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sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly interesting look at metal rock during the eighties and the effect it had on the author during his younger years growing up in a small town.
motorhorst's review against another edition
3.0
Unterhaltsam war es schon, aber zum einen entweder furchbar schlecht übersetzt (war die deutsche Ausgabe) oder geschrieben.
Zum anderen mit teilweise absurden Einteilungen der Metal-Bands in Subgenres (Slayer als Death Metal z.B.) und bereits bei der Bezeichnung "Metal-Band" für völlig fern liegende Gruppen.
Aber eben auch unterhaltsam.
Zum anderen mit teilweise absurden Einteilungen der Metal-Bands in Subgenres (Slayer als Death Metal z.B.) und bereits bei der Bezeichnung "Metal-Band" für völlig fern liegende Gruppen.
Aber eben auch unterhaltsam.
kmatthe2's review against another edition
2.0
This was recommended to me after I mentioned I grew up in a small town in the Midwest where heavy metal was king. Klosterman can be funny at times and demonstrates a love of metal, but he is also a tool who is in love with himself and his idols such that he echoes their misogyny, glorification of substance abuse, and well, jerkiness. A trip down memory lane, but one where you shouldn't listen too closely to the tour guide.
willkay's review against another edition
3.0
Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman
I like Chuck Klosterman, I like his books, I like the way he writes. This book didn't "speak" to me. Normally I enjoy his writing because I understand where he is coming from, I know what he is talking about. This book is mainly about "hair" metal bands and growing up in North Dakota. Unfortunately, "hair" metal bands didn't have that much effect on my life. To be honest, the majority of bands he talks about I had never heard of - much to Maria's amazement. Although it was interesting, it wasn't engaging. Sort of like, one of those documentaries on VH1 that you end up sitting through because there is nothing else on. At the end of the book I knew a bit more but had no interest in finding out anything else.
It was still an enjoyable read but only scores an "OK" on my list.
5fourteen's review against another edition
3.0
I really don't know why I read this book, other than I enjoy Chuck Klosterman's writing. It certainly wasn't because I enjoy heavy metal. My first significant musical experiences centered around grunge, but while the music was different, the experiences were essentially the same. I couldn't sing a single Motley Crue song, but I could sing Nirvana's Nevermind from start to finish, or talk for hours about the nuances of Pearl Jam's Ten, which I think is the point of the whole book.
dave_daines's review against another edition
5.0
I have no idea how I didn't come across this book until 20 years after it was released. Chuck Klosterman was born in 1972 like me. He grew up in rural North Dakota, I grew up in rural Oregon and then suburban Utah... but we grew up listening and loving the same music. Like me, he obsessed and geeked out on his favorite bands. While his obsessions went from Motley Crue to Guns n Roses, mine went from Van Halen to Judas Priest. He discusses all those bands and many, many more in the kind of detail that is probably not enjoyable if you're not nostalgic about it. I definitely don't agree with all of his opinions, but that's kind of the point - I still argue with my high school buddies about the relative merits of the music we grew up on.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that grew up to the sounds of AC/DC, Kiss, Poison, Cinderella and Metallica. It's even better if you bounce around in Spotify pulling up the bands and songs he's writing about.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that grew up to the sounds of AC/DC, Kiss, Poison, Cinderella and Metallica. It's even better if you bounce around in Spotify pulling up the bands and songs he's writing about.
scottpm's review against another edition
1.0
First of all this was not an odyssey. Secondly, Kosterman tried far too hard to write an intellectual book. He came across as overly self-important snob who could use big words and terms to take the joy out something fun just to make himself feel smarter.
spridlewv's review against another edition
4.0
Very enjoyable commentary on a lot of the music that influenced me in my youth. Chuck and I don’t see eye to eye in everything, and thats fine. What we do agree on is the importance of that music at that time for a whole lot of people.
bkeniston's review against another edition
3.0
Fun book. Not great, but fun. I had forgotten how much I liked a lot of this music until I came across it in this book.