The Encyclopedia Of New Wave

If you have read any of my previous posts, you have probably noticed that I am a huge new wave connoisseur. If you enjoy new wave you have got to check out one of the library's recent acquisitions The Encyclopedia Of New Wave by Daniel Bukszpan. It is a solid who's who companion of many of the strongest acts of new wave rock who paved the way for what the world would eventually define as "alternative rock".

First off, the book is very fun. It is splashed with all sorts of vibrant and contrasting 80's style colors and plastered with lots of nostalgic images of these artists in their finest moments. There are also interesting little lists throughout such as the top 10 new wave singles, the 50 most essential new wave singles, 10 guiltiest pleasure songs, the 10 weirdest new wave singles, and the top 20 essential new wave albums.  

It is quite a list and my only complaint with the book is how many important acts that were not included. For example, Patti Smith, Wham, David Bowie, The Bangles, X, Los Lobos, Roxy Music, REM, U2, Black Flag, Fine Young Cannibals, Joy Division, Violent Femmes, Iggy Pop, Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Runaways, They Might Be Giants,  and many more are not included in this book. Especially American artists. Perhaps the author is European and forgot how many vital American new wavers there were.

Here is a brief list of who was included.  A-ha, ABC, Adam Ant, The Art Of Noise, The B-52'S, Bananarama, Toni Basil, Bauhaus, Berlin, Big Audio Dynamite, Big Country, Blondie, The Boomtown Rats, Bow Wow Wow, Bronski Beat, The Buggles, Kate Bush, The Cars,  The Church, The Cocteau Twins, Elvis Costello, The Cult, The Culture Club, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Devo, The Divinyls, Thomas Dolby,  The Dream Academy, Duran Duran, Echo And The Bunnymen, The English Beat, Erasure, The Eurythmics, Bryan Ferry, A Flock Of Seagulls, The Flying Lizards, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Peter Gabriel, The GO-GO'S, Nina Hagen, The Human League, Icehouse, The Icicle Works, Billy Idol, INXS,  Joe Jackson, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Grace Jones, Howard Jones,  The Killing Joke, The Knack, Kraftwerk, Cyndi Lauper, Madness, Madonna, Men At Work, Ministry, Missing Persons, Modern English, The Motels, New Order, Gary Numan, Oingo Boingo, OMD, Robert Palmer, Pet Shop Boys, The Police, The Pretenders, The Psychedelic Furs, The Romantics, Romeo Void, Scandal, Peter Shelley, Simple Minds, Siouxsie And The Banshees, The Smiths, Spandau Ballet, The Specials, Squeeze, The Stranglers, The Stray Cats, Suicide, The Talking Heads, Tears For Fears, The Thompson Twins,  Til Tuesday, Tom Tom Club,  The Tubes,  UB40, Wang Chung, XTC, Yaz.

There are other little surprises in the book, like lists of some of the famous new wave clubs in America and in Europe. A profile on new wave legends Brian Eno and Malcolm McLaren. A piece on the cool styles of mens and womens new wave fashions. A description of the many different styles of new wave from new romantic to powerpop, synthpop, goth, hi-nrg, neopsychedelic, neuedeutsche welle, and blue eyed soul.

So reserve the book and enjoy. It is well worth it.


Fred