Two excellent histories. Really, really could not be more thrilled to semi-kick off the year with these two. Both of these cover periods of time that were decidedly before my time. I was in high school\/seriously in a punk scene from like 2002-2006. Green Day had long sold out, but the nail in my personal coffin was American Idiot<\/em>. Hell, Rancid<\/em> seemed like old heads, Op Ivy was an Old Testament myth. And yes, I was primarily into pop-punk, which just about everyone in these books would probably kick me out of the club for. If I even got in, given my shoulder-length hair. Whatever, I like to think the actual arrival of fascism in the U.S. halls of power would make those differences pass\u00e9. Let’s talk about The Secret History of Black Punk<\/em> by Reaghan Buchanan and Going Underground: American Punk 1979-1989<\/em> by George Hurchalla. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Secret History Of Black Punk<\/em> by Reaghan Buchanan:<\/strong> I picked this graphic zine up in a section of Women and Children First that I had never seen before, and man, I am glad I had to look for whatever book I was looking for that day. This zine is exactly as it presents itself: a comic book-style history of Black punk artists, from Pure Hell to Mad Dog Karla on up to The Germs and the Bad Brains to more present-day bands like FUPU and Big Joanie. It begins, of course, with the original rock n roll shredder, Sister Rosetta Tharp, because Reaghan knows her shit. There\u2019s also a two-page spread interviewing Hanif Abdurraqib. I love this comic, and will be listening to all of these bands this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Going Underground: American Punk, 1979-1989<\/em> by George Hurchalla:<\/strong> I picked up this up from the Haymarket tent at Printer\u2019s Row fest this summer, though it’s off PM Press. There are a lot of punk histories out there that have been hard for me to get into\u2014I checked one out from the library a while ago that seemed to be more into fashion than anything, which, fine, but not my interest\u2014but I figured one that Haymarket was pushing would be worth it. My dudes, I was not wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The book is something of survey. Hurchalla grew up in Florida (giving him that hungry, there’s-nothing-here-so-I’m-seeking-out-everything<\/em> attitude about music), went to college in Philly (a thriving scene), had a failed attempt at a band (the Gutless Meanies, described by George with hilarious self-effacement), and had a radio show. So he knew what was happening. He traveled to shows and took being a part of the scene seriously\u2014always important, but especially in the pre-Internet, DIY-or-die days. It says 1979-1989, and that\u2019s true enough, but it leans heavily on 1979-1986. By the time we get to Op Ivy and Gilman Street\u2014the generation that I considered \u201cthe old generation\u201d\u2014George is the old head. He\u2019s kinda like Allen Iverson: never dogging the newcomers, but firmly rooted in his own preferences, encyclopedic though his knowledge is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I got a lot of out this book. Really been enjoying Naked Raygun, JFA, and my wife even gave TSOL an \u201cokay why is this kinda good tho.\u201d The NOFX song “Two Jealous Agains<\/a>\u201d makes a lot more sense, and calling a whole chapter \u201cThis is Boston Not LA<\/a>\u201d got that hook stuck in my head for a solid week. THAT SAID: I’m glad to also read Reaghan Buchanan and Michelle Cruz Gonzalez (whom we\u2019ll read next week). I\u2019m not accusing George of anything. He somewhat tackles issues of racism and homophobia (although I would argue a lot of the Bad Brains stuff is glossed over, especially what happened with Big Boys). He does a long section celebrating the queerpunk scene in 1980s Texas. It’s just a different perspective, and if you\u2019re going to get into the history of this stuff? Well, George has his focuses. It\u2019s interesting how often the Bad Brains show up in George\u2019s book, juxtaposed with this page from Reaghan\u2019s:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All I\u2019m saying is read broadly, bedroom historians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n LINKS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Something to listen to while you browse? One of the first things to attract me to punk\u2014besides fast music matching my own teenage energy\u2014was anti-imperialism. It super sucks that imperialism is back in a big way this week! As the U.S. once again\u2014but more mask-off ugly this time\u2014re-asserts itself as the absolute bully of the word, the oppressor, and the worst thing to happen to South and Central America since Columbus, it seems only right to turn to Los Crudos. The Uruguayan-Mexican-Chicagoan punks were hollerin about all this a long time ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/buchanan-hurchalla-1024x768.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/do-you-like-bad-brains-1024x796.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n