yourmainjoe's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Drug use
bookwoman37's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Overall I enjoyed reading this book. I was familiar with many of the bands and SST records but I was not familiar with the behind the scenes problems. It is very well written and researched. Unfortunately the story is not a happy one. The last chapter is particularly poignant. Enjoy
david_agranoff's review
5.0
Interview I did with the author...
https://youtu.be/3s86v_QFo4Q
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-104-interview-w-jim-ruland-author-of/id1524359471?i=1000599049910
I had mixed feelings going into this book, Jim Ruland is a local in San Diego and a writer I have seen at lots of events. I was a big fan of his memoir of Circle Jerk Vocalist Keith Morris – My Damage. He also did a great job doing a biography. Jim has shown a great knack for drilling down into the details of these underground figures in music and telling their stories. So what are mixed feelings about?
Writing a book about SST records is a really smart next move for Ruland who did some of the research naturally for this with his Keith Morris book. I mean Morris started on SST records as an early vocalist of Black Flag. That is the thing, even though I am a big fan of classic punk rock, I love 80s punk, but one of the classic bands I never jived with was Black Flag. I know they were good, and they were important but I just never was a big fan.
I knew that this book was going to be lots of Greg Ginn and the drama that always circled around him and Black Flag. I knew he had more members come in and out than a Marching band in Flag. I wasn’t sure I would be interested. There are three SST bands I love Bad Brains, Descendents, and Husker Du. I admit I perked up a little more when those parts came up but I enjoyed the whole thing.
Jim Ruland is an excellent historian and plays a vital role in documenting the stories of these LA bands. It is important. Even if I don’t personally like many of the bands the details and the history are important.
This book didn’t give me more respect for Ginn, after reading it I began to really believe the dude was a jerk, it is clear who is hard to work with in the Black Flag orbit. (at one point there was a civil war of Black Flag fans on which version of the band to support)…It was clear from the outside that Ginn was the problem this book only confirmed it for me.
The number of details, research, and stories makes this book important for all music fans, if you like SST is not the point, they did really interesting things, and the study of how they did it is important. Jim is coming on my podcast at some point to talk about the book and his process.
https://youtu.be/3s86v_QFo4Q
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-104-interview-w-jim-ruland-author-of/id1524359471?i=1000599049910
I had mixed feelings going into this book, Jim Ruland is a local in San Diego and a writer I have seen at lots of events. I was a big fan of his memoir of Circle Jerk Vocalist Keith Morris – My Damage. He also did a great job doing a biography. Jim has shown a great knack for drilling down into the details of these underground figures in music and telling their stories. So what are mixed feelings about?
Writing a book about SST records is a really smart next move for Ruland who did some of the research naturally for this with his Keith Morris book. I mean Morris started on SST records as an early vocalist of Black Flag. That is the thing, even though I am a big fan of classic punk rock, I love 80s punk, but one of the classic bands I never jived with was Black Flag. I know they were good, and they were important but I just never was a big fan.
I knew that this book was going to be lots of Greg Ginn and the drama that always circled around him and Black Flag. I knew he had more members come in and out than a Marching band in Flag. I wasn’t sure I would be interested. There are three SST bands I love Bad Brains, Descendents, and Husker Du. I admit I perked up a little more when those parts came up but I enjoyed the whole thing.
Jim Ruland is an excellent historian and plays a vital role in documenting the stories of these LA bands. It is important. Even if I don’t personally like many of the bands the details and the history are important.
This book didn’t give me more respect for Ginn, after reading it I began to really believe the dude was a jerk, it is clear who is hard to work with in the Black Flag orbit. (at one point there was a civil war of Black Flag fans on which version of the band to support)…It was clear from the outside that Ginn was the problem this book only confirmed it for me.
The number of details, research, and stories makes this book important for all music fans, if you like SST is not the point, they did really interesting things, and the study of how they did it is important. Jim is coming on my podcast at some point to talk about the book and his process.
miguelf's review
4.0
SST holds a place near & dear as a few of my all-time favorite albums were issued by that label and I would gladly pick up a book with background on this or other labels of that time (Touch&Go, Discord, Matador, SubPop, K, AmRep, etc.) But SST was a bit before the others and had such an incredible roster. It was just so depressing to read of its slow denouement - clearly Ginn had some knack for business and picking bands, but that ability dried up in the late 80’s as it slowly became a husk of its former glory over the next three decades. Very well documented and enjoyed the writing style.
whizalen's review
fast-paced
5.0
Great book. I liked the approach in how the author told the story in these SST Versus XYZ chapters; kept the story linear while diving into some of the major challenges SST faced over the years. Learned more about areas and topics I thought I was well versed in - for example, Kira's comments about both the song and cover for 'Stick in It.' Her stuff with Mike Watt after D. Boon died was really interesting to learn more about.
I also liked that he didn't interview Henry Rollins, this wasn't another Henry Rollins story about Greg and SST. I do wish there was more 1:1 interviews with Dukowski but I was really glad it took the majority lens through Joe Carducci. Again, wish the author could've gotten Raymond Pettibon to contribute - probably declined - because he was such a huge part of its history and then decline as a label (his removal).
Highly recommend.
I also liked that he didn't interview Henry Rollins, this wasn't another Henry Rollins story about Greg and SST. I do wish there was more 1:1 interviews with Dukowski but I was really glad it took the majority lens through Joe Carducci. Again, wish the author could've gotten Raymond Pettibon to contribute - probably declined - because he was such a huge part of its history and then decline as a label (his removal).
Highly recommend.
dadoodoflow's review
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Great. Especially the second half when the book became more about the label, and telling stories that weren’t so familiar.
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