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Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo
by
Andy Greenwald (Goodreads Author)
Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo tells the story of a cultural moment that's happening right now-the nexus point where teen culture, music, and the web converge to create something new.
While shallow celebrities dominate the headlines, pundits bemoan the death of the music industry, and the government decries teenagers for their morals (or lack thereof...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
November 15th 2003
by St. Martin's Griffin
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I was going to re-read this book so I could have a huge arsenal of shit to hold against Andy Greenwald.
But I'm not. I'm just going to rant. Alot.
I'm going to say that this book is absolutely horrible, and if you want to know about Emo then go to http://www.fourfa.com because it explains what emo really was better than this heap.
Greenwald insults not only the bands, but also the fans that are reading the book by MISQUOTING ALMOST EVERY SONG HE TALKS ABOUT. Listen Andy, the...more
But I'm not. I'm just going to rant. Alot.
I'm going to say that this book is absolutely horrible, and if you want to know about Emo then go to http://www.fourfa.com because it explains what emo really was better than this heap.
Greenwald insults not only the bands, but also the fans that are reading the book by MISQUOTING ALMOST EVERY SONG HE TALKS ABOUT. Listen Andy, the...more
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Nothing Feels Good changed my life in the sense that I'm not ignorant anymore. When someone calls another person "emo," I can now proudly correct them and tell them that it doesn't stand for emotional, it stands for emotive rock, and explain to them that there is a relationship between Minor Threat and emo, which before I thought to be without a doubt, impossible.
andy greenwald from spin magazine writes about how the music genre 'emo' developed out of punk rock and why its so sacred to the teenagers who listen to it. i really liked the book since i listened to a lot of 'emo' but he made it seem like only high schoolers liked it, i listened to those bands in high school but also my first two years of college a lot and he also made it seem like it was only sad kids listen to it, but i wasnt all sad and depressed when i listened to it either. but it was ...more
Nothing Feels Good is an exhaustive study of emo culture in America, which has largely faded out of the limelight over the past few years. While a lot of popular music dwells on the former lovers who left you, emo stands out because it really, really, really dwells on it.
Andy Greenwald spends considerable time paying tribute to the heroes of the culture (Dashboard Confessional, Vagrant Records, makeoutclub.com) and it is a fascinating read as Greenwald covers Chris Carrabba's near ne...more
Andy Greenwald spends considerable time paying tribute to the heroes of the culture (Dashboard Confessional, Vagrant Records, makeoutclub.com) and it is a fascinating read as Greenwald covers Chris Carrabba's near ne...more
As not only a music fan but a music industry professional, I can safetly say (even though this is a subjective statement); that this book is an insult to the genre of "emo" and to music fans in general.
First of all, I don't even know why "punk rock" is in the title except for the minescule connection thate Greenwald makes between the offspring of punk rock, post-punk, and emo. Yes, he backtracks to Minor Threat and Rites of Spring but it mostly seems like a cry a...more
First of all, I don't even know why "punk rock" is in the title except for the minescule connection thate Greenwald makes between the offspring of punk rock, post-punk, and emo. Yes, he backtracks to Minor Threat and Rites of Spring but it mostly seems like a cry a...more
I absolutely loved this book, it had every aspect I look for while reading a book. It was easy to keep up with, while still using unique language. My absolute favorite part about the book was the writing style; the author used very powerful language and strong metaphors. I personally liked the book because it was mostly about music and the music industry which I am very interested in. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the emo music scene and style. However, if you lik...more
really, really enjoyed this. it's well-written, doesn't talk down to (or about) the scene, and gives really good background on what emo is until about 2003.
this is the first music book i've read that details a scene i was on the fringe of- i turned 18 in 2002, i listened to dashboard confessional and cried an awful lot my freshman year of college, i was listening to and talking about taking back sunday and the get up kids and thursday and jimmy eat world and new found glory- so it wa...more
this is the first music book i've read that details a scene i was on the fringe of- i turned 18 in 2002, i listened to dashboard confessional and cried an awful lot my freshman year of college, i was listening to and talking about taking back sunday and the get up kids and thursday and jimmy eat world and new found glory- so it wa...more
I liked this book for the most part, but really only the first half because the 2nd half ended up being a cheesy romance novel with Chris Carrabba in the style of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. If you can put that aside, then the book is kind of like a really well written wikipedia entry on emo music. I got to learn a bunch of cool stuff about my favorite bands of the style such as The Promise Ring, Braid, and Texas is the Reason, and it was all written by someone as geeky about emo music as m...more
I would suggest this book to a person who is just beginging learn about the genre of emo. I would hand this book to a kid today who grew up thinking that the acoustic guitar and whiney voices they heard was all the emo ever was. Sure, it's not the greatest exmeplar of a historically accurate novel, but it's well written and funny. I am an English Major and I always keep a pencil with me when reading and I found myself underling passages I liked and circling bands I didn't know. I ended up compil...more
Excellent! I read this my freshman year of high school, and i was skeptical because of it being nonfiction. i loved every word of it. for someone who was very much a part of the "emo movement" as a young teen, i was completely obsessed with this book. Even for those who are unfamiliar with the bands and other pop culture references discussed, it gives a fresh, open minded perspective on the subculture. Emo is and has always been mocked and misunderstood. This novel sheds light on the p...more
So when I finally see Dashboard Confessional in September, my appreciation level for his live music is going to be infinitely more than it would have been had I just gone in with my probably all ready over the top appreciation. This book, whilst starting out with a bit of history, and general emo vibes, record labels, albums etc. ends up devoting a good chunk to Chris Carrabba and Dashboard Confessional. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves Dashboard, very quickly.
The book ...more
The book ...more
FOURFA, the ultimate website on Emo says: "By 1999, [post-emo indie rock:] had achieved a fan base far larger than any of the original emo stuff. In fact, that's what prompted me to write this website in the first place - the glut of info on the web about this and the lack of a historical perspective. Statistically, you the reader are most likely to be familiar with this type of emo. In the years since then, it's only grown far, far bigger. Jimmy Eat World and Thursday are in regular rotati...more
A brilliant look into the past, present, and future of the form of punk rock known as "emo". Greenwald looks back to hardcore bands that broke up and formed punk bands which focused on emotional content as opposed to social commentary on government policies. This starts the wave of emo music coming around. Then the present is viewed by looking at current bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional, Brand New, and others. These bands are big names in the cu...more
The older I get, the funnier this book becomes, and the three star rating doesn't really show the depth of my love for this thing.
I think the book is overeager to draw conclusions and veers a bit between overly judgmental and not judgmental enough, but along the way it is an oft-hilarious, sometimes painfully familiar, sometimes just painful description of my late teen years, and for that I will forgive it anything.
I think the book is overeager to draw conclusions and veers a bit between overly judgmental and not judgmental enough, but along the way it is an oft-hilarious, sometimes painfully familiar, sometimes just painful description of my late teen years, and for that I will forgive it anything.
A book with an interesting premise: explain emo as a genre, a mindset and a cultural phenomenon.
Book starts out promisingly, telling the story of the roots of emo, but somewhere it loses its direction and ends up just being interviews with bands who are emo, and not why. Unfortunate because there's a lot of great stuff in there, it just doesn't form the cohesive bond to explain such a complex subject.
Book starts out promisingly, telling the story of the roots of emo, but somewhere it loses its direction and ends up just being interviews with bands who are emo, and not why. Unfortunate because there's a lot of great stuff in there, it just doesn't form the cohesive bond to explain such a complex subject.
i pull this out whenever i fancy flicking through a bit of music related stuff. kind of topical really, something you'd read while taking one of those vacation dumps.
the guy seems to kind of know what he's talking about even if he drags on about dashboard a bit too much for my liking! still, it was pretty awesome to find a book about emo.
the guy seems to kind of know what he's talking about even if he drags on about dashboard a bit too much for my liking! still, it was pretty awesome to find a book about emo.
This book and Andy Greenwald sparked my interest in pursuing music journalism at a young age. Thanks to him I'm still striving towards that goal and hopefully will achieve it someday soon. As far back as I can remember, this book was read in a little less than a week. Greenwald knows his stuff about the emo/punk rock movement and music in general. I actually heard and read this book because of my huge Dashboard Confessional fandom but the book is so much more than Dashboard Confessional and I re...more
I feel like the kids reviewing books on Reading Rainbow.
If you like books about the history of emo from the origins in punk music to the crooners of 2001, then this book is for you!
If you like books about the history of emo from the origins in punk music to the crooners of 2001, then this book is for you!
The book was ok. Wasnt a book that once you started reading, you didnt want to stop. But it did talk about bands I like, like Saves the Day...other than that, it was ok.
Read this when I was in college and wrote a paper on it. Really enjoyed all the Dashboard references and interviews.
Amazing book; I did my senior paper about this book and the origins of the Emo movement.
Amanda
added it
funny and interesting about the current music scene
The title alone makes this book lose a star.
Dashboard Confessional is a loser
Sharon
marked it as to-read
wtf is emoanyway eh
Emo was huge when I was going through high school (not so long ago) so reading this book was cool in that nostalgic, "Oh, I remember THAT" sense. It's akin to hanging out with friends going, "Remember when we used to listen to Dashboard on repeat for hours and just cry and cry even though we had nothing to cry about?"
Um, not that I ever did that. Or still do. Definitely not.
Um, not that I ever did that. Or still do. Definitely not.
A really interesting insight into the origins of emo. I wish I knew all the obscure bands they were referencing - I mean, inevitably, you're going to get a little lost in the initial buildup, which makes it hard to get into. But once they start talking about more mainstream/famous emo bands (contradiction in terms that that is), it's easier to follow and enjoy.
I really enjoyed this book. Looking at the whole history of "the scene" was of real interest to me. I really enjoyed Andy Greenwalds journalistic writing and he did a really good job with this book. It was interesting to watch the progression of the music as he described it.
This book missed the mark on so many levels (ie lack of coverage of certain original emo bands and scenes) and was not at all what I expected. However, it was still a very interesting look into this "nu-emo" genre (what I like to refer to as "mall-emo") and modern teenage culture.
Honestly? It's taken me about two or three times before I could finally make it past the first chapter or two. It was an okay book, but it was kind of hard to get through because I found it to be boring at times. Maybe I'm just past the point caring about that kind of stuff.
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Andy Greenwald is an author, journalist and screenwriter living in Brooklyn, NY. His writing appears daily on Grantland.com and occasionally in Spin, Entertainment Weekly and Penthouse. He tweets often (www.twitter.com/andygreenwald) yet hasn't updated his website since 2006.
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