Simon, L: Wish You Were Here

The American underground music scene is exploding everywhere?not just in New York City and L.A. (although we've got those cities covered too!):

"e;This book was really fun to read and I actually learned a lot. Wait a minute... Does giving a quote for this book mean people will know that I didn't actually already know this stuff? Lame."e; — Hayley Williams, Paramore"e;Wish You Were Here knows way too much about the history, minute details, and inner-workings of these 11 punk and indie scenes. I don't know how Leslie figured out all this stuff, but I'm changing my locks and checking the phone for bugs."e; — Tim McIlrath, "e;Rise Against"e; guitarist and lead singer"e;Anything you ever wanted to know about your city's indie scene (plus plenty of snark) is packed into these pages."e; — Alternative Press"e;In what has got to be the best guide book on punk rock... well ever, rock journalist Simon answers a slew of questions never asked about punk rock and indie scenes across the U.S."e;. — NeuFutur Magazine"e;Readers who are part of one of these scenes and fans of a particular genre who will be visiting one of the locales will find this a quick and useful read...an entertaining glimpse at nonmainstream music of today and the recent past."e; — Library Journal"e;The selection of indie music-centric cities is spot-on... Simon's text is knowledgeable... the book serves as a helpful jumping-off point for readers looking to learn more."e; — Publishers Weekly"e;Simon ensures there's never a dull moment...Rob Dobi's spot-on illustrations appear throughout the book as the perfect complement to her enthusiastic and hilarious voice."e; — Sacramento Book Review online

A snarky, fact-filled look at the people and places that made the indie/punk scene what it is todayThe American underground music scene is exploding everywherenot just in New York City and L.A. (although we've got those cities covered too!): In Washington, D.C. . . . Ian MacKaye and Fugazi inspired the straightedge culture, which had kids everywhere drawing black X's on their hands in magic marker. In Omaha, Nebraska . . . A young Conor Oberst, aka Bright Eyes, started writing and performing gut-wrenching love songs at the tender age of thirteen.On Long Island, New York . . . Taking Back Sunday and Brand New battled for emo supremacy and the fragile hearts of a million teenage girls.From the coauthor of the cult-worthy Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture comes Wish You Were Herea combination travel guide and tortured history covering everything from what constitutes proper rock critic etiquette in Minneapolis to why pop-punk bands in Chicago have so much suburban angst, to how freegans in the Bay Area can feed themselves on a budget that would make frugal Rachael Ray's face blush.