Los Angeles rock generally conjures memories of surf music; The Doors; or Laurel Canyon folkies. But punk? L.A.s punk scene; while not as notorious as that of New York City; emerged full-throated in 1977 and boasted bands like The Germs; X; and Black Flag. This book explores how; in the land of the Beach Boys; punk rock took hold.As a teenager; Dewar MacLeod witnessed firsthand the emergence of the punk subculture in Southern California. As a scholar; he here reveals the origins of an as-yet-uncharted revolution. Having combed countless fanzines and interviewed key participants; he shows how a marginal scene became a "mass subculture" that democratized performance art; and he captures the excitement and creativity of a neglected episode in rock history.Kids of the Black Hole tells how L.A. punk developed; fueled by youth unemployment and alienation; social conservatism; and the spare landscape of suburban sprawl communities; how it responded to the wider cultural influences of Southern California life; from freeways to architecture to getting high; and how L.A. punks borrowed from their New York and London forebears to create their own distinctive subculture. Along the way; MacLeod not only teases out the differences between the New York and L.A. scenes but also distinguishes between local styles; from Hollywoods avant-garde to Orange Countys hardcore.With an intimate knowledge of bands; venues; and zines; MacLeod cuts to the heart of L.A. punk as no one has before. Told in lively prose that will satisfy fans; Kids of the Black Hole will also enlighten historians of American suburbia and of youth and popular culture.
#407927 in eBooks 2011-07-05 2011-07-05File Name: B00570A2N8
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. My 10 year olds favorite gift last Christmas.By narrowback slackerThis was not the biggest or blingy-est gift under the tree last year. but it turned out to be my daughters absolute favorite. She worked through it constantly. and we eventually followed up with Harts more advanced manga technique books. If you have a child who likes to draw and is interested in anime or manga. I cant think of a gift that will get more use.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A Good ChoiceBy Patricia CoffinI got this for my granddaughters birthday when she turned 13. She said she liked it. Shes had it for 3 months now and she uses it. I was happy to find this art book for her. Its just like they said in the description. its for beginners. She loves drawing girls with large eyes.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Chibis for AllBy bystandersarahMy daughter loves these Christopher Hart books. Now her dream is to learn Japanese and be a manga artist in Japan when she grows up! The books are well written with lots of pictures. examples and tips needed to get better at drawing this chibi style correctly. Chibi means small by the way. Chibis are smaller. cuter versions of a character. Take a villian. for example. draw them as a chibi and suddenly they are super cute instead of mean!
