“Rock readers from Ohio and beyond will enjoy this quick and informative read” covering bands from the Breeders to the Black Keys and more (Library Journal).
From Cleveland to Cincinnati and everywhere in between, Ohio rocks. Rebels and Underdogs: The Story of Ohio Rock and Roll takes readers behind the scenes to the birth and rise of musical legends like the Black Keys, Nine Inch Nails, Devo, the Breeders, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, and many others who started in garages and bars across Ohio. Through candid first-hand interviews, Garin Pirnia captures new, unheard stories from national legends like the Black Keys and slow-burn local bands like Wussy from Cincinnati. Discover why Greenhornes’ members Patrick Keeler and Brian Olive almost killed each other on stage one night, what happened to the pink guitar Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails gave to band member Richard Patrick, why Devo loved the dissonance when they were booed by 400,000 music lovers in England, and so much more! Entertaining, inspiring, and revolutionary, Rebels and Underdogs is the untold story of the bands, the state, and rock itself.
“Pirnia gives it a fine archaeologist’s try to plop meat all over the bones of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s unsung if inarguably most important locales.” —Eric Davidson, singer in New Bomb Turks and author of We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut
“[An] exceptional book, an account satisfyingly comprehensive, but driven by the instincts and ardor of a true devotee.” —David Giffels, author of Barnstorming Ohio
