Crawdaddy!

Bomp! 2: Born in the Garage
Edited by Suzy Shaw and Mike Stax
(Bomp! / UT Publishing)

Taking its name from the Barry Mann hit of the same name, Who Put the Bomp (later called Bomp!) was one of the earliest rock ‘n’ roll fanzines, run by the late, luminous rock enthusiast Greg Shaw. In its ’70s heyday, the ‘zine was an early outlet for writers like Lester Bangs, Ken Barnes, and Richard Meltzer, taking the obsessive fan approach to both emerging rock artists and bygone underground sensations.

The first Bomp! book, 2007’s Bomp! Saving the World One Record at a Time, was a full-color combination of writing, photographs, interviews, and personal correspondence. To follow this up, the soft cover collection Bomp! 2: Born in the Garage buckles down to focus on the ‘zine’s written content itself. It features 300 pages of black-and-white, full-page reproductions of the magazine’s best material during its 1970-81 run, and alongside Who Put the Bomp and Bomp!, it also features several excerpts from Shaw’s private ‘zines like Metanoia and Liquid Love, originally only circulated among his friends and colleagues. The book also features new articles from Alec Palao, Jon Savage, Mike Stax, Ken Barnes, illustrator William Stout, and Suzy Shaw, Greg’s ex-wife and business partner, who co-edited this collection and provides a moving introduction.

These reproductions are fascinating, especially for the way they show how print music magazines functioned as an early form of social networking—bringing people together who might never otherwise meet, and providing an outlet for those inclined to typewrite complete discographies for their favorite band or label. Along with detailed scene reports, some of the most fascinating stuff here are the readers’ letters in the ‘zine’s “Feedback” section, which range from nerdy clarifications to outpourings of love for bands or particular articles. Although the book features several other great writers, the lion’s share of the writing here is by Greg Shaw himself, documenting his various rock fascinations. Bomp! 2 is a terrific value, providing a very deep overview of an iconic ‘zine and an influential voice in the realm of rock journalism. – Michael Harkin / Crawdaddy!