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In Search of Tito’s Punks

On the Road in a Country That No Longer Exists
Series: Global Punk
4.36 goodreads logo

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( 22 ratings, 6 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Search of Tito’s Punks by Barry Phillips takes readers on a captivating journey through the former Yugoslavia, exploring the post-punk music scene and its cultural impact. The author traverses various countries that once comprised Yugoslavia, encountering colourful characters and compelling stories that shed light on the region's turbulent history and vibrant subcultures. This travelogue blends personal experiences with historical insights, offering an intriguing glimpse into a unique and transformative era.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're captivated by tales of exploration intertwined with cultural and musical history. Through the eyes of the author, embark on a journey across the former Yugoslavia, discovering the vibrant and rebellious punk scene that thrived under Tito's rule. It's perfect for those who appreciate travel adventures laced with intriguing narratives of resilience and creativity.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A look at the vibrant punk scene that exploded in Yugoslavia during Marshal Josip Broz Tito’s final years.

In 1981, Demob, a young multiracial punk rock band from a stagnating provincial English city, recorded “No Room For You,” a song that sold a few thousand copies before fading into history. The bass player was eighteen-year-old Barry Phillips, and in 2011, he received a Facebook message letting him know that the song was famous throughout the Balkans and had been covered by notable Yugoslavian punk bands. Hoping to understand how Demob’s song had taken root in the communist-era Balkans, Phillips travelled to the former Yugoslavia to learn about the punk scene that emerged in the waning years of Josip Broz Tito’s rule.

From Ljubljana to Rijeka to Novi Sad, Yugoslavia boasted one of the most dynamic punk rock and new wave scenes in the world. Rooted not only in western punk rock but also local Balkan folk music, its regional varieties each had a discernible DNA fused with Slavonian Tamburitza, Bosnian Sevdah, or the Dalmatian a cappella, Klapa.

In Search of Tito’s Punks includes interviews with Pankrti (Bastards), Darko Rundek, KUD Idijoti (Cultural Idiots), KBO!, Atheist Rap, and other heroes of Yugoslavian punk and post-punk music, as well as cultural commentators, journalists, filmmakers, authors, and punks. Phillips learns of border “walls” and Brutalism, discovers the world’s first fascist micro-state, sees the legacy of the NATO bombings and the impact of “turbo-capitalism,” and hears the recurrent echoes of genocides and the Holocaust. He also describes a gig where the entire village, including the mayor, came out to party with punks, and uncovers an unlikely relationship between Yugoslav music fans and an independent record shop in Wales.

The first English-language book devoted to the punk and post-punk scene in the former Yugoslavia, In Search of Tito’s Punks is an accessible, humane, honest, and rigorous look at a cultural movement that flourished during a period of political upheaval.

Series: Global Punk

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  • In Search of Tito’s Punks
    A look at the vibrant punk scene that exploded in Yugoslavia during Marshal Josip Broz Tito’s final years. In 1981, Demob, a young multiracial punk rock band from a stagnating provincial English city, recorded “No Room For You,” a song that sold a few thousand copies before fading into history. The bass player was eighteen-year-old Barry Phillips, and in 2011,...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

In Search of Tito’s Punks has received praise for its engaging blend of travel memoir, rock'n'roll history, and exploration of the former Yugoslavia's cultural and political landscape. Reviewers appreciate its multifaceted narrative, merging personal stories with broader historical contexts, offering an insightful look into the punk scene and its relevance to Balkan studies. The book is noted for being both accessible and thought-provoking, capturing the essence of a bygone era with a mix of humour and nostalgia.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781789387315

Publisher: Intellect

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 16 June 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Intellect Books

Illustration: 31 Halftones, black and white

Audience: General / adult, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 148.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 274

About the Author

Barry Phillips is a historian. He is also a former musician and singer-songwriter, former speech writer and policymaker, former ID parade suspect, shelf-stacker and barman.

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