Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo

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Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo
Nothing Feels Good Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo.jpg
Author Andy Greenwald
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Subject Emo, punk rock
Genre Biography, music
Publisher St. Martin's Press
Publication date
15 November 2003
Media typePrint
Pages320
ISBN 0-312-30863-9
OCLC 861608948

Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers and Emo is a book by Andy Greenwald, then a senior contributing writer at Spin magazine, published in November 2003 by St. Martin's Press. Greenwald documents the history of the emo genre from its mid 1980s origins in Washington, D.C. to a more recent crop of bands, such as Thursday and Dashboard Confessional. The book received generally favorable reviews from music publications, with it appearing on best-of lists by Alternative Press and NME .

Contents

Content and publication

In Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers and Emo, Greenwald recounts the origin point of emo, starting with the hardcore punk scene in Washington, D.C. [1] He pinpoints the origin of the genre's name to 1985, when it was originally referred to as "emotional hardcore or emocore". [2] It leads into the 1990s underground reinvention of the genre with acts such as Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate. [1] During this era, Greenwald considers Nothing Feels Good (1997) by the Promise Ring to be the embodiment of emo, which is where the book takes its name from. [3] [4] Chicago Reader writer Bob Mehr said the book's "narrative takes a pivotal turn" with the popularization of the Internet, as Greenwald explains how it aided the genre. [3] [5]

The book then continues into the current day of the genre, chronicling the rise of bands like the Get Up Kids and Thursday. [1] The book heavily leans towards a fan perspective, discussed through interviews, emails and chatroom transcripts. A significant portion of it is dedicated to Chris Carrabba and his acoustic project Dashboard Confessional. [3] Greenwald also details the history of blogging platform LiveJournal, dating site Makeoutclub, and the browser game Emogame . [3] [6] Jon Ross of PopMatters said the author "debunked some myths" surrounding the genre, such as "bands weren’t laced with frontmen who wept through their words and made screaming sound like whining". [7] It was published by St. Martin's Press on November 15, 2003. [8]

Reception

Noel Murray of The A.V. Club felt Greenwald offers a "valuable primer, albeit an incomplete one", mentioning a lack of detail on Bright Eyes, Cursive and the artsy works of Death Cab for Cutie and the Dismemberment Plan. Murray wished that Greenwald had included a core catalogue of emo releases; despite this, he found it to be "extraordinarily handy as a report on what the scene is all about". [1] Mehr praised Greenwald for doing a "solid job explaining the contributions" of bands like Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate, "but reduces other influential 90s outfits, like Boys Life and Christie Front Drive, to footnotes." [3] While reviewing Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture (2007), Ross said it was an "excellent exploration of emo as a culture: where it came from, what it means, why it matters", adding that Greenwald "took the word ’emo’, gave it a face, and explained why it was popular". [7]

Nick Catucci of The Village Voice wrote that the book would "engross young fans and the culturally curious with its blend of filthy gossip, detailed research, sturdy analysis, and—most important—empathy". [5] The Spokesman-Review writer John Kappes said the book "makes a case that there is an undeniable grass-roots phenomenon here that could bear further investigation", while Dallas Observer contributor Andrea Grimes called it the "definitive work on [emo] music thus far". [9] [10] Spin 's Adrienne Day said Greenwald "pins down the misunderstood genre and its teary-eyed, dedicated listeners", coming across as an "enthusiastic and exhaustive journalistic account of the music’s history". [11] Eric Grubbs, author of Post: A Look at the Influence of Post-Hardcore 1985–2007 (2008), said Greenwald's approach, "which is 'Aww, these poor little guys, they've been mortally wounded by girls,' [...] I get the feeling that they've got their tongues in their cheeks when they're writing it." [9] Writer Leor Galil equally disliked Greenwald as he "doesn’t seem to understand the impulse that emo acts have towards evolution, probably because the very thesis of Nothing Feels Good denies this concept". [12] Blender 's Dorian Lynskey aside from interviews with Carrabba and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, "there's precious little starpower here", as some of the important people "don't have much in the way of insight". [5]

NME 's Madeleine Macrae considered Nothing Feels Good as one of the 20 best books on music, calling it a "serious, respectful analysis of emo culture". [13] Alternative Press writer Alex Darus included the book on a list of 11 books about the scene, stating that it "makes the argument that emo is much more than a genre that is mocked by many, but it’s a huge part of being a teenager". [14] Jameson Ketchum of New Noise Magazine said the book made Greenwald become "THEE foremost authority on the early 2000’s emo scene", as it serves as "an absolute must for any music fan even brushing past that era of greatness". [6]

Related Research Articles

Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of post-hardcore and hardcore punk from the mid-1980s Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered by bands such as Rites of Spring and Embrace. In the early–mid 1990s, emo was adopted and reinvented by alternative rock, indie rock and/or punk rock bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Weezer, Cap'n Jazz, and Jimmy Eat World. By the mid-1990s, bands such as Braid, the Promise Ring, and the Get Up Kids emerged from the burgeoning Midwest emo scene, and several independent record labels began to specialize in the genre. Meanwhile, screamo, a more aggressive style of emo using screamed vocals, also emerged, pioneered by the San Diego bands Heroin and Antioch Arrow. Screamo achieved mainstream success in the 2000s with bands like Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, Story of the Year, Thursday, the Used, and Underoath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rites of Spring</span> American punk rock band

Rites of Spring was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in late 1983. Along with Embrace, and Beefeater, they were one of the mainstay acts of the 1985 Revolution Summer movement which took place within the Washington, D.C. hardcore punk scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Further Seems Forever</span> American rock band

Further Seems Forever is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Over its initial eight-year run the band experienced several lineup changes, resulting in a different lead vocalist performing on each of their first three studio albums. Original singer Chris Carrabba recorded The Moon Is Down (2001) with the group before leaving to start Dashboard Confessional. He was replaced by Jason Gleason, who performed on How to Start a Fire (2003) but left the band the following year. Former Sense Field vocalist Jon Bunch joined Further Seems Forever for Hide Nothing (2004). The band broke up in 2006 but reunited four years later with Carrabba on vocals. Their fourth studio album, Penny Black, was released in 2012.

<i>The Moon Is Down</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Further Seems Forever

The Moon Is Down is the debut album by the Pompano Beach, Florida rock band Further Seems Forever, released in 2001 by Tooth & Nail Records. It was the band's first full-length album. Vocalist Chris Carrabba had already decided to leave the band to focus on his new project, Dashboard Confessional, but joined them in the studio to record the album. Dominguez left the band the following year to start the record label Pop Up Records. The two were replaced by Jason Gleason and Derick Cordoba, respectively, for the band's next album How to Start a Fire. A music video was filmed for the song "Snowbirds and Townies."

<i>Clarity</i> (Jimmy Eat World album) 1999 studio album by Jimmy Eat World

Clarity is the third studio album by American rock band Jimmy Eat World. It was released on February 23, 1999, through Capitol Records, with which Jimmy Eat World clashed several times while recording their second studio album Static Prevails (1996). The band recorded a follow-up with producer Mark Trombino in May and June 1998, and were free to make it however they wanted without interference from Capitol. The recording sessions began at Sound City in Van Nuys, California, before moving to Clear Lake Audio in North Hollywood, California. Clarity, which is described as an emo, pop-punk, and punk rock release, marked the beginning of frontman Jim Adkins' tenure as the band's main vocalist, taking over from guitarist Tom Linton.

Fire Party was a band from Washington, D.C. They were together from the autumn of 1986 to the spring of 1990. The band members were Amy Pickering (vocals), Natalie Avery (guitar), Kate Samworth (bass), and Nicky Thomas (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Greenwald</span> American journalist

Andy Greenwald is an American author, critic, podcaster, screenwriter, and television producer.

<i>A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar</i> 2003 studio album by Dashboard Confessional

A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar is the third studio album by American band Dashboard Confessional.

<i>30° Everywhere</i> 1996 studio album by The Promise Ring

30° Everywhere is the debut studio album by American rock band the Promise Ring. It was released in 1996 on Jade Tree.

<i>Nothing Feels Good</i> 1997 studio album by The Promise Ring

Nothing Feels Good is the second album by American rock band the Promise Ring. The album has gained a cult following, and is frequently regarded as one of the most influential records of the emo genre. The title of the album was used as the name of the book Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo by Andy Greenwald. Original bass player Scott Beschta is credited with writing and playing all the bass parts for the album, although he had been fired by the time the album was released.

<i>Very Emergency</i> 1999 studio album by the Promise Ring

Very Emergency is the third studio album by American rock band the Promise Ring, released on September 28, 1999 through the label Jade Tree. Following the release of their second studio album Nothing Feels Good (1997), bassist Scott Beschta was replaced Tim Burton. After a van accident, which resulted in a six-week break, Burton was replaced by Scott Schoenbeck. The band recorded their next album at Inner Ear Studios in Washington, D.C., co-producing it with J. Robbins. Very Emergency is a power pop and pop rock album that moves away from the emo style of their earlier works. It continued the sound of the Boys + Girls (1998) EP, and was compared to the work of the Lemonheads, the Pixies, Soul Asylum and the Wedding Present.

<i>The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most</i> 2001 studio album by Dashboard Confessional

The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most is the second studio album recorded by the American emo band Dashboard Confessional, released on March 20, 2001, through Vagrant Records.

<i>24 Hour Revenge Therapy</i> 1994 studio album by Jawbreaker

24 Hour Revenge Therapy is the third studio album by American punk rock band Jawbreaker, released on February 7, 1994, through Tupelo Recording Company and Communion Label. Following the release of their second studio album Bivouac (1992), frontman Blake Schwarzenbach developed a polyp on his vocal chords. While on tour in Europe, he went to a hospital; upon returning to the United States, the band took up day jobs. Recording sessions for their next album were held at Steve Albini's house in Chicago, Illinois across three days in May 1993. After being disappointed by the mixes, three songs were recorded in a single day at Brilliant in San Francisco, California in August 1993.

Makeoutclub.com was an early social networking website, the first that catered to youth and indie music culture. Launched in 1999 by Gibby Miller, Makeoutclub introduced features and concepts that later became standard in social networking sites.

Emo pop is a fusion genre combining emo with the melodies of pop punk and/or pop music. Emo pop features a music style with more concise songs and hook-filled choruses. Emo pop began in the 1990s with bands like Jimmy Eat World, the Get Up Kids, Weezer and the Promise Ring. The genre became mainstream in the early 2000s with Jimmy Eat World's album Bleed American, including the album's song "The Middle". In the 2000s, other emo pop bands that achieved mainstream success included Fall Out Boy, the All-American Rejects, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco and Paramore. The popularity of emo pop declined in the 2010s, with some prominent artists in the genre either disbanding or abandoning the emo pop style.

The Emo Diaries is a series of twelve compilation albums released by Deep Elm Records between 1997 and 2011. The series had an open submissions policy and featured mostly acts that were unsigned at the time of the albums' releases. Deep Elm founder John Szuch claims that the original name for the series was intended to be The Indie Rock Diaries, but this was ruled out by the fact that the first volume included Jimmy Eat World and Samiam, who were both signed to major record labels. The Emo Diaries was chosen because The Emotional Diaries was too long to fit on the album cover. Despite the title, the bands featured in the series have a diversity of sounds that do not all necessarily fit into the emo style of rock music. Andy Greenwald, in his book Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo, claims that the series "stake[s] a claim for emo as more a shared aesthetic than a genre":

[T]he bands included hail from all over the world, and the musical styles range from racing punk to droopy, noodley electro. Still, the prevalence of the series—coupled with its maudlin subtitles and manic-depressive tattoo cover art—did much to codify the word "emo" and spread it to all corners of the underground.

<i>The Silence in My Heart</i> 2001 compilation album by Deep Elm Records

The Silence in My Heart is the sixth installment in The Emo Diaries series of compilation albums, released July 24, 2001 by Deep Elm Records. As with all installments in the series, the label had an open submissions policy for bands to submit material for the compilation, and as a result the music does not all fit within the emo style. As with the rest of the series, The Silence in My Heart features mostly unsigned bands contributing songs that were previously unreleased.

<i>Penny Black</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Further Seems Forever

Penny Black is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Further Seems Forever, released in October 2012 through Rise Records. It marks the reunion of the band's original lineup—singer Chris Carrabba, guitarists Josh Colbert and Nick Dominguez, bassist Chad Neptune, and drummer Steve Kleisath—and is their first album together since 2001's The Moon Is Down. It is also the band's first album since breaking up in 2006 and reuniting in 2010.

Midwest emo refers to the emo scene and/or subgenre that developed in 1990s Midwestern United States. Employing unconventional vocal stylings, distinct guitar riffs and arpeggiated melodies, Midwest emo bands shifted away from the genre's hardcore punk roots and drew on indie rock and math rock approaches. According to the author and critic Andy Greenwald, "this was the period when emo earned many, if not all, of the stereotypes that have lasted to this day: boy-driven, glasses-wearing, overly sensitive, overly brainy, chiming-guitar-driven college music." Midwest emo is sometimes used interchangeably with "second-wave emo". Although not implied by the name, Midwest emo does not solely refer to bands and artists from the Midwestern United States, and the style is played by outfits internationally.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Murray, Noel (January 20, 2004). "Andy Greenwald: Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, And Emo". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  2. ↑ Maria (July 13, 2017). "Is Emo Revival Really a Thing?". Ultimate Guitar. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Mehr, Bob (January 22, 2004). "Navel-Gazing Nation". Chicago Reader . Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  4. ↑ Cohen, Ian (October 20, 2015). "Nothing Feels Good The Promise Ring". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "Press + Reviews". Andy Greenwald. Archived from the original on April 20, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  6. 1 2 Ketchum, Jameson (July 14, 2020). "Top 10 Must Reads For Any Millennial Music Fan". New Noise Magazine. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Ross, Jon (September 27, 2007). "Everybody Hurts by Leslie Simon, Trevor Kelly". PopMatters . Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo Paperback". Amazon . Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Grimes, Andrea (February 2, 2006). "He's So Emo". Dallas Observer . Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Emo bands drawing young audience". The Spokesman-Review . May 23, 2004. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  11. ↑ Day, Adrienne (May 23, 2004). "From The Spin Bookshelf". Spin . Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  12. ↑ Galil, Leor (September 30, 2009). "Nothing Sounds Good If You're Andy Greenwald". Leor Galil. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  13. ↑ Macrae, Madeleine (March 1, 2018). "20 essential music books". NME . Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  14. ↑ Darus, Alex (July 24, 2018). "11 books about the scene you should add to your summer reading list". Alternative Press . Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
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