Hope Lye of Street Voice UK sent us this review of 'The Fire Still Burns', the story of the post-punk adventures of more than eighty touring bands on the independent alternative label Engineer Records...
"This is the latest book from David Gamage covering many of the bands that went through Engineer Records. It’s a pretty cool read too! Some of the bands I enjoyed especially Kent boys Call Off The Search. I have a feeling that I put on said band or maybe it was Mikee’s other band The Sketch?Anyway this is in a similar style to the Punk books that fellow author Ian Glasper compiles.
However What Mr Gamage covers are post-punk bands made up of all off-shoots of punk including Emo, Alternative Rock, Power-Pop and Ska Punk too! In fact Mr Glasper pens for foreword to this book.
Bands include the awesome 3dBs Down, Barbed Wire, Her Only Presence, I Like Allie, Piledriver and The Strookas.
In fact there’s well over eighty bands featured in this book over 600 pages telling their stories.
As well as words there’s also some cool photos too!
The Strookas are another band I vaguely remember. I believe I reviewed their debut single many moons about and I believe it’s still sitting there in my record collection!
To be fair this is more than a book. It’s a well written encyclopaedia and one I’ve enjoyed reading as I’d seen a fair few bands listed as well as dealing with some through gig promotion, fanzine reviews etc.
If you’re into post-punk bands and the offshoots of that genre then this book is a must!
You’ll love it! 10/10."
'The Fire Still Burns’ is a story of post-punk adventure, packed full of anecdotes, inspiration and tales from the road with an insightful narrative on what keeps these bands plugging away with such heart; gigging, touring, recording and playing in a rough and ready scene.
With a brief history of the independent, alternative label, Engineer Records, and input from eighty of its bands. You’ll read about Canaan and Crosstide, Fat Heaven and Flyswatter, Kid You Not, Kover and Kyoto Drive, as well as many more.
A follow-up to 2023’s ‘A Hardcore Heart’ and a must-read for all tuned-in punk-rockers and hardcore kids, especially if they’re forming a new band. You can pick up a copy here.
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