Description:
In 1979, punk was over . . . but by 1981, hardcore was born. As teenagers in 1981, David Markey and his best friend Jordan Schwartz founded "We Got Power!, " a fanzine dedicated to the first-generation hardcore punk music community in their native Los Angeles. Their text captured the early punk spirit of Black Flag, the Minutemen, Social Distortion, Suicidal Tendencies, and Husker Du at the height of their powers. Meanwhile, their amazing photographs captured the dilapidated houses, abandoned storefronts, and disaffected youth culture of the early Reagan era. Never before seen, except in crude fanzine form, these detailed and richly narrative photos are now collected to present an intimate document a uniquely fertile creative moments.
Review Quotes:
"Essential reading... the funniest of the local mags"--Matt Groening, 1983
"Vital to understanding the birth of American punk rock... an essential addition to the history of a movement."--"The Los Angeles Times"
"One of the most thorough and lush compendiums of any punk movement"--Dangerous Minds
"A fearless mix of insight and irreverence...beautifully produced...you'll be inspired"--"RTE" (Radio-TV Ireland) [5/5 stars]
"There are no rose-colored glasses, zero phoned-in memories, and no homogenized takes; gritty, raw, and real as real can get is the tone delivered on every page."--Metal Army America
"Celebrating the hardcore punk scene of 1980s Southern California... a new book by zine gods David Markey and Jordan Schwartz"--"LA Weekly"
"It's amazing! Get it if you have any interest in Californian punk & hardcore!"--Daniel P. Carter, BBC Radio 1 Rock Show
"Reports from the frontlines of the huge and thriving Los Angeles scene...with first-hand accounts from some of its biggest luminaries"--VH1
"A history lesson for the novice and nerd alike, packed to the spine with pictures and essays that will blow the mind and flare the nostrils."--"AOL Noisecreep"
"Absolutely stunning."--"Creative Loafing," Atlanta
"Stunning and beautiful"--"AP"
"The stark, often beautiful imagery presents an intimate portrayal of West Coast punk in the late '70s and early '80s. With the accompanying personal reminiscences of turmoil and tenacity, which add depth and evocative context, it is a fantastic document of the scene's emergence."--PopMatters
"Excellent"--The Onion A/V Club
"The true, on-the-ground account... essential"--"Metal Hammer" [UK]
"The pair's gritty, deadpan photos captured the bands, DIY venues, and SoCal vagrants that would eventually define an entire subculture...stunning"--"The Fader"
"Hundreds of gloriously candid photographs, meticulously curated and fantastically,