It's news to most of us that rock and roll cartoonist is a job option, but that's exactly what Sacco did before hitting the (relative) big time with his graphic journalism masterpieces like Safe Area Gorazde
. In this ragtag mix tape of Sacco's early work, he turns his impressionistic eye on the grunge, grit, passion and foolhardiness of the music world. The bulk of the book is set in the early '90s when he roadied with punk band the Miracle Workers (a CD of their live shows is included) on their European tour, a low-scale bacchanal of booze, groupies and dangerous hygiene. Later sections detail Sacco's attempt to make a living drawing concert posters in Berlin—interesting enough, but his self-deprecating captions aren't just false modesty—as well as his hilariously serious obsession with the Rolling Stones, the high point of the book. As usual, Sacco draws himself as a bespectacled, nervous goon (shades of R. Crumb's sweaty self-portraiture) surrounded by vibrant, clanging chaos. The effect is modestly entertaining, but the end result is like a B-side and rarities CD—something to pacify fans until the artist in question gets back to his real work. (Sept.)
