England's Dreaming (edit title)

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Liked It Rated 4 stars “Had to read this book for my History of 20th Century Music class, actually I was the only one in class to even read to book but it was to their detriment because this book is completely fascinating about the rise of Punk Rock movement in England during the 1970s and how the music was a reflection...” see full review » see other reviews »

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  • Rated 4 stars

  “Had to read this book for my History of 20th Century Music class, actually I was the only one in class to even read to book but it was to their detriment because this book is completely fascinating about the rise of Punk Rock movement in England during the 1970s and how the music was a reflection of the economic bad times and conservative government of England at that time. Focses a lot on the Sex Pistols but also goes into details on other important bands such as the Clash and many more.
  
  Definitely recommend if you're a fan of the music or music in genre.”

  Dante The Platano Eater wrote this review Wednesday, November 19 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 5 stars

  “Great book, great insight into the formation of British (and American) punk music and culture tracing it back to its roots and showing some more depth to the Pistols than most American punk fans like to give them. A great follow up companion (though it's a bit lighter on substance as it tries to cover many more bands and musical styles) is Simon Reynolds "Rip It Up And Start Again" which chronicles music after punk's initial supernova shook the US/UK's underground music scenes.
  
  Worth it to push past the complicated and dense opening.”

  parson a wrote this review Tuesday, December 18 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 5 stars

  “The main meat of Englands Dreaming on is the formation through to the folding of the Sex Pistols. There is a fair whack dedicated to The Clash, other ‘76/’77 English punk acts (Slits, Buzzcocks), what was going on contemporaneously in the U.S. (CBGBs, Ramones, Television/Richard Hell), but for the sake of tired arguments this is more the story of the Sex Pistols than a book about punk. I love the story of the Sex Pistols, it’s the best story since the Nativity, and I’ve seen it interpreted even more times than the latter! This (plus The Filth And The Fury film) covers the sorry tale in the most pleasing way for me. So many still want to appropriate the Sex Pistols story for their own ends; a musical revolution, a celebration of style over substance, a negative example of style over substance, artistic/anti-artistic/situationist incendiary furore, etc. And though these are nodded to, this book delves more into how the people involved felt. Its quite unusual as a Pistols documentary in that it gets both Malcolm McLaren’s and John Lydon’s perspective. It is an entertaining, evocative book and one that I’ve read three times.
  
  Now, I’ll be the iconoclast: the book is better than their music!!
  ”

  Bimbo wrote this review Monday, June 18 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No