Life Won't Wait by Michael Essington

I don't know what I like more, reading books or listening to music. I was listening to music in utero but I come from a long line of book worms. Books like "Life Won't Wait" make me lean towards reading (at least for the duration). ;-)  Mr. Essington picked up where he left off with Last One To Die, really this could be Last One To Die Part 2, or he could have gotten creative like they do with sequels in movie titles and called it Last One To Die With A Vengeance. The difference here though is that this is not a some lame sequel, instead it's just as freshly captivating as the first installment, no let down. Now I need to stop myself because I have some problems reviewing this book. First, I have been friends with Mike for several years now, followed his blog early on and most importantly I have a ton of respect for him as a human being (with so many assholes in this world, he gives us hope). On top of that, he bestowed upon this humble blogger a great honor by naming me in his acknowledgments, that as cool as being thanked on a record. The last problem I run into, is the risk of repeating what I said in my previous reviews of his books (and I already have). To put those worries to rest, I'll be blunt, if you dig outlaw autobiographies by someone besides a pretentious dickhead, something REAL, then you will dig this. Mike was/is an LA county Punk Rocker all the way, but if you were born anywhere in the US in the 60s, you can relate. Shit, just about anybody could relate to the plain and simple emotion of a life like his. This is exactly what drew me to Mike's writing in the first place, no bullshit. He's shown that he can write fiction too, as he did with his short story in Under a Broken Street Lamp, and I just don't know which I like better. Fortunately I don't have to pick his fiction or his non-fiction, it's an "and" thing, a simple equation, he writes 'em, I read 'em. You can get a sample of this latest book, to see for yourself, HERE. He's got a Facebook for the book and if you want to do the press thing you can go to his Createspace. You can also get the book there or you can get the kindle of it at Amazon. 30+ years later Michael is still going to gigs, so if you're in LA and you want to meet Mr. Essington, got to a Punk club or better yet go to any Symbol Six show and he's bound to be there.

Under a Broken Street Lamp - Michael Essington / David Gurz - short stories

I've pretty much been a comic book fiend lately, not super hero stuff, except Mark Millar's "Kick Ass", more like adult novels with graphics (sometimes brutal). So when I read "Under A Broken Street Lamp", a short collection of short stories, my first response to Michael Essington (of The Last One To Die) , one of the authors, was "loved the book Mike, all three stories were killer. Been reading a lot of adult comics lately Millar, Ennis etc. Yours and the Gurz stories would make great comics...Templesmith for the artist." I don't know if that would be a compliment to most people, but to me it's huge. These three stories are dark, but my mind was lit up with detailed images of the characters. Both writers paint vivid pictures, but they ration their words, like a shipwrecked crew does water...you savor every drop.  The stories are deep but there's no bullshit fluff to get lost in. These are not uplifting stories, you get two very real authors creating very real characters. "Gritty" is a word I've heard used with this style of writing. Gurz and Essington are similar in that respect, but they are two distinct entities, like Bukowski and Thompson. The cover image, a photo by the legendary Edward Colver sets the tone and really as a package, is the icing on the cake. As I said, this is a short collection of short stories, so it goes down pretty quick, like hobos sharing a bottle of wine. If I had one criticism, it's that it's too short. Not the stories themselves, they are perfectly complete, to add another sentence to them would be a waste of time. I'd like to see a collection of 5 or 6 stories from each author, but that's the addict in me, one is too many and a thousand is never enough. Each story is a complete meal, so give a guy three meals and then you've got yourself a regular customer.  Once you read these, you'll be like me, waiting to read more from these guys.  Here is the PR for the book in case you wanted something informative and not just my bullshit ramblings.  The book is now available on Kindle at Amazon for just 2 bucks. There are just 50 hardcopies, #d and signed, but you'll have to get in line behind me to get one of those. Hahaha...go to Mikes Last One To Die, Facebook page and get one from him quick.

Balance: European Hardcore by Tom Barry, Photography by Sophia Schorr-Kon

Got this in the mail the other day and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. UPS beat the hell out of the padded envelope, looked like it had been run over by a truck, so I guess that's another testimony to the quality of the book, it can take a beating.  I love getting anything in the mail, besides bills, especially records, but anything will do...ever since my days ordering stuff out of the back of comic books when I was a kid. You know being a thrift store shopper I forgot how a nice book with full color high resolution photographs can cost ($40), but let me tell you this is a NICE BOOK. I'm very impressed with the quality committed to something, like a part of the underground scene, which usually takes the form of newsprint or photocopies. The pictures themselves capture youth in motion and devotion, and as I said high resolution and very high quality, to be enjoyed as artwork in themselves. Sophia Schorr-Kon is a no-bullshit photographer. On top of that, Tom Barry is a master of the written word. Very easy reading that just flows, very matter of fact, but insightful as well.  The subject matter too is interseting on it's own.  I might agree with what some of my friends have put forward, that the American hardcore of the 80's died in the later half of that decade at the hands of the "boyscout" crews.  The same might be said of European hardcore.  Tom Barry addresses that very quickly though in his introduction, "Many oldschool detractors felt that this was not hardcore, that the sound had changed too much, that it was forgetting its punk and Oi roots.  The truth was that these kids were too young to be influenced by the same sounds; they’d created their own thing and it was spreading through Europe quickly."  There will always be a continuity in music and an evolution of sorts. Regardless of what you call it, this music and scene is representative of a certain segement of the population, the one that's on edge.  There's has to be something for them and of them, something besides what is popular with the masses or the watered underground music that seems to be fashionable with the Hot Topic scene or whatever they have in Europe.  Reading about these guys from France, Portugal, Germany, Poland and England left me rooting for their success.  But they are self determined and don't need my cheers, they are doing it for themselves.  The classic DIY attitude in action.  Here's the press thing that I got via email...

"Balance: European Hardcore Documenting the Bands and Lifestyles of the European Hardcore Music Scene

Borne out of the American punk scene of the late 1970s, hardcore music raged through the 1980s, spreading to towns and cities across the globe. The hardcore network spans all of Europe, and Balance visits every major node of it, opening the doors of the bars and dives that host Europe’s hardcore bands. Capturing the chaos of the mosh pit, the monotony of the office, and the sheer energy of the music, Balance pays homage to the bands, promoters, designers, and supporters who have made the decision to live a hardcore life.

Balance: European Hardcore features striking photography of shows and portraits of influential musicians. Alongside these images, the authors provide insights into the informal rules that give order to the international movement—for example, all lyrics are written and performed in English—allowing readers an insider’s perspective on the enduring but underdocumented music scene.

Balance focuses on the current European scene, documenting the lives of musicians who strike a balance between their day jobs and this vital musical force. From tattooists in Portugal to miners in Poland, Balance uncovers the twin lives of those working to support their passion. Hardcore has always been more than just music and although the performers and fans across the continent speak different languages and live in different places, they are tied to each other through a communal music scene that transcends borders.

Tom Barry is the drummer for London hardcore band Kartel and has been a fixture of the city's hardcore music scene since the 1990s. He began covering alternative and underground music as a staff writer with Big Cheese magazine before moving into youth work and continuing to contribute to community-focused publications. His writing has covered a variety of subjects, from interviews with Slayer to the content of local school meals.

Sophia Schorr-Kon is a freelance photographer who took up photography at the London College of Communication. She has covered a large range of UK music festivals such as Glastonbury and Bestival. She has also worked with many bands and musicians, shooting for labels such as Sony. Schorr-Kon also works within the political sphere and regularly contributes to the New Statesman.

Mark Batty Publisher (http://markbattypublisher.com/) is an independent publisher dedicated to making distinctive books on the visual art of communicating, showcasing the visual power and innovation of contemporary culture in all of its varied poses. Today, the visual comes at us from more places than ever, and its dissemination is faster and more advanced every year. Books from Mark Batty Publisher capture this acceleration on the pages of every book. Affordable, well designed, thoughtfully created, and produced to last, MBP books are artful products that readers want to hold onto forever."

You know even though I am kind of slut for getting this book for free and as a result giving it energy here, I'm finding out that's the relationship that reviewers have with releasers.  By the same token I wouldn't have given it this much enrgy and space if it wasn't good.  If you're the type of person who has a few bucks to spend, likes quality images and words, and just wants to learn little bit about a scene that you might not be familiar with, then this is DEFINITELY worth your time.

Last One To Die by Michael Essington

Another review, this time of a book written by one of those friends I've never actually met. Being that he's a buddy, my view point is already biased in his favor because it's a pretty damn good book. Mike is the one who finally got me to read Bukowski, and you can see Mr. Bukowski in Mike's writing style. The best way for me to describe it, is it's like have a beer (a fine wide cup of coffee for me now these days) and swapping stories about the past.  Basically what you get is a bunch of stories (most, if not all, originally written for Strange Reaction's Mike Check), loosely gathered under topics. Mike was a teenager during the second wave of punk and first wave of hardcore on the late 70' early 80's LA scene so it makes for an interesting read. If you've ever been in high school, had a dysfunctional family, had friends, been to punk shows, married with children or just plain old grown up, then you can relate. Very easy reading and because of the conversational nature, I breezed through it pretty quick and was left feeling like I could do that again, if Mike ever wrote a follow up (which I think he has plans to do). There is a Facebook page to check out, which is worth your time because Mike is a master of the Photoshop and has done some cool things with the cover of his book. You can get the book for about $14 at Headline Records or Createspace type in FGACJX53 for a discount.