The Fascist Groove Thing

Name: The Fascist Groove Thing
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SKU: 9781629638843
Price: 58.0 NZD
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A History of Thatcher's Britain in 21 Mixtapes

By Hugh Hodges

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4.05

( 42 ratings, 3 reviews)

Summary

The Fascist Groove Thing explores the late 1970s and 1980s through the potent songs of artists like the Clash, the Specials, the Style Council, and nearly four hundred others. Each chapter features a curated playlist reflecting aspects of Thatcher's Britain, followed by insightful analysis of how these musicians challenged the prevailing Thatcherite vision. The book offers a fierce, sardonic narrative of a time when pop music became a form of resistance, making a bold noise against the political climate of the era.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$58⁰⁰

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The Fascist Groove Thing

$58⁰⁰

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?

Ideal for readers interested in British political and cultural history, music enthusiasts keen on the punk and post-punk eras, and those intrigued by the intersection of art and social commentary.

Description

This is the late 1970s and '80s as explained through the urgent and still-relevant songs of the Clash, the Specials, the Au Pairs, the Style Council, the Pet Shop Boys, and nearly four hundred other bands and solo artists.

Each chapter presents a mixtape (or playlist) of songs related to an alarming feature of Thatcher's Britain, followed by an analysis of the dialogue these artists created with the Thatcherite vision of British society. "Tell us the truth," Sham 69 demanded, and pop music, however improbably, did. It's a furious and sardonic account of dark times when pop music raised a dissenting fist against Thatcher's fascist groove thing and made a glorious, boredom-smashing noise.

Bookended with contributions by Dick Lucas and Boff Whalley as well as an annotated discography, The Fascist Groove Thing presents an original and polemical account of the era.

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?

Matthew Worley praises the book for evoking the sounds and atmosphere of the tumultuous 1980s, highlighting its success in intertwining music and history to illuminate a precarious period. Anne Clark describes it as "very interesting and timely indeed," endorsing its relevance and insight.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781629638843

Publisher: PM Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 February 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: PM Press

Contributors:

Foreword by Boff Whalley
Preface by Dick Lucas

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 228.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 320

Collections

Arts & Culture Hugh Hodges Non-Fiction

About the Author

Hugh Hodges has written extensively on African and West Indian music, poetry, and fiction, including essays on Fela Kuti, Lord Kitchener, and Bob Marley. Linton Kwesi Johnson praised his book Soon Come as “extremely engaging and an important, original scholarly work.” He currently teaches at Trent University, Ontario, where his research focuses on cultural resistance in its many forms, and his band the Red Finks remains hopelessly obscure. Dick Lucas is a writer and visual artist, and the vocalist for three iconic punk bands: Subhumans, Citizen Fish, and Culture Shock. He is also the founder of independent punk label Bluurg Records. Boff Whalley is a writer and musician, and a founding member of Chumbawamba. He is also an avid fell runner, the subject of his book Run Wild. His most recent musical project is Commoners Choir, a “strange yet open and inclusive choir that meets in Leeds.” The choir’s most recent release is Untied Kingdom, which Folk Radio praises as “an exhilarating display of rousing natural togetherness, of pride and of passion.