Make The Music Go Bang!: The Early L.A. Punk Scene

By: Snowden, Don

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Los Lobos, and the Go-Gos got their starts in the 1980s Los Angeles music scene. Collected here are the forefathers of this era, speaking out in voices that only the truly... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312169124
• ISBN13: 9780312169121
• Release Date: November 1997
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 0.5" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

& it Did Go Bang!!!

Very Good Overview of the Seminal late 70's Punk Scene & beyond. The LA scene seemed to Rise up on its own Without The Rock Press giving much notice or influence. That is a Good thing. New York was "Too Cool" London "Too Reactionary" But the LA scene since it was very much more of a Vacuum, was able to Grow up on its own terms & inevitably Crumble under Its own Terms too. The Book has many Voices telling the Tale, The Best way to tell almost Any Rock history. Loosely put together, which gives a Great Feel of the scene for those Stuck Elsewhere, because of Age, Location, or Natural Selection! Beer! Pills! Loud Guitars! Many New unseen Pictures. Great Cast of Characters. This Book sits Nicely next to "We've got the Neutron Bomb" & "Forming" as Great History Books of the Wonderful LA Punk scene. Poseurs Note: Black clothing is Nice, but Wild Colors Look Much better in the Southern California Sunshine, when you are Stoned(I imagine)!

Really puts you there

I just finished re-reading this book after a few months, and it's even better than I remembered. This is the only book I've found that has classic L.A. punk (as opposed to band) photos - pics that I remember looking at twenty-five years ago, and being influenced by them. It talks about Baces Hall and the Vex; this really is the book to buy if you want to get a feel of what it was like. I upped this review from four to five stars, because it's even better the second time around. If you were there, in the mid-seventies to early eighties, it'll bring back great memories; if you weren't there - Make The Music Go Bang will give you a glimpse into what was an amazing scene.

The pictures speak, the text kept me reading.

This book is full of exceptional photos that document the early L.A. punk scene. I remember seeing Gary Leanord (the photographer) at many of these shows. Hidden in these photos are many of those who went on and carried the L.A. punk scene into the the next stage, such as members of Bad Religion. I purchased this book for the photos but I soon found myself deeply involved in the text. I was especially impressed by the section written by Keith Morris of Black Flag and Circle Jerks fame. Although it was exciting to find myself in a picture slamming at the Starwood, I wouldn't just recommend this book to those that were there, I also recommend Make the Music Go Bang to all those who have an interest in punk rock and music history.

"Make The Music Go Bang": A must for L.A. Punk enthusiasts.

"Make The Music Go Bang" is the story of the Los Angeles punk scene told through the eyes of the very people that it consisted of. Consisting mostly of 3-5 page anecdotes, the book is a relatively smooth read, although the styles are varied, jagged and real, much like the Los Angeles punk new music scene itself. Photos taken by scenster Gary Leonard appear clear and convey the chaotic, anarchic, violent happenings of the typical punk gig. Highlights are the writtings by Brenden Mullen and Pleasent Gheman, both excellent writers, and the photos of punk favorites like The Germs, The Adolescents, X, Black Flag, and The Circle Jerks. Overall an Exhillirating reading experience