NW history being published this year

[hello_world]

Looks interesting:

http://www.amazon.com/Are-We-Not-New-Wa ... 472034707/

“Are We Not New Wave? is destined to become the definitive study of new wave music.”
—Mark Spicer, coeditor of Sounding Out Pop

I'm buying it!

[Jim2]

I was under the impression that this message board
was the ongoing definitive history of New Wave.

Can't see why the Hardcover retails for $70.00 (53.40
Amazon.com price) and the Softcover is $28.95 (18.09).
What do you get in the Hardcover to justify that price
jump.

[hello_world]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Jim2[/i]
<br>I was under the impression that this message board
was the ongoing definitive history of New Wave.
[/quote]

Nothing quite like sitting down in an armchair, flicking on a strong reading light, and flipping through a huge mass of catty forum posts.

[toyah]

MEOW!!

[oldnewwaver]

I enjoyed Simon Reynold's Rip It Up and Start Again which dealt on this subject in great detail on the various genres of the post punk era but had some glaring omissions on many bands
maybe this will be a nice compliment or book end to what has been written

[hello_world]

[quote][i]Originally posted by oldnewwaver[/i]
<br>I enjoyed Simon Reynold's Rip It Up and Start Again which dealt on this subject in great detail on the various genres of the post punk era but had some glaring omissions on many bands
maybe this will be a nice compliment or book end to what has been written
[/quote]

Thanks for reminding me of that one. I started it but for some reason didn't keep going. What I read I liked. I know what you mean about the omissions, though--I believe he had only one page on Gary Numan.

[hello_world]

My copy of "Are We Not New Wave?" showed up today. It's pretty interesting so far: a readable academic study rather than rock journalism. Can't wait to tuck into it tonight.

Check out my <a href="http://newwavecuts.wordpress.com/">new wave cut of the day</a>

[guyinsf]

So weird to see the Cars repeatedly mentioned as one of the hallmark new wave bands. I have never thought they were truly NW, maybe just a mainstream pop outfit with new wave influence.

[hello_world]

[quote][i]Originally posted by guyinsf[/i]
<br>So weird to see the Cars repeatedly mentioned as one of the hallmark new wave bands. I have never thought they were truly NW, maybe just a mainstream pop outfit with new wave influence.
[/quote]

I enjoyed the book, but found it ultimately disappointing. The author is an academic and writes like it. He inserts mini-essays on topics such as 'nervousness' as a cultural construct (gag). I was hoping for a good history of the genre, something more complete than "Rip It Up," but this book ain't it.

He did have a nice account about pre-MTV American new wave vs. British new wave. The Brits had Radio One, but the Americans had to score hits in the AOR or Top 40 stations or be sent off to die in college radio. New wave in America was sold by the record companies as a way to get kids to spend money on records again.

[anorak]

Mght have to grab a copy of this, if only to see a more American perspective to the UK one I have.

IS THAT THE TWELVE INCH MIX ? Out late 2010 www.robgrillo.co.uk

[deevo0]

[quote][i]Originally posted by anorak[/i]
<br>Mght have to grab a copy of this, if only to see a more American perspective to the UK one I have.

IS THAT THE TWELVE INCH MIX ? Out late 2010 www.robgrillo.co.uk
[/quote]

seems like Rip It Up is still the best. Trouser Press is cool, also. any other must-have NW books?

[rewind]

There was a topic from about a year ago covering NW books. Here's what I wrote then:

The Rock Yearbook, Volumes 1981 – 1989 (various editors) ---- British publications (but printed in the U.S.) Overflowing with artist profiles, tons of album reviews, chronologies, great photos and articles, these were hands down the most entertaining and informative books of the era. And since they were written from a UK point of view, 90% of the music covered was considered New Wave here in the U.S. All nine editions are available used on Amazon, priced reasonably.

The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave (Colin Larkin, ed.); The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Colin Larkin, ed.) ---- (Updates of the Guinness Who’s Who of Indie & New Wave and Eighties Music.) Good compendia of artist biographies, again, from a British viewpoint (so the Eighties Music volume includes a lot of pop but much of that was considered New Wave in the U.S.)

The Great Alternative & Indie Discography (Martin C. Strong, ed.); The Great Indie Discography (2nd Edition) (Martin C. Strong, ed.) ---- To quote the jacket: “Over 2000 groups/artists listed, complete discographies, expanded biographies and band histories, catalogue ordering numbers, UK and US chart positions.” Excellent resource but perhaps not as comprehensive as some people would like (covers many post-80’s artists.)

The Trouser Press Guide to New Wave Records (followed by the Trouser Press Record Guide, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Editions) (Ira Robbins, ed.) ---- Great capsule album reviews. Subsequent editions added and deleted some entries, so you kind of need them all! (There is also a 90’s edition, The Trouser Press Guide to 90’s Rock.)

The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop (Ian McFarlane, ed.) ---- Not limited to New Wave or the 80’s, but includes many bands that are.

The New Music (Stuart Coupe & Glenn A. Baker); The New Rock ‘N’ Roll (Updated Edition) (Stuart Coupe & Glenn A. Baker) ---- Australian publications from 1981 and 1983, respectively. Good artist bios – and not just UK or Australian artists – and some cool pictures, but really just cover the bigger names (although there are several obscurities).

The Music Master Record Catalogue (John Humphries) ---- Just what it says: a UK catalogue of every major release (available in several updates). Not limited to New Wave (it covers EVERYTHING) but a fantastic resource for catalogue numbers, album tracks, singles, b-sides, etc.

Punk Diary / Post Punk Diary (George Gimarc) ---- As stated by others, a great source.

International Discography of the New Wave, Volume 1982-83 (B. George & Martha DeFoe) ---- The bible. From the jacket: “The most extensive international compilation of Punk, New Wave, Futurist, Hard Core discographies ever assembled. The ultimate reference. Over 16,000 records. Over 7500 bands. Over 3000 small labels. Over 1300 fanzines.” Also over 1000 contacts and addresses, although almost all now outdated. At around 750 pages, this vintage compendium has passed my obscurity test almost every time. And to think, it was compiled pre-computer databases; entirely on index cards. Lots of artist/group cross-referencing too. The only downside: they never published a version after 1983. This book can go for several hundred dollars these days but I just saw a couple on Amazon in “good” condition for around $50. My advice: BUY IT NOW!

[deevo0]

[quote][i]Originally posted by rewind[/i]
<br>There was a topic from about a year ago covering NW books.

[/quote]

Man, some great recommendations here. thanks.

got one question, if you don't mind. Discographies and band bios are available on the web: allmusic, wikipedia, discogs, and so on. Are the books you cited still generally useful in the current information age? or are they mainly useful for obscure and forgotten bands? usually if I want to know a discography I just look at one of those sites. what i really want is a good new wave history, and the only ones i've found are Rip It Up and this new one. you have any recs for books like that? thanks

[q89747]

[quote][i]Originally posted by deevo0[/i]
got one question, if you don't mind. Discographies and band bios are available on the web: allmusic, wikipedia, discogs, and so on. Are the books you cited still generally useful in the current information age? or are they mainly useful for obscure and forgotten bands? usually if I want to know a discography I just look at one of those sites. what i really want is a good new wave history, and the only ones i've found are Rip It Up and this new one. you have any recs for books like that? thanks
[/quote]
I don't know about the NW book but for some punk rock history look no further than England's Dreaming. Excellent book. Wikipedia et al are nice for an overview but don't compare to reading a full-on book.

[toyah]

England's Dreaming is a great read(although biased against the N.Y. invaders,very U.K. favoring,and there's a great sequel "The England's Dreaming Tapes", interviews transcribed with the principals from the original book by Jon Savage)