A review by kingcrookback
Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise and Fall of SST Records by Jim Ruland

challenging informative medium-paced
"Same old punk rock story: it was fun while it lasted, but it seldom lasted for long."

First things first, I made a playlist of all the songs mentioned in the book (that are available on Spotify), ordered by first mention. Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tmqlzW8JDvkcdA6nWJqDG?si=9f07dd4515cf428a

I wasn't especially well-versed in Black Flag's discography before I picked up this book, though I was aware of SST's status (and reputation) in music history in general and the Southern California punk/hardcore scene specifically. The meeting point between art and capitalism is always rife with conflict, and it gets especially contentious when the punk ethos gets thrown into the equation. It was fascinating - and perhaps a bit tragic - to see how SST went from a champion and a haven for local bands to a beacon for alternative acts nationwide to something of a bully disappointingly reminiscent of the major labels Ginn (and co.) was so vehemently counter to. What a change over the 40-some years of SST's existence.

More generally, it's really fascinating seeing a more personal, granular depiction of how people reacted to punk as a culture in the '70s and '80s. I'd known punks were on the receiving end of hostility from cops, but I wasn't aware it was to such a degree. The racism in the Southern California scene I was aware of, though, disappointingly. It was also very interesting to see how many personal decisions inadvertently became professional decisions, the consequences of which had the potential to balloon out into affecting dynamics in the scene and beyond.
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