"David Ensminger writes a fascinating story about the development of punk in Rockford, Illinois. He weaves engaging personal narratives with interesting historical accounts of proto-punk, power pop, punk rock, and hardcore in this Midwest town." --Daniel Makagon, author of Underground: The Subterranean Culture of DIY Punk Shows "A vivid portrait of late 20th century 'rust city kids' skateboarding through a kind of pulp noir 'dead-end America,' sustained by punk and its DIY ethos. As so often happens, punks crafted community and beauty out of the ruins. It is, at once, both a typical story and a singular one, and Ensminger captures it all." --Michael Stewart Foley, author of Dead Kennedys' Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables "This latest dispatch from David Ensminger emits in vigorous detail the lineaments of the sweat-drenched musical underground nestled in his rock hard hometown. Wild, subterranean notations and sense impressions combine with slices of scholarly reflection and the author's own energy and timeless enthusiasm to deliver not only the glory of a youth movement on the page, but the nearly lost art of punk itself." --Denise Sullivan, author of Keep on Pushing: Black Power Music From Blues to Hip Hop and Rip It Up: Rock 'n' Roll Rulebreakers.