It’s been feast or famine in the book stacks lately. This week is strictly from hunger. In fact, there are only two main choices: Clash and Cash. Kind of a tough call, when you think about it. Though I definitely know which side I’m on.
Wake Up! To the World of Bernard Rhodes
By Bernard Rhodes
THE PRESS RELEASE: “From the growth of punk and beyond, this visually rich collection of art, fashion and ephemera, accompanied by essays, draws from the archives and philosophy of one of the ‘prime instigators’ of U.K. punk — Bernard Rhodes. Wake Up! To the World of Bernard Rhodes is a first-hand account of the punk movement. Rhodes shares his title of ‘prime instigator of UK punk’ with Malcom McLaren. Been there, seen it, done it hardly does Rhodes’ story justice. Inspired by the avant-garde Situationist movement, and the designer of radical T-shirts for McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s Kings Road shop, it was Rhodes who introduced John Lydon to The Sex Pistols before engineering the formation of The Clash. With him as their manager, and the co-creator of their super-committed style, The Clash became and remains one of the biggest bands of the era, and a symbol of punk as a positive force. Alongside his two stints with them, Rhodes also nurtured The Specials and Dexy’s Midnight Runners to huge success.”
Johnny Cash International: How and Why Fans Love the Man in Black
By Michael Hinds & Jonathan Silverman
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Across all imaginable borders, Johnny Cash fans show the appeal of a thoroughly American performer who simultaneously inspires people worldwide. A young Norwegian shows off his Johnny Cash tattoo. A Canadian vlogger sings I Walk the Line to camel herders in Egypt’s White Desert. A shopkeeper in Northern Ireland plays Cash as his constant soundtrack. A Dutchwoman coordinates the activities of Cash fans worldwide and is subsequently offered the privilege of sleeping in Johnny’s bedroom. And on a more global scale, millions of people watch Cash’s videos online, then express themselves through commentary and debate. In Johnny Cash International, Michael Hinds and Jonathan Silverman examine digital and real-world fan communities and the individuals who comprise them, profiling their relationships to Cash and each other. Studying Johnny Cash’s international fans and their love for the man reveals new insights about music, fandom, and the United States.”
