More Fun in the New World, John Doe
More Fun in the New World, John Doe
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More Fun in the New World
The Unmaking and Legacy of L.A. Punk

Author: John Doe, Tom Desavia

Narrator: John Doe, Tom Desavia, Various

Unabridged: 12 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/04/2019


Synopsis

Sequel to Grammy-nominated bestseller Under the Big Black Sun, continuing the up-close and personal account of the L.A. punk scene
 
Picking up where Under the Big Black Sun left off, More Fun in the New World explores the years 1982 to 1987, covering the dizzying pinnacle of L.A.'s punk rock movement as its stars took to the national -- and often international -- stage. Detailing the eventual splintering of punk into various sub-genres, the second volume of John Doe and Tom DeSavia's west coast punk history portrays the rich cultural diversity of the movement and its characters, the legacy of the scene, how it affected other art forms, and ultimately influenced mainstream pop culture. The book also pays tribute to many of the fallen soldiers of punk rock, the pioneers who left the world much too early but whose influence hasn't faded.
 
As with Under the Big Black Sun, the book features stories of triumph, failure, stardom, addiction, recovery, and loss as told by the people who were influential in the scene, with a cohesive narrative from authors Doe and DeSavia. Along with many returning voices, More Fun in the New World weaves in the perspectives of musicians Henry Rollins, Fishbone, Billy Zoom, Mike Ness, Jane Weidlin, Keith Morris, Dave Alvin, Louis Pérez, Charlotte Caffey, Peter Case, Chip Kinman, Maria McKee, and Jack Grisham, among others. And renowned artist/illustrator Shepard Fairey, filmmaker Allison Anders, actor Tim Robbins, and pro-skater Tony Hawk each contribute chapters on punk's indelible influence on the artistic spirit.
 
In addition to stories of success, the book also offers a cautionary tale of an art movement that directly inspired commercially diverse acts such as Green Day, Rancid, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco, and Neko Case. Listeners will find themselves rooting for the purists of punk juxtaposed with the MTV-dominating rock superstars of the time who flaunted a "born to do this, it couldn't be easier" attitude that continued to fuel the flames of new music. More Fun in the New World follows the progression of the first decade of L.A. punk, its conclusion, and its cultural rebirth.

Read by John Doe and Tom Desavia, with Dave Alvin, Allison Anders, Charlotte Caffey, Peter Case, Shepard Fairey, Norwood Fisher, Pleasant Gehman, Terry Graham, Sid Griffin, Jack Grisham, Tony Hawk, Chip Kinman, Maria McKee, Angelo Moore, W.T. Morgan, Chris Morris, Keith Morris, Mike Ness, Louie Peréz, Tim Robbins, Henry Rollins, Jane Wiedlin, Annette Zilinskas, and Billy Zoom

Cover Photograph © Laura Levine

About The Author

JOHN DOE, a founding member of groundbreaking punk band X, has recorded eight solo records and as an actor has appeared in over fifty films and television productions.TOM DESAVIA is a long time record and music publishing A&R man based in Los Angeles, California. DeSavia began his music industry career as a journalist.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jon

Los Angeles is known for constant upheaval and endless reinvention, which this book really brought home because it describes the local indie music scene up until around 1986 or so, yet by the time I moved here a mere five years later, almost every band and club described herein no longer existed. I c......more

Goodreads review by Kevin

Stories about the ugly end of a scene or party are never pretty, and this book is no exception. When real life crashed into the LA punk scene, in an explosion of drugs and disillusionment, the results were brutal. The best segment of this book, hands down, is John Doe’s heartbreaking recounting of t......more

Goodreads review by Rory

This is one of my favorite music "scenes," and I very much enjoyed "Under the Big Black Sun" -- so I ate this right up. Again, even those who know a reasonable amount about these bands will find many new nuggets. As before, I still have never listened to a good few of the acts featured in these page......more

Goodreads review by Eric

I was on the periphery of the punk movement in my late teens/early twenties. I loved the music of X, Black Flag, and the Paisley Underground and Americana bands as well as English mod music. Still, I was not really a participant. First, I am from suburban Philadelphia which had a small but vibrant s......more

Goodreads review by Gary

I love John Doe and Exene but I found too many chapters devoted to the Cowpunk movement and alternative country, I never got into The Long Ryders, Green on Red or Lone Justice, I read it mostly to find more on The Germs and other LA hardcore bands, it was interesting reading about the Paisley Underg......more