Field Guide to Post-Punk & New Wave - Steve Wide

Steve Wide

What makes New Wave… New Wave? It's the catchall name of punk's poppy offshoot, born inthe 70s simultaneouslyin the United States and United Kingdom. But how would you describeNew Wave's context in the zeitgeist of the time,or explain how this new electro-rock madepeople feel? Well, that's precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explainsin this handy book.

In these pages, Steve explains the social and music industry climates of the 70s and 80s,unpacking the influence ofthe punk genre on NYC-based groups like the Velvet Underground and The New York Dolls. There's also a timeline on theusage of the term New Wave - for a long chunk ofthe 70s it was used almost interchangeably with “punk”. There arebreakdowns on the key recordlabels, DJs, producers, engineers and magazines - all of which stitched their own layeron theNew Wave patchwork. There are deep dives into controversies, rivalries and messy bandbreakups. And lastly,there's a dissection of how ripples of New Wave are still felt today, inrecorded music and across wider pop culture. If you, or someone close to you, is obsessed with the minutiae of the New Wave movement, thenthis book is a must-have.