Book Review: Encyclopedia of Punk Music and Culture

Rancid, Iron Prostate, Vibrators, Chumbawamba, 4-Skins, Flesh Eaters, Devil Dogs are just some of the entries that can be found in Brian Cogan's Encyclopedia, brought to us by award winning publishers Greenwood Press. Cogan, a New York professor and self-avowed punk scene member for over 20 years, has presented us with a fascinating overview of the punk world from its origins in the early 1970s until the present day. Written from the perspective of an “insider”, writing about “outsiders”, this is a considerable and comprehensive resource that well captures the spirit and influence of punk and its manifold cultures and subcultures. It is a timely contribution, most commentators agreeing that punk is now 30 years old [...