The Encyclopedia of Punk by Brian Cogan book review

The Encyclopedia of Punk  by Brian Cogan

From the Adolescents to Zero Boys this book so far has to be one of the most thorough guides to punk music and culture out there. It starts out with prefaces from the author and Decline/Suburbia director Penelope Spheeris and then from that point there are articles on everything from the Sex Pistols, to Negative Approach, skinheads, fanzines, crust Punks, Suicide Girls, straight edge, Warped Tour, and Dischord Records. Even a few more modern bands such as Los Crudos and Against Me! have articles dedicated to them. In his preface Cogan does state that the subject matter is mostly limited to the American and U.K. punk scenes, but there are a few entries about Japanese pop punk bands. With a few exceptions the information is reliable and unbiased,  though there are a few jabs at bands and institutions that Cogan deems mindless or overly commercial. In any event The Encyclopedia of Punk is obviously a labor of love and its great to see a book by someone who loves the music and appears to avoid being jaded. Up the Punx!

Here is a source for the book:
www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Punk-Brian-Cogan

 

-Ditch-