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| Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital | 
 enlarge | Authors: Mark Andersen, Mark Jenkins
Publisher: Akashic Books
Category: Book
Buy New: $29.59
Buy New/Collectible from $29.59
Avg. Customer Rating:  (22 reviews)
Sales Rank: 466275
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 450
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 8 x 7.9 x 1.1
ISBN: 1888451440
Dewey Decimal Number: 781.66
EAN: 9781888451443
ASIN: 1888451440
Publication Date: August 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
"A truly compelling narrative . . . a powerful piece of cultural reporting."-Washington Post Washington, D.C.'s creative, politically insurgent punk scene is studied for the first time by local activist Mark Andersen and arts writer Mark Jenkins. The nation's capital gave birth to the most influential punk underground of the 80s and 90s. Dance of Days recounts the rise of trailblazing artists such as Bad Brains, Henry Rollins, Fugazi and Bikini Kill. Mark Andersen is outreach coordinator for Emmaus Services for the Aging, and lives in Washington, D.C. Mark Jenkins writes about music and film for the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, NPR's "All Things Considered," and other outlets. He lives in Washington, D.C.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Prep School Baldies Get Sweaty August 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Dance Of Days is a decent enough book. It tells stories well and covers as much as it can through the political activist-colored glasses of the author, Mark Andersen. The book was co-written (read cleaned up) by DC alt-journalism staple Mark Jenkins, who probably and thankfully removed the tear-stained confessional aspects of Andersen's writing that moistens the book's beginning and end.
The subtitle is misleading to some because it's not hugely comprehensive of every band and scene in DC, but Andersen's not a writer by trade but an active participant in the Dischord scene as an organizer for Positive Force, a DIY activist group. The book is slanted heavily towards politically correct assumptions of what is right and real, but in that regard its saving grace is Andersen's compulsion to point out the bad along with the good. To his credit, and in defiance of the rules of political activism, he insists on reporting the DC scene warts and all.
In the world of Dance Of Days, "meaning" is really super important. Lyrics contain the answers to life's problems and banging pickle buckets in the park across from the White House accomplishes a whole lot. Shows are remembered in perfect detail, and the right word or note creates synergies between band and audience as close to a religious experience as most are ever going to experience.
The major players of the scene are creative types full of the euphemism "contradictions". Ian MacKaye is ok even though he's pushy with ideas and more violent than you'd imagine. The DC scene would rank up there with Passaic, NJ if not for him. Henry Rollins is pathologically hypocritical in everything he does and says. HR of Bad Brains is clinically insane.
It's safe to say Dance Of Days is not a history of the DC punk scene but a well researched set of remembrances of what one person found exciting and interesting. It's where you can read the line "They were trying to survive, searching for a tribe, for family, for fun" and maybe not puke. Maybe.
 Must Read June 20, 2008
I moved to DC because of the music, plain and simple. And this is a wonderful reminder of how great it was to be in a community of incredible creative people who were also passionate about politics and social change.
 Misquoted April 22, 2008
I give it two stars for a great concept but I have a few issues with it since it is suppose to be non-fiction. The 1st being that someone I know was was misquoted in it which makes me wonder how many other people people were misquoted as well. Also I would disagree with some the character descriptions and affiliations given to a few of the people.
 wow November 16, 2006
It's a great book but you aren't into the bands and curious about the scene at that time then you will probably be pretty bored.
HARDcore August 6, 2006
I loved reading this book. I even saw some of my good friends past and present in here. A must have for the DC Hardcore fan, what a great birthday present I give it 6 stars!
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