Book
delves into punk rock history
By Ryan Ritchie
On-line Forty-Niner
Mainstream
music fans think punk rock is Sid Vicious’
heroin overdose and the fact that he may
or may not have killed his girlfriend, Nancy
Spungen.
The
punk scene can blame journalists and historians
who just didn’t get it or simply weren’t
there when it happened for the many misconceptions
involving the bands and music.
Many
punks have taken the initiative to document
their memories and views by publishing their
own books. For example, “Please Kill Me”
by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain have proved
to be a starting point for those who want
to feel like they were a part of the action.
These
are good books for punk fans, but they leave
out almost everyone and everything that
didn’t have to do with New York or England.
Taking
its name from a classic song by Los Angeles
punk band the Weirdos, “We Got the Neutron
Bomb” answers many questions asked by fans
of the somewhat forgotten Los Angeles and
Orange County punk scenes.
Authors
Marc Spitz and Brendan Mullen comprosed
the book of interviews from important members
of the scene, telling the history of Los
Angeles punk from a first-person point of
view.
Instead
of diving headfirst into the movement, Spitz
and Mullen begin by explaining why Doors’
singer Jim Morrison was the first Los Angeles
punk. From there the book discusses the
glam rock scene of the 1970s and how many
of these scenesters became the first Los
Angeles punks.
However,
the book has is not complete?? something
the authors address in the introduction.
Many
of the essential early Los Angeles punks
are dead and some don’t want to talk about
the past.
Noticeably
absent is Black Flag songwriter/guitarist
and SST Records owner Greg Ginn, Germs’
and later Nirvana guitarist Pat Smear, and
information on influential bands such as
the Descendents, the Minutemen, Red Cross
and the Angry Samoans to name a few.
“We
Got the Neutron Bomb” is not the definitive
book on Los Angeles punk, but it is the
perfect place to start for those interested
in learning about bands that weren’t named
the Clash.
Hopefully,
the authors will complete this lesson with
a second volume of some of the lesser known,
yet viable Southern California bands.
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