Post by Joe on Dec 12, 2009 23:45:02 GMT -5
Just finished reading Punk Rock and Trailer Parks by Derf. Not sure if it's the kind of "book" that is contemplated on this board, as it's a "graphic novel," which is a fancy term for a glorified comic book. In any event, I think this would be of interest to the folks here & it's something I highly recommend.
It's a fictional account of the punk rock scene in Akron, OH in 1980, based around a club that actually existed, The Bank, & some bands who actually played Akron at the time.
The main character is Otto aka the Baron. I swear I knew guys just like this during this same period! The Baron is considered a nerd everywhere except for at The Bank, where he's considered cool. The Baron is confident & comfortable in his geekiness, quotes Tolkien freely in his dialogue, & has a knack for communicating with & befriending punk musicians. He lives in a trailer park owned by his crazy Uncle Elmo, a former union organizer who stood up to the company strong-arm men back in the day & who drives a lawn mower coz his car was taken from him. The musicians are worked into the story, such as the scene where the Baron & Joe Strummer head over to the nearby Journey concert & puncture the tires of their tour bus.
This book is a hilarious & accurate depiction of the punk rock club scene at the time. It brought back great memories while also making me realize that the punk scene of the late '70's/early '80's is something that's highly unlikely to be repeated in my lifetime.
Warning--it is, uhhh, graphic, but if you're cool with that, this is a great book.
It's a fictional account of the punk rock scene in Akron, OH in 1980, based around a club that actually existed, The Bank, & some bands who actually played Akron at the time.
The main character is Otto aka the Baron. I swear I knew guys just like this during this same period! The Baron is considered a nerd everywhere except for at The Bank, where he's considered cool. The Baron is confident & comfortable in his geekiness, quotes Tolkien freely in his dialogue, & has a knack for communicating with & befriending punk musicians. He lives in a trailer park owned by his crazy Uncle Elmo, a former union organizer who stood up to the company strong-arm men back in the day & who drives a lawn mower coz his car was taken from him. The musicians are worked into the story, such as the scene where the Baron & Joe Strummer head over to the nearby Journey concert & puncture the tires of their tour bus.
This book is a hilarious & accurate depiction of the punk rock club scene at the time. It brought back great memories while also making me realize that the punk scene of the late '70's/early '80's is something that's highly unlikely to be repeated in my lifetime.
Warning--it is, uhhh, graphic, but if you're cool with that, this is a great book.
