Totally Wired: Post-Punk Interviews and Overviews

Totally Wired: Post-Punk Interviews and Overviews compiles Simon Reynolds' conversations with key figures from the post-punk era of 1978-1984. The book serves as a companion piece to Reynolds' comprehensive history Rip It Up and Start Again, featuring extended interviews with musicians, producers, and scene-makers from both sides of the Atlantic. The interviews capture first-hand accounts from members of bands like Joy Division, Gang of Four, and Public Image Ltd. Reynolds includes contextual introductions for each conversation and weaves additional commentary throughout. A section of critical essays examines specific aspects of the post-punk movement and its cultural impact. The book documents the DIY ethics, political consciousness, and experimental nature of post-punk through direct sources. Technical discussions of recording methods and songwriting processes are balanced with personal reflections on the era's creative ferment and social dynamics. These collected conversations reveal post-punk as a moment of radical possibility in popular music, when artists sought to demolish boundaries between genres and between art and commerce. The book preserves the movement's spirit of restless inquiry and refusal to accept limitations.

Readers appreciate Reynolds' deep knowledge of post-punk and his ability to connect musical developments to broader cultural shifts. Many note the value of having the original interviews collected in one place, with one reader calling them "time capsules of the era." The book receives praise for covering both major artists and obscure acts. Multiple readers highlighted the Joy Division/Ian Curtis sections as particularly insightful. Common criticisms include: - Too much academic theory and jargon - Reynolds' writing can be dense and difficult to follow - Some interviews feel redundant or overlong - Missing key bands/figures from the scene Ratings: Goodreads: 4.13/5 (230 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (28 reviews) One Amazon reviewer noted: "Reynolds can get carried away with intellectual analysis, but his passion for the music shines through." Several Goodreads users mentioned the book works best as a companion to Reynolds' "Rip It Up and Start Again" rather than a standalone work.

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🎸 Simon Reynolds coined the term "post-rock" in 1994 and helped establish it as a recognized music genre through his writing in The Wire magazine 🎼 The book features extensive interviews with key post-punk figures who rarely spoke to the press, including Public Image Ltd bassist Jah Wobble and The Pop Group's Mark Stewart ⚡ Post-punk emerged when bands began incorporating influences from non-rock sources like dub reggae, funk, electronic music, and avant-garde experimentation, marking a dramatic shift from punk's raw simplicity 🎹 Many interviews in the book were conducted during the 1990s and early 2000s but weren't published until this book's release in 2009, providing fresh perspectives on the movement years after it ended 🌟 The book serves as a companion piece to Reynolds' comprehensive post-punk history "Rip It Up and Start Again," expanding on themes and adding deeper context through first-hand accounts