Rock and the Pop Narcotic: Testament for the Electric Church, Vol. 1

by Joe Carducci

Long out-of-print classic of rock criticism. Author worked with Black Flag, Negativland, Birthday Party, Dead Kennedys, Husker Du, Meat Puppets, and others. Excerpted in the Penguin Book of Rock &... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0962761206
• ISBN13: 9780962761201
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Redoubt Press
• Length: 300 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Rock and Roll all Night (and all day)

This book is impressive, and not only for the deep knowledge of rock that Carducci displays. The opening chapters describing what the "real" sounds of rock are should be required reading for anyone interested in forming a band. The scope of this book is unrivalled and the selections for the most influential bands will raise more than a few eyebrows (No where else will you see James "Blood" Ulmer mentioned in the same vein as Sabbath). Carducci rightly praises the "Black" bands (Sabbath and Flag) as the most influential in their respective genre's, but it may come as a surprise to many that Carducci attributes (perhaps correctly) the original "wall of sound" approach to Eddie Cochrane. While this book doesn't cover heavy metal and it's sub-genres very completely (see Ian Christe's Sound of the Beast for that), it wasn't meant to (see Title). In addition, this is one of the few books that credits (rightly) the Ramones for their widespread influence (early Black Flag and the Misfits to name two of the most well-known). In addition to the depth of knowledge displayed, Carducci will have you rolling in laughter more than once. If all the above is not enough, the appendices with original poster art and one of the funniest Ray Pettibon paintings (Give me librium or give me meth....) are worth the price of the book alone. Buy it and then buy some essential music!

This is a great book!

This is the first book I read that spoke about rock music intelligently and at the same time it was not the elitist slobber most critical views of popular culture resort to (making us suffer). It ain't policticlly correct--but rock shouldn't be that way either and sadly today--it is--for the most part. After I read this book I incoorporated it in to most of my college research papers. (I am an A student)

The best rock book ever?

Carducci brought me back to rock after years of exploring free jazz and electronic music. He radically realigns the history of rock to emphasize its working class continuum and at the same time destroys the credibility of the entire rock critic establishment. Essential.

Essential tome on the god of rock

Simply put: this is the best and most thoroughly under-rated book on the subject of rock music. Carducci knows his subject inside out and gives a belated due to many greats of the '70s and '80s (Pere Ubu, Black Flag, Ramones, Minutemen, Saccharine Trust, Birthday Party, etc.), as well as correcting so many of the falsities propogated by the leftist music media of the last 30-40 years. The basic contention is that "unfashionable" forms of ROCK MUSIC (surf, greaser, punk, heavy metal) have never been given their credit due to the class snobbery of the rock-crit elite who favour the liberal, do-gooding sounds of pop simps U2, Sting, etc. and because "real" rock doesn't have the marketability of the pop stars that imitate it. There's no way you'll agree with everything Carducci has to say, but it's certainly the only rock'n'roll book that's ever made me really THINK.

He knows his stuff

You don't truly appreciate how few rock critics know anything about music until you read this book. If Black Flag just sounds like a morass to you, let Carducci explain in objective musical terms why they really had something. I think pop music has a lot more to offer than he gives it credit for, but nevertheless, this is an essential book because Carducci knows his subject matter (from the business to the stage to your CD player) inside and out and communicates his thoughts with utter clarity -- and often hilariously.