate many perspectives, but often has a monotonous drone of chronology that makes it hard to read in its entirety. This book describes more than one band, in fact it mentions over a hundred, and though the specific dates and the who-preceded-what may be occasionally confusing, it is by no fault of the author. Steven Blush's cohesive working of interesting interviews has made this book a success.
A must read for anyone who is interested in the history of American Hardcore - the scene, the music, the tribe.
Rating:
Summary: Forget the glam. This is hardcore.
Review: This book is no ordinary account of mainstream musical history, and its layout successfully merges with the atypical nature of its content. American Hardcore describes, as its title suggests, the formation of a tribe. The book is written for an audience who is not unfamiliar with the material, who will appreciate the extensive number of interviews Blush has attained to make this book a collaborative commentary by people in the know. Each page offers different people's personal experiences and contains photographs taken at shows, pictures of the albums being discussed, and/or the original show flyers. Through these elements, anyone reading this book will feel like they're really experiencing the vibe of the hardcore scene as it existed now twenty years ago. As I say, it is clear that this book is intended for a particular audience. I can guarantee you that whether or not Jane Doe decides to stroll into Urban Outfitters and charge a purple Ramone's shirt to daddy's VISA, there is an extremely small chance that she will next hit Newbury Comics across the street and buy American Hardcore. The reason is, simply, that hardcore exists completely outside of the mainstream. The Ramones, Punks from New York, influenced the first hardcore band of the East Coast -- Bad Brains, because the Ramones were playing the fastest music out there at the time. But Bad Brains, and other early American hardcore bands, took the music to a different level than earlier punk bands had. First off, the movement was completely DIY, or do-it-yourself. There was no big band corporate promotion, no glossy record covers, or even magazine coverage for the kids who started the scene. (It ought to be here-noted that the kids who attempt to keep hardcore alive -- many Bostonians of whom do shop, and more often work, in Cambridge's Harvard Square -- are still busting their asses to promote their bands, make flyers, and put on shows in a completely DIY fashion.) Ian MacKaye contributes to Blush's coverage of Hardcore and DIY by saying:
"This was the first time Rock Music was being written by, performed by, shows being put on by, fanzines being put out by, networks being created - all by kids, completely outside of the mainstream music business, for reasons that had very little or nothing to do with economic incentive" (21).
The kids were in charge of all aspects of production, and it was definitely not about the money. Blush's detailed coverage of the way bands like Black Flag lived while touring - out of trash cans, clothed by thrift stores, sleeping in their van, intensifies the irony of a Ramones shirt sold for $16. There's nothing punk about that. Blush doesn't present a glittered-up version of what the scene was because the scene was anti-glitter. His prose is not poetic, and though occasionally amusing, it's a far cry from Nobel material. He certainly conveys a specific style however, and that is one of his successes. He swears, uses colloquialisms, and refers to bands and people in a familiar way that excludes readers who know nothing about the scene, while drawing in those who do. Blush's primary success of American Hardcore is his obvious wealth of connections. His ability to attain interviews from many of the influential musicians he writes about, as well as editors, artists, and music biz execs gives variety and substance to this historical account. Blush aptly weaves his own paragraphs of information with paragraphs contributed by the people he identifies. It is clear that Blush played a role in the scene's early years, and he sometimes discusses personal interactions with people, making his voice credible and commanding. American Hardcore begins with an introduction that may allure the average reader into thinking that this book will move slowly enough to take a person unfamiliar with the hardcore movement along the journey of its evolution. Blush begins by defining hardcore as the "suburban American response to the late-70's Punk revolution," noting that despite its connection to Punk, Hardcore is a tribe of its own. This definition comes after the foreword, in which Blush stakes his claim to the scene as a Hardcore show promoter, college-radio DJ, independent label owner, band manager, and tour coordinator who had a range of connections to the bands he goes on to discuss (9). Blush next makes some fundamental distinctions between Punk, New Wave, and Hardcore, by offering the reader-in-perusal some one-hit-wonder and stereotypical examples of each. But by the first musician contribution by Ian MacKay, discussing the Brit Punk band Sham 69, the casual reader has most likely lost interest. For anyone truly interested in the creation, evolution, life, growth, and death of hardcore, this book is a must-own. Blush covers important themes in relation to hardcore, such as Straight-Edge culture, fashion (or anti-fashion), skateboarding, police and political influence. He covers the emergence of hardcore on the West Coast, the East Coast, and centers in on specific bands and their touring experiences. Blush discusses Orange County CA, New York, Boston, Texas and other major hot spots, defining the elements of the hardcore movement that originated in each place. The details are extensive. The feeling is up-close and personal, as if these guys were sitting next to you on the train with one arm somewhat imposingly draped behind you, smelling like sweat and perhaps bleeding, telling you how it all went down. I was more than thankful that this book was not written in the style of a typical band autobiography, which may incorporate many perspectives, but often has a monotonous drone of chronology that makes it hard to read in its entirety. This book describes more than one band, in fact it mentions over a hundred, and though the specific dates and the who-preceded-what may be occasionally confusing, it is by no fault of the author. Steven Blush's cohesive working of interesting interviews has made this book a success.
A must read for anyone who is interested in the history of American Hardcore - the scene, the music, the tribe.
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