Going Underground

An illustrated and wide-ranging survey of the underground U.S. punk scene in the 1980s

The product of decades of work and multiple self-published editions, Going Underground, written by 1980s scene veteran George Hurchalla, is the most comprehensive look yet at America’s nationwide underground punk scene. Despite the misguided mainstream press declarations that “punk died with Sid Vicious” or that “punk was reborn with Nirvana,” Hurchalla followed the DIY spirit of punk underground, where it not only survived but thrived nationally as a self-sustaining grassroots movement rooted in seedy clubs, rented fire halls, xeroxed zines, and indie record shops. Rather than dwell on well-documented suspects and trendsetters from LA, NY, and DC, Hurchalla delves deep into the underground’s underbelly to root out stories from Chicago, Philadelphia, Austin, Lawrence, Annapolis, Cincinnati, Florida, and elsewhere. Like most of the truly great books on punk that have emerged to date, Hurchalla mixes his personal experiences with the words of dozens of band members, promoters, artists, zinesters, and scenesters. This revised second edition includes new photos, zine scans, and flyer collections from around the United States.