We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut, 1988-2001

by Eric Davidson

Overview

Nirvana, the White Stripes, Hole, the Hives—all sprang from an underground music scene where similarly raw bands, enjoying various degrees of success and luck, played for throngs of fans in venues ranging from dive bars to massive festivals, but were mostly ignored by a music industry focused on mega-bands and shiny pop stars. We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut, 1988–2001 tracks the inspiration and beautiful destruction of this largely undocumented movement. What they took, they fought for, every night. They reveled in '50s rock 'n' roll, '60s garage rock, and '70s punk while creating their own wave of gut-busting riffs and rhythm.

The majority of bands that populate this book—the Gories, the Supersuckers, the Dwarves, the Mummies, Rocket from the Crypt, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and the Muffs among them—gained little long-term reward from their nonstop touring and brain-slapping records. What they did have was free liquor, cheap drugs, chaotic romances, and a crazy good time, all the while building a dedicated fan base that extends across the world. Truly, this is the last great wave of down-and-dirty rock 'n' roll.

In this expanded edition, Eric Davidson reveals more about the punk undergut with a new preface, postscript, and even more photos.

Includes free twenty-song download!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493059850
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 5.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Eric Davidson had his share of good times and success as the singer of the Columbus, Ohio, punk band New Bomb Turks, who have played hundreds of gigs in dozens of countries and recorded for countless record labels. He currently lives in Queens, New York, where he survives on a freelance writer's "income," pretzels, and coffee.

Table of Contents

Foreword: The Ineffable Whatsis ix

Preface: Ça Plan Pour Moi xiii

Prologue: Sonic Reducer xvii

1 Bastards of Young 1

2 Strung Out on Jargon 7

3 Tapping the Source 15

4 Blood, Guts and Pussy 45

5 Telepathic Hate 69

6 Large Meat Soiree 93

7 Born Toulouse-Lautrec 127

8 Stronger Than Dirt 153

9 It Gets a Little Red 183

10 Bumped by Karaoke 203

11 Get Action! 227

12 Half-Assed, Will Travel 239

13 Instant Headache 259

14 Talent is a Crime 265

15 The Evil Powers of Rock'n'Roll 283

16 Hate to Say I Told You So 303

Epilogue: The Long Goodbye 321

Postscript: Victim of Time 325

In Memoriam: Unknown Passage 333

Acknowledgments 337

Great Undercut Cuts: 1988-2001 339

Index 349

We Never Learn: The Soundtrack 359