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Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984

by Simon Reynolds

A history of post-punk’s experimental turn

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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A history of post-punk’s experimental turn

Simon Reynolds traces the period from 1978 to 1984 when artists associated with post-punk pushed beyond punk’s initial framework into new approaches to sound, lyrics, performance, and visual identity. The book connects groups including Joy Division, Gang of Four, Talking Heads, and Devo with the later emergence of synth-pop acts such as the Human League, Depeche Mode, and Soft Cell. It also places this musical shift alongside the growing importance of music video and MTV, framing post-punk as a period of wide-ranging innovation across popular music culture.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Fans of post-punk, punk, and early synth-pop
  • Readers interested in late-1970s and early-1980s popular music history
  • Music readers curious about the rise of MTV and video culture

Themes

Post-punkMusical innovationSynth-popPerformance and styleMTV and music video

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A landmark history of post-punk and the basis of the documentary film directed by Nikolaos Katranis

Renowned music journalist Simon Reynolds celebrates the futurist sound and spirit of such bands as Joy Division, Gang of Four, Talking Heads, and Devo, which resulted in endless innovations in music, lyrics, performance, and style. Reynolds explores these influences which continued into the early eighties with the video-savvy synth-pop of groups such as Human League, Depeche Mode, and Soft Cell--all of whom found success which coincided with the rise of the iconic Music Telelvision, or better known as MTV.

Full of insight and anecdotes and populated by charismatic and well-known characters, Rip It Up and Start Again re-creates the idealism, urgency, and excitement of one of the most important and challenging periods in the history of popular music.
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