David Ensminger

More like the English punk scene born of a boom to bust economy opposed to the majority of the American punks that felt a responsibility to fight back against Reagan, Capitalism and yuppie scum.

I think when most people think of Mid-Western punk, Hüsker Dü and any plethora of Chicago bands come to mind, but there was so much more. That's what this book showcases in a short 95 pages.

I feel their pain. Coming from Lancaster which is 1/1.5 hours from Philly, about the same from DC/Baltimore show more and about 3.5 hours from NYC...we're a small town with great bands and just kind of viewed as a small show venue on the way to another big gig. It's hard to find an identity(especially when the closest success was LIVE) but we're fiercely proud of OUR scene...and that was what spoke to me.

It was a great read exploring the ups and downs of a small town and their struggles and successes. show less

I skimmed this book, reading interviews with Dave Alvin, Richard Thompson, Alejandro Escovedo, and the Reverend Horton Heat. Interesting perspectives on the music business. (FYI - the book is about a decade old now.) Wasn't aware that Richard Thompson's albums are about different stages of English politics in the 20th century or about Escovedo's issues touring the south because he is Hispanic.