Teenage Nervous Breakdown

The book "Teenage Nervous Breakdown" by David Walley explores the intersection of music and politics in the post-Elvis era. Walley delves into how rock music and its associated lifestyle have been marketed to teenage audiences and eventually to a global consumer society. He also examines how rock culture has influenced various aspects of American and world society, including entertainment, politics, and education. Walley, known for his recognition of Frank Zappa's commercial genius, offers his personal opinions and experiences throughout the book. He discusses the commercialization of rock music and its impact on society, including the elevation of youth culture, the fast-food economy, and the marketing of politicians. He also touches on a variety of figures, from musicians like Elvis and Ma Rainey to cultural icons like Batman and Rush Limbaugh.

Teenage Nervous Breakdown: Music and Politics in the Post-Elvis Era combines music and cultural history and criticism to examine how rock and the rock lifestyle have been merchandised first to a teenage audience and eventually to a worldwide consumer society. Well-known, iconoclastic writer/ critic David Walley examines the entire rock culture and how it has infused all aspects of American (and world) life, from entertainment to politics to academic education. In a series of what he describes as word-jazz rock and roll improvisations and variations, Walley examines how adult culture has been adolescent-ized and what the ramifications are on our society. Walley is not an uninvolved observer-his personal story and opinions are right up front, where they belong. Famous for being the first writer to recognize the commercial genius of Frank Zappa (in the landmark book, No Commercial Potential, first published in 1972 and still in print today), Walley is ideally suited to examine how commercialism has invaded rock music, and in turn how this commercialism has invaded rock music, and in turn how this commercial stepchild of rock has become a culture unto itself. He tackles everything from the elevation of youth culture to the mainstream; the fast-food economy; the commercial hijack of the counterculture movement; the cool aesthetic; the marketing of politicians; psychotropic drugs from LSD to Prozac; and much, much more. Along the way, he touches on a diverse range of figures. From Ma Rainey to Elvis, from Bela Bartok to Batman; from Timothy Leary to Rush Limbaugh; from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. to Understanding Media.