In this energetic survey of current trends in punk rock, journalist and music critic Diehl (Notorious C.O.P.
) delivers a knowledgeable and sympathetic overview of the current "neo-punk" bands that achieved success with "the pop music mainstream in the mid-1990s," from big names such as the Offspring and Rancid to lesser-known artists such as Brody Dalle. He nails the key musical reason for the megapopularity of neo-punk band Green Day: while they "trafficked in three-chord minimalism, unlike many of their punk peers, they maintained a keen sense for imbuing those three chords with classic pop song structure and melody." But as a fan of punk music since its heyday in 1977, Diehl is also able to explain the various "vital subsets of the already subcultural punk experience." He keenly reports on how the age-old conflict between authenticity and commercial success has become a key issue in all parts of the neo-punk scene, from resolutely "indie" labels like Epitaph and Dischord to the popular Vans Warped Tour's "blending of the mainstream and the underground." Diehl convincingly argues that "[e]ven in its most crass, commercial state, Punk, Inc. offers more integrity and authenticity than anything comparable on the pure pop side." (Apr.)
