Throughout history, the stories of artists have served as an enduring peephole into the transgressive world of those whose art defies boundaries.
In the years following a global pandemic, economic recession, and imminent climate crisis — the rebellious, countercultural ethos of alternative music scenes has captivated public attention, with Gen Z championing its anti-capitalist messages of pleasure, creativity, and mischief. From grunge and indie-sleaze fashion trends to the growing obsession with underground nightclubs and oddball venues, the naughty sparkle of a ‘90s punk resurgence is in the air.
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To help fill the ravenous demand for the stories of the underground, here are 10 books published this year that traverse the smells, bodies, and sounds that light up basements across the U.S. and U.K., uncovering music scenes unheard.
Raving by McKenzie Wark
[Photo via Duke University Press]
Lose yourself to the mushrooming fog, thumping subwoofer, and pools of sweat as McKenzie Wark takes readers inside the undisclosed locations of New York’s thriving underground queer and trans rave scene. Wark is the professor of the rave, reimagining the philosophical framework for understanding raving as a means of temporary freedom. With her quirky encyclopedia of made-up vocabulary and cheeky anecdotes from her experiences on the dance floor, Raving is at once theoretical and personal, sweet and nihilistic.
Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters by Lynnée Denise (September 12, 2023)
[Photo via University of Texas Press]
Most know Willie Mae Thornton as “Big Mama Thornton,” who embodied ‘50s and ‘60s blues with Billboard chart-toppers “Hound Dog” and “Ball and Chain.” In this biography of essays, coming out this September, author Lynnée Denise reclaims Willie Mae Thornton’s identity from the history books. From the reinterpretation of Thornton’s appropriation of…
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