1
of
1
Before It Went Rotten
The Music That Rocked London's Pubs 1972-1976
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
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$4499
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Before It Went Rotten
$4499
Unit price
/
Unavailable
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?
Latest News
TV Show Review on: Carrie
Liam's Review Carrie 26’Carrie has been on my radar for a while now, probably my...
The Struggle of Working Somewhere That Sells Beautiful Books
The problem is…I work in the cutest little (I said what I said) bookshop and...
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (12th October)
There's new dark romance from one of our favourites, the brand new US edition of...
Recent Releases I Would Add to My Classroom Library
Lizzy is rounding up a bunch of the recent children's releases that she thinks would...
Anthony Byrt visits Book Hero
We were lucky enough to hear from author Anthony Byrt as he was going to...
See moreBefore It Went Rotten takes a trip back to the world before punk. Covering the bands, the pubs, the characters, the albums, the songs and the personal histories that emerged out of the 60s, it shows how they provided the foundations for the musical explosion that swept the UK after 1977....
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
Before It Went Rotten takes a trip back to the world before punk.
When Anarchy in the UK appeared, London enjoyed one of the most vibrant music scenes in the world. A network of mainly Irish-owned pubs and clubs provided music every night, much of it free of charge, whilst working as a testing ground for up-and-coming talent. This book traces the evolution of what was quickly labelled 'pub-rock': from rock and roll revival acts via late blues bands, country rock, funk, soul, and art school bands to the sound that eventually burst on the scene as punk rock in 1976.
Specific chapters cover the career of Brinsley Schwarz, the Southend bands, and the step-by-step rise of the Sex Pistols. Among those interviewed are former members of Fumble, Darts, the John Dummer Blues Band, Blue Goose, Legend, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Brinsley Schwarz, Bees Make Honey, Ducks de Luxe, Kokomo, Roogalator, Burlesque, Kilburn and the High Roads, GT Moore and the Reggae Guitars, Clancy, the Fabulous Poodles, the Sex Pistols, and Meal Ticket. With acts like Dire Straits, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and Graham Parker all emerging from this terrain, the reader is asked to consider, what, if anything, would have been different if McLaren's band had never been around.
Extensively researched, and drawing on contemporaneous reviews and articles from the music press of the time, Before It Went Rotten bids fair to be the definitive study of an overlooked era.
'Addresses everything with a thoroughness and eye for detail that's hugely impressive' Irish Times
'[An] absorbing, fact-filled book' Herald
'Simon Matthews's comprehensive and enjoyable overview... excels as a gazetteer of film genres as varied as black cinema, dystopian futures, the rise and fall of punk rock, 1980s agitprop, and the big-screen careers of Joan Collins and David Bowie' Spectator
'A must-purchase for fans of British films and pop music' Goldmine
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?
Before It Went Rotten by Simon Matthews receives praise for its intricate construction and vivid storytelling. The book delves into London's 1970s, uncovering the rich history and vibrant stories of the time through extensive research and interviews. Reviewers highlight its engaging narrative, atmospheric descriptions, and its ability to rejuvenate interest in the lesser-known era of 'pub-rock', while brilliantly capturing the transitional phase from the Swinging Sixties to the dawn of punk.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780857305749
Publisher: Oldcastle Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 21 September 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Oldcastle Books Ltd
Illustration: Work includes 8 pages of full colour illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 153.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Simon Matthews has had a varied career including serving as a local councillor in London for more than ten years, a spell running the British Transport Films documentary film library and several years singing in semi-professional rock groups. He has contributed articles on music, film and cultural history to Record Collector, Shindig! and Lobster magazines. Psychedelic Celluloid, his illustrated history of UK music, film and TV between 1965 and 1974, was published by Oldcastle Books in 2016; the sequel, Looking for a New England, followed in 2021; House in the Country, which examines developments in urban planning and residential architecture, was published in 2022; and Free Your Mind!, an exploration of Giovanni 'Tinto' Brass and 1960s 'Swinging London', is due for publication in spring 2023.
Also by Simon Matthews
View all-
Looking for a New England
Looking for a New England covers the period from 1975 to 1986, spanning from Slade in Flame to Absolute Beginners. This book offers a carefully researched exploration of transgressive films, the career of David Bowie, dystopias, the Joan Collins oeuvre, black cinema, the origins and impact of punk music, and political films. It also delves into comedy, how Ireland and...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Everything and the Kitchen Sink
Everything and the Kitchen Sink analyses 'kitchen sink realism' and the birth of 'pop cinema' in the context of contemporaneous debates surrounding politics, civil liberties, sexuality, race, immigration and urbanisation. Covering the lives and careers of well-known figures such as Alan Sillitoe, Shelagh Delaney, David Storey, Edna O'Brien and Albert Finney, as well as charting the rise of iconic British...Paperback$4499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Free Your Mind!
Between 1967 and 1970, Italian auteur Giovanni 'Tinto' Brass directed four feature films in London, each starring a woman as the main character. Exploring the political, cultural, and sexual ideas of their time, often in a deliberate pop-art style, these films contain much priceless footage of now forgotten neighbourhoods, galleries, clubs, and events, as well as an abundance of contemporary...Paperback$4499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
A Study in Failure
Every politician's rise to power is a story of success and failure, accompanied by tantalising what-might-have-beens. The career of Winston Churchill was no exception, with his eight months prior to becoming Prime Minister as First Lord of the Admiralty marked by the loss of important warships, the planning of disastrous expeditions and the design of impractical weapons. Based on archival...Hardback$5799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
More from Science & Nature
View all-
Nuclear War
The Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction thriller that has to be read to be believed. Baillie Gifford shortlisted, a favourite of Steven Bartlett, with an average reader rating of 4.6, sure to be a mass-market hit. Up to now, no one outside of official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Anxious Generation
A powerful argument for reclaiming childhood—and all human relationships—from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spaces—communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Prisoners of Geography
Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present, and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determine world history – because if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture. Originally published in 2015, this completely revised and updated edition brings it up to date with the events and trends of the past...Paperback$2899Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Ultra-Processed People
Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Kitchen Confidential
The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ — A.A. Gill ‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ — Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Sapiens
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari is an extraordinary exploration of humanity's history from the dawn of our species to the present day. Harari delves into our evolution, offering insights into the cognitive revolutions that allowed Homo sapiens to rise above other animal species. Traversing through various stages of human development, he examines the Agricultural Revolution, the unification of humankind through...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Talk
A Harvard professor shows how we can become better talkers - and why effective conversation will help us all thrive. Conversation is at the heart of our relationships and decision-making, but the science behind our everyday interactions, and how to improve them, is little known. In Talk, Harvard Professor Alison Wood Brooks provides fascinating insights into the power of effective...Paperback$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Clean & Green
Simple swaps and innovative ideas for cleaning and maintaining your home that won't cost the Earth. Learn how easy it is to make simple swaps in your cleaning and tidying methods for a more eco-friendly home. This beautifully illustrated black and white guide with 101 hints and sustainable, natural cleaning tips and hacks will help you take small steps that...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
18% offThe Genetic Book of the Dead
From one of the world’s great science writers, a book that explores the deepest principles of evolutionary history. In this groundbreaking new approach to the evolution of all life, Richard Dawkins shows how the body, behaviour, and genes of every living creature can be read as a book – an archive of the worlds of its ancestors. A perfectly camouflaged...Hardback$4000Elsewhere:$5499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Coming Wave
The instant Sunday Times bestseller from the ultimate AI insider - the only book you need to read on this subject. An Economist, Financial Times, Guardian, Prospect and Sunday Times Book of the Year Shortlisted for the FT and Schroders Business Book of the Year This is the only book you need to understand our new world - from the...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Breath
Discover the transformative power of breathing in Breath by esteemed journalist James Nestor. This revolutionary book delves into the science and history of one of the most fundamental human activities - breathing. From the bustling streets of São Paulo to the serene temples of India, Nestor embarks on a global journey to uncover the secrets of ancient breathing techniques such...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Murder Before Evensong
THE INSTANTLY ICONIC NO. 1 BESTSELLER 'I've been waiting for a novel with vicars, rude old ladies, murder and sausage dogs... et voila!' Dawn French 'Cosy crime with a cutting edge' Telegraph 'Whodunnit fans can give praise and rejoice' Ian Rankin 'Charming and funny' Observer 'Even better than I knew it would be' India Knight 'Quintessentially English' Sunday Express 'An...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Science & Nature lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
