Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994–2007)

Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994–2007) by Dan Ozzi

After Nirvana hit is big with Nevermind, record labels were looking for the next big thing to come out of the musical underground. They struck gold with a punk band from Northern California, Green Day. From that, they were after any other punk band that could write catchy tunes. However, the punk scene particularly eschewed major labels and "selling out". Purist punk clubs would prevent big punk bands such as Green Day from playing there. Once a band reached it big, they needed the reach of a major label, yet would alienate their fanbase by doing so. (I must confess my interest in Green Day waned after they hit it big. Though I also recall them complaining about not being able to get enough CDs and other merch from their record label.)

The book explores the different experiences of a number of bands after they "sold out." The major labels promised more money, but still required more work. Green Day had the songs, showmanship and drive to make it big, even if they did struggle with the loss of some of their old base. Jawbreaker had repeatedly said they would not sell out. Signing a major label deal alienated their fans and couldn't stop the disintegration of their band. Jimmy Eat World was from Arizona and didn't have to worry about alienated a "purist punk" fanbase. They sold before they had a huge base. They were able to grow a bit on the label, but were eventually dropped. (It did feel odd that the book stopped before their big hit, "The Middle". However, that does come up later in the discussion of other bands. Jimmy Eat World ended up self producing and then signing with another label.)

Blink-182 was from San Diego, a scene that is more into skate and surf than self-righteous punks. They were unabashedly going after the best deal they could get and were willing to work hard to go on a major label. 

The punk scene could be very snobbish. Some bands would encounter violence as they tried to perform after signing major record deals. Woman-lead bands could run into some of the sexism and sex-symbol desires.  I was a bit confused of the discussion of Against Me! The process of retro-gendering a trans person may align with current identity, but confuses the external identity of past times. (If you are referring to "her" wearing women's clothes, shouldn't that be "cis-dressing" rather than "cross-dressing"?) Some of the stories of bands I hadn't heard of before were quite interesting. (And now I want to listen to the bands.) There were a few near the end that did seem to go on for a bit too long, but that might have been since I didn't recognize the bands or their associates. Rancid does get an especially bad rap here for their self-righteous mistreatment of the Distillers.

The bands mentioned

• Green Day
• Jawbreaker
• Jimmy Eat World
• Blink-182
• At the Drive-In
• The Donnas
• Thursday
• The Distillers
• My Chemical Romance
• Rise Against
• Against Me!