American Hardcore: Second Edition

Steven Blush released American Hardcore: A Tribal History through Feral House in 2001, documenting the dawn of hardcore and shaking up the shit-talking like Jon Savage had a decade or so before with England's Dreaming. A documentary entitled American Hardcore: The History Of American Punk Rock 1980-1986 followed in 2006. Having not been there, I enjoyed both a bunch, but it seems there had been enough of an outcry that a second edition was in order.

That is not to say that the second edition of American Hardcore: A Tribal History is rife with recanting or revision, but there are new 80 pages of content. All of the chapters are updated, and a new one on spirituality is added. Twenty-five new participants are interviewed and there is a gang of new artwork. I'd say that its worth picking up, but those that already enjoyed the book the first time may be sated without re-reading. Roll the dice. Either way, you can read more or pick up American Hardcore: A Tribal History outright here.

R