A friend recommended this book to me, because I’m a huge Green Day fan. I have to say, this book did not disappoint me at all. I gained a greater appreciation for the Offspring, Nofx and Bad Religion, who I will admit, I didn’t know very much about.

There are over ten years worth of interviews in this book. I enjoyed reading the stories and personal accounts of the members of the bands, their managers and the people behind the record labels.  I also learned the truth behind Green Day’s expulsion from Gilman Street. Honestly, if I had been in their shoes, I would have made the same decision. Their fallout with Gilman Street, led to one of the greatest punk albums ever recorded: American Idiot. No independent label could have produced such a record. I’ve read other books on 1990’s punk, but I like the way the way the author focused on these particular bands, and their labels. Ian Winwood outdid himself with this one. If you’re a fan of punk rock, this book is definitely worth reading.

Smash!: Green Day, the Offspring, Rancid, Nofx, and the ’90s Punk Explosion