Straight Edge: A Clear-Headed Hardcore Punk History Paperback – November 14, 2017

Holy crap, where do I start? This is the definitive insight we've all been waiting for about the history and growth of Straight Edge. Hats off to Tony for providing this linear approach to honor and document something so close to my (and thousands of others') heart. Could not put this down from the second I opened the amazon box. Refreshing to confirm a lot of facts about the stories and even better, learned a lot of new ones along the way. For someone who has been fanatical about straight edge for so many years, this book is filling an important void in the history of how this phenomenon became as big as it did. Glad that so many are still around to explain how it went from a song in DC to a choice in Boston to a culture now accesible to so many more kids thanks to Ray, John, Youth of Today. If you're like me, you'll never tire of reading anecdotes from Boston 1980-1983 or NYC 1985-1990. This book provides plenty. Additionally, I was not expecting to see as many pictures I hadn't seen before of the bands I love...that was definitely a pleasant surprise. When reading so many of the feuds (Slapshot vs Youth of Today, Youth of Today vs Half Off, etc) I was like...what the hell? Then I quickly realized that scene politics were as much part of the evolution of straight edge as the Nike high tops and Champion Hoodies. Tony, thanks for putting this together....your contribution leaves me eternally grateful. It's obvious you put a great effort and I can't thank you enough!

If you like the format "Please kill me" used, you'll like this, because it's the same quote-driven storytelling. It works like a charm, and I read this book in one sitting. Note that I don't even like the bands in it for the most part (almost exclusively). All the same a great read for anyone even remotely interested in punk and hardcore.Fair price for a highly entertaining ride.

Purchased book. It was fun seeing my teenage self memorialized in the two page Youth of Today photo.

Easy read, great info.

I anxiously awaited the arrival of this book because I grew up in this scene and was vocally straightedge. I was sad to see that of the 103 people interviewed only two or three were women. Yes straightedge was by in large a boys club. I was there. But it was not all men. It appeared that there was very little attempt to contact the women that were there, many of whom were instrumental in documenting happenings, booking shows, and who were every bit as part of this social movement as their male counterparts in terms of their dedication to the ideals and the music. What worried me most was this thought, will anyone even notice? As a community we should rise above the lowest behaviors of the larger society and that, in my opinion, would require that we at the very least observe the tendency within hardcore to marginalized women and leave them to the side. Tracy X, Moon, Hardline Sarah, Stormy, and Kristin Shaw are the glaring omissions that come to mind. If you're going to include the Umea scene, what about the Donuts? I'm sure there are many more women in straightedge that have really interesting insights, and whose voices should have been heard. I am not trying to bash the book. But hardcore is good at being honest and assessing where we failed to be truly radical and I think this needed to be said. Maybe a second volume? :)

Great book, fast shipping AAA++

Mr. Rettman goes by many names (just ask your local authorities) and with this publication he has earned another moniker: "The King of sXe Literature." Rettman tracks own both the obscure and those who are still in the spotlight pitching their version of snake oil. While straight edge may not be a movement, this book has given both credit and blame where it squarely belongs. Hear from the good, the bad, the ugly as well as the fashionable good looking types who held on as long as they could. It does not matter if you are a chaste monk with an X tattooed on your knuckles or now enjoy an adult beverage, this book documents very well how a song turned into a choice for the kids who needed it. Kudos.

La entrega fue el día previsto y en perfectas condiciones. El libro es muy bueno. Straight Edge forever!

Straight Edge in your face. Super detailed exhaustive history from Minor Threat to Violent Reaction. For those who are still in the club and sellouts young and old. Also check out the authors NYHC and Detroit books.

Ich habe durch eine Freundin erfahren, dass ich Straight Edge sei. Ich wollte herausfinden, was es damit auf sich hat. Wie es entstand. Was als dahinter steckt. Und ich muss sagen, ich trage das X stolz in meinem Herzen. Da das Buch vollständig aus der Sicht der damals jeweils beteiligten geschrieben ist hat es eine ganz andere realness als es ein Fliestext je haben könnte. Props an alle Beteiligten und danke für all den positiven Input.

ras

Impaginazione pessima, mancano pagine da 90 a 105 e sono ripetute due volte pagine da 81 a 88 e da 107 a 113, quindi di fatto manca il capitolo VIII degli Uniform Choice, mi chiedo come si possa stampare un libro con così poca professionalità,mai successa una cosa del genere, chiesto sostituzione spero che la prossima copia non abbia questo difetto.