Book Review: Fargo Rock City

Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey In Rural North Dakota
by Chuck Klosterman

Synopsis: This is Chuck Klosterman's memoir of growing up as a shameless metalhead in Wyndmere, North Dakotoa (population: 498). Klosterman hacks his way through hair-band history, beginning with that fateful day in 1983 when his older brother brought home Mötley Crüe's Shout at the Devil. The fifth-grade Chuck wasn't quite ready to rock — his hair was too short and his farm was too quiet — but he still found a way to bang his nappy little head. Before the journey was over, he would slow-dance to Poison, sleep innocently beneath satanic pentagrams, lust for Lita Ford, and get ridiculously intellectual about Guns N' Roses.

As a kid growing up right about the same time as the author and in a small town myself, isolated from the much "cooler" big cities, this book really stuck a chord with me. A power-ballad chord even. I loved his nostalgic trip, which is heavy with comedy and sarcasm. It was equal parts witty and also very educational for the non-hair band fans reading it.

I grew up blasting the same bands while cruising from Sonic to the court square every weekend... Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Poison, Skid Row and Quiet Riot. Why? Well sometimes I can't even tell you why I played Trixter's CD over and over or drove 60 miles to pick up a new release from Warrant and again for Ratt. But Chuck rationalizes and defends my actions! Thanks Chuck!

He dissects the bands, the images, the fans, the personas, the albums, the videos, everything from 80's metal. If you are familar with this material and can relate from your own experience, this book is not to be missed. You actually NEED to read this book. I don't agree with everything he writes necessarily, but enjoyed his views.

I loved it. It caused me to add many old tracks from the 80s to my iPod that I hadn't thought about in years. This is a book I wish I had written.

9/10