If there’s anything good to be said about the Trump era, I think it’s that we’re all forced to figure out who we are. It’s not necessarily that we HAVE to take the President’s lead and become galvanized on all issues or against one another, but we do have to look at our identities, and what we’ll tolerate in our culture, and what we won’t. Personally, all of the negativity towards Latinx people has led me to embrace the Mexican-American and Basque portions of my heritage. Learning more about my own family background led me to a Latino USA podcast about the overlooked history of Latinx influence on rock music, and also the current influence of Latinx culture on music now. It was a great podcast, with interviews from musicians from various decades as well as with communications professor Roberto Avant-Mier, the author of this book.
While I was expecting a more traditional music book, more like something from Steven Hyden or Henry Rollins or Keith Richards or Lizzy Goodman, this one definitely feels academic, aka dry at times. Avant-Mier structures this more like a dissertation than a long-form article on The Ringer. Therefore, the narrative is lacking a bit in favor of an avalanche of footnotes and theory. Be forewarned. That being said, though, the myriad footnotes and tangents allow the reader to create one heck of a playlist, and also to do more independent research. His discussion of the use of rock and the performance of identity as a form of protest against various forms of attack was fascinating, though, and I’m not sure a non-academic book could explain it so well.
If you’re a music fanatic interested in understanding more of the full history of rock music, or Latinx interaction with “American” culture, consider this one.
SAMPLE PLAYLIST
Los Super Seven
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Freddy Fender
Mariachi El Bronx
Pachuco Boogie
The Original Chicano (documentary)
Thee midniters
Plastilina Mosh
Los Scarnales
Joe King Carrasco
Los Shakers
Los Mockers
Los Cheyenes
Sir Douglas Quintet
? and the Mysterions
Tierra
Refried Elvis (book)
Maldita Vecinidad
Joan Baez
Spanish recordings of Blondie (Debbie Harry is just the best)
Tierra
The Odd Squad
The Brat
Rank & File/”cow-punk”
Fabulosas Cadillacs
Colexico
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Jose Augustin (onda writer)
Nina Diaz
