First released in 2011, Will Hermes’ ode to New York City’s music explosion of the ‘70s presents a scene in conflict with surrounding social and economic issues. Revolution, it seemed, was inevitable. The Big Apple of the time is compared, not off-handedly, to the last days of Rome. Hermes, a skilled writer with the likes of Rolling Stone and Spin on his CV, details how musicians and artists effectively formed their own community, availing of cheap property and drawing various lines in the sand. As a native of New York, Hermes is able to shrink his city, turning the vast landscape into an intimate hotbed of emotional expression. Though strict attention is paid to rock and punk, a healthy light is shined on the emergence of hip hop, disco and Latin-flavoured happenings. At times, the book reads like one you’d find in school, rigidly moving through the years. Still, the stories are so compelling, you won’t mind much.