Customer Reviews

Amped : Notes from a Go-Nowhere Punk Band

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
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My son, age 15, needs to read for school and I'm constantly trying to find things that interest him. This book did it, he read it almost non-stop. He's into music and bands and this book kept his interest.

This book is a real friggin gem. Very well written (cannot say the same for most "punk" books that have surfaced recently), concise,and engaging. Though a work of non-fiction, it reads like a very modest historical account of a guy getting turned on to punk rock and how his band, friends, and life develops. Funny anecdotes, honest perspective ... Amped is about as good as it gets when analyzing a time in "punk" when punk and hardcore had gone different ways and indie rock was developing. Amped captures the spirit of many who drifted between scenes and couldn't help themselves from being underground. This paints a pefect picture.

Okay, I loved this book. It's one of those books that you find that you're reading at three in the morning because you don't want to wait till tomorrow to finish it, and then you start laughing through your nose and snorting (something which you hardly ever do) cos it's such a riot, and cos Jon Resh is one of those authors... by which I mean, the kind of author who finds humor in the little things in life, and who can express himself with intelligence and wit. According to him, he was a (crummy)singer, but that's okay - cos he's a hell of a writer. I recommend Amped highly.

Jon Resh should really write more books, because "Amped" is one of the funniest, wittiest and captivating books I've ever read, especially in the literary punk genre. It's a short book that can be finished in one sitting, and I can assure you that once you start reading it, you won't be able to put it back down.

The fact that this book is actually a work of NON-fiction makes the wonderful writing all the more amazing. Resh has the uncanny ability of making anecdotes of his unknown life in his equally unknown punkrock band actually seem *interesting*, and all without any self-aggrandizing embellishment. The author is truly down to earth and never makes him or his band out to be something they obviously aren't. But while the situations and experiences are downright mundane, he's somehow always able to pull something much greater out of them, and leave you feeling as if you've actually *learned* something of great "bigger-picture" importance.

Resh and his band, Spoke, never made it big (as the subtitle of the book obviously implies), but through all of his stories of nightmarish touring in decrepit vans, surviving on Ramen noodles, getting shafted by unscrupulous club owners and dozens of other decidedly unglamourous experiences that one usually has in a "go nowhere" rock-and-roll band, you get the overall feeling that it was all worth it. That's what punkrock (and rock and roll in general) is supposed to be all about: Having Unabashed Fun For No Materialistic Reward. After you finish reading the book, you really feel that it's perfectly possible to live a fulfilled and fun life, even if you are dirt poor with not an iota of fame or recognition to your credit.

If there's one thing I found lacking about this book is that it would have been nice if it included a supplementary CD containing the Spoke songs mentioned in the book. Although by all accounts Spoke was a mediocre punkrock band at best, being able to actually hear how mediocre they were would have put an interesting context around the book as a whole.

But that criticism aside, "Amped" is one of the best books you will ever have the pleasure of reading, even if you're not into punkrock (although many of the cultural and musical references will go over your head if you're not). It's just page after page of great, fun stories.

i dont remember when the last time i actually finished a whole book. i finished this in 3 days (extremely fast for me) you dont want to put it down. completely worth reading.

I wasn't really expecting too much out of this book -- I was never a big Spoke fan, but enjoy reading about the days when I was more active in the scene than I find myself today. Once I started reading this I was immediately drawn in. Jon Resh is truly a gifted writer, turning out intelligent phrases in a down to earth and easy to read style. After reading this I had to pick up a Spoke cd just because I felt like I knew the band so well. I truely hope to see more from Mr. Resh in the future.

Jon Resh can turn a phrase. You'll find gems like "The sound I make when 'singing' could be mistaken for a lion puking into a megaphone" amidst his simple and direct -- and damn funny -- stories. "Amped" chronicles the short yet happy life of his band Spoke, and in doing so, perfectly captures the DIY punk zeitgeist.

Jon's work is awesome. I was a witness to many of the events in this book, and Jon has an amazing ability to paint an entertaining, yet true picture of life with Spoke. Anyone who enjoys music, life, and the spirit of punk rock will enjoy this book. It's too bad it doesn't come with a limited edition Spoke napkin. Viva pastacore!

In an endless sea of fairly dire accounts of what it's like to be directly involved in the early 90s "punk" scene. This book shines above all of them in its honesty, straight-forwardness, and humor.

Resh has a definite gift of capturing moods, events, and thoughts with refreshing clarity. While most books on this type of genre tend to faffle about in somewhat self-indulgent musings, "Amped" cuts straight through to the real thing.

Divided into individual chapters ranging from "Touring", "Major Labels", "Drugs", etc., the author has created a tight, and focused work that reads smoothly from start to finish.

Buy it.