Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York that Changed Music Forever by Will Hermes
Music journalist Will Hermes takes us on a wild ride through the streets of New York in this engaging monograph. Love Goes to Buildings on Fire tells the story of the burgeoning music scene in the 1970s. Hermes flits across the 5 boroughs as he weaves tales of small loft performances and massive, sold out concerts. The book touches upon multiple genres, from the transformation of rock with performers like Lou Reed to the birth (and death) of disco. Hermes includes personal stories about his childhood growing up in Queens, painting New York as a dangerous city in a constant state of flux. Readers get a true understanding of both the turmoil of the city and the music that spouted from it.
This book isn't for everyone. The 384 page count is a bit daunting for casual readers. The descriptions of concerts got tedious after awhile. I found myself skipping around quite a bit toward the end of the book. Also, Hermes is heavy-handed with some of the musicians' stories. (You can tell he had a huge crush on Patti Smith when he was a teen.) However, this book takes a comprehensive look at '70s music across all genres, and includes an excellent discography at the end. From punk to jazz and from salsa to hip hop, Hermes thoroughly covers all bases. If you're an all-around music nerd, you'll definitely enjoy this book.
Reviewed by Hannah
