This book is your gateway to the pop-rock-y, disco-esque, electronic
and mod-tastic movement that was (and is) New Wave.
What makes New Wave... New Wave? It's the catchall name of punk's poppy
offshoot, born in the 70s, simultaneously in the United States and
United Kingdom. But how would you describe New Wave's context in the
zeitgeist of the time, or explain how this new electro-rock made people
feel? Well, that's precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explains in
this handy book.
In these pages, Steve explains the social and music industry climates of
the 70s and 80s, unpacking the influence of the punk genre on NYC-based
groups like the Velvet Underground and New York Dolls. There's also a
timeline on the usage of the term New Wave - for a long chunk of the
70s it was used almost interchangeably with punk. There are breakdowns
on the key record labels, DJs, producers, engineers and magazines - all
of which stitched their own layer on the New Wave patchwork. There are
deep dives into controversies, rivalries, and messy band breakups. And
lastly, there's a dissection of how ripples of New Wave are still felt
today, in recorded music and across wider pop culture.
If you, or someone close to you, is obsessed with the minutiae of the
New Wave movement, then this book is a must-have.
