We Owe You Nothing, Punk Planet : The Collected Interviews [Paperback]

Daniel Sinker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2001

Cultural Writing. Includes interviews with Jello Biafra, Black Flag, Noam Chomsky, and Steve Albini, among others. PUNK PLANET is indespensible reading for anyone and everyone who is at all interested in vital music that has yet to be co-opted, commodified, or covered to death in the mainstream press. Passionate music writing for the right reasons -- Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times/ author of Let it Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs. In principle, the idea doesn't seem that outrageous: Why not create a magazine about music and politics that doesn't have its hands tied behind its back from the start, freed from the shallowness and trend mandates of official media, the insularity and disciplinary bifurcations of academia, and the ideological blinkers that held back Maximum Rock n Roll? Simple, right? So try thinking of anyone but PUNK PLANET who's pulled it off -- Eric Weisbard, Village Voice.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Over the past six years, Daniel Sinker's Chicago-based Punk Planet has grown from being one of the better self-published fanzines dedicated to punk culture to a professional, income-generating publication that hasn't lost sight of the ideals and uncompromising style that first garnered it attention. This collection of interviews reflects one of Punk Planet's most important qualities: Sinker's willingness to look beyond the small world of punk bands and labels and deal with larger issues. With interview subjects ranging from punk icons Thurston Moore and Ian MacKaye to Noam Chomsky and representatives of the Central Ohio Abortion Access Fund, as well as many other artists, musicians, and activists, this book is not solely for the tattooed, pierced teenage set. All of the interviews are probing and well thought out, the questions going deeper than most magazines would ever dare; and each has a succinct, informative introduction for readers who are unfamiliar with the subject. Required reading for all music fans. Vincent Au, New York
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...'We Owe You Nothing' goes beyond the more obvious figureheads to feature interviews with a lot of the players behind the scenes..." -- Hartford Courant, January 7, 2001

"All of the interviews are probing and well thought out...Required reading for all music fans." -- Library Journal, February 15, 2001

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 346 pages
• Publisher: Akashic Books (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888451149
• ISBN-13: 978-1888451146
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,350,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel Sinker is the head of the Knight-Mozilla News Technology Partnership. A writer, educator, designer, and programmer, he is the author of the @MayorEmanuel Twitter feed, the founder and developer of the local election tracker ChicagoMayoralScorecard.com and the mobile storytelling project CellStories.net.

From 1994-2007, Sinker was the founder and Editor In Chief of the influential underground culture magazine Punk Planet, the editor of the book We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet, the collected interviews, as well as the founder and editor of a line of fiercely independent books, Punk Planet Books, an imprint of Akashic Books.

Sinker was a 2007-08 John S. Knight Fellow at Stanford University, where he studied the impact of mobile technologies on traditional publishing model. He received his BFA in video production and new media from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1996.

Sinker is is also a graphic designer whose design for Joe Meno's Hairstyles of the Damned was named one of the 25 "new classic" book covers of the last 25 years by Entertainment Weekly. He also occasionally blogs about media for the Huffington Post.

He lives in Chicago with his wife and son.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a cultural chronicle that's important, readable, and fun, February 6, 2001

By 

Will Tupper (Farmington Hills, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We Owe You Nothing, Punk Planet : The Collected Interviews (Paperback)

In America's TV Nation, where reading is often considered dangerous (and for the most part, undesired), the books that are repeatedly shoved down our throat (like "Dope-rah's Book Club," as my witty friend Jack says) are ones that are... for the most part, really saying nothing that we haven't heard before.

I mean it when I say, this is not one of those books. "We Owe You Nothing" is a collection of 25 of the best interviews from Punk Planet magazine. Voted "Best Zine of 2000," in the Alternative Press Awards (sponsored by the Utne Reader), the stories of these musicians, writers, filmmakers, political activists, et.all are, simply put, some of the most incredible you may ever read. You'll see something in many of them that the mainstream media never wants you to see, never wants you to comprehend, understand, or read.

The truth.

These interviews are of the highest quality, and make for enlightening, entertaining, uttely enjoyable, envigorating reading. Once you get done with We Owe You Nothing, you'll know something valuable: that your life is up to you to define, that you can find art and revolution in the last places most would look, and that it's time for everyone to wake up just a little more, and become deeper in tune with the world around us.

My only complaint is that it all ended too soon. Clearly, it's far more deserving then five little stars on a computer screen, or my words about it. This book belongs in your hands, because once you're done reading, it's words, ideas and wisdom will surely seep into every one of your actions.

You could do much worse in your purchases, but it would be hard to do much better. We Owe You Nothing, on every level is sets out to acheive, totally, totally delivers.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All Interviews, Better than Expected, September 6, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: We Owe You Nothing, Punk Planet : The Collected Interviews (Paperback)

Beng familiar with the fanzine version this book took the interviews from since their first issue, I did not initially think this book would be that good. But coming from someone still involved in punk and hardcore and indie rock, I gotta say the interviews are quite good, and the subjects interviewed are some of the most important and best known.

The entire book is made up of interviews from past fanzine issues but I think interviews are great historical documents and should be more appreciated.

Punk Planet the fanzine doesn't blow me away but this book is really very good. Any indie music fan should have this on his/her bookshelf. No joke.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The invisible history revealed!, May 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: We Owe You Nothing, Punk Planet : The Collected Interviews (Paperback)

This book does a great job of introducing the major thinkers and doers in the punk underground from the last 10 years (and beyond). Well worth the money and the read, both for vetrans of the underground and people just learning about it for the first time. So many ideas, you have to read each interview a few times to really grasp it all. Great work guys!