What a blast from the past! This was such an adventure that immediately took me back to my time in ATL, CHI, and NYC emo scenes of the early 2000s. An absolute treasure for millennials.

5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

In "Negatives: A Book of Emo," Amy Fleisher Madden offers a poignant and heartfelt tribute to the second and third waves of emo music through a captivating collection of rare and never-before-seen photographs. As the founder of Fiddler Records, Madden's connection to the scene shines through every page, showcasing her love and appreciation for this extraordinary moment in music history.

With a foreword by Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional and insightful essays from influential figures like Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance, Geoff Rickly of Thursday, Norman Brannon of Texas Is the Reason, and Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids, this book goes beyond being a mere archive. It becomes a time capsule that encapsulates the essence of not just the music but also the powerful friendships and emotions that permeated the emo scene.

Through the lens of over 80 bands, including fan favorites like Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, and Saosin, "Negatives" transports readers back to the basements, VFW halls, dive bars, and hole-in-the-wall venues that defined this tight-knit community. It captures the adrenaline of being on stage, the moments behind the curtain, and the experiences on the road—the very heart of what made this era special.

Madden's evocative writing transports us into the memories and emotions of this decade in emo music. Each photograph resonates with the raw energy and intimacy of live shows, while her personal accounts and stories from band members and fellow musicians add depth and authenticity.

As both a nostalgic keepsake and a beautifully designed coffee table book, "Negatives" deserves a place in the collection of any emo enthusiast. Its vibrant visuals invite conversations, discussions, and fond reminiscing among friends, making it feel like a cherished emo yearbook that sparks joy and connection.

In conclusion, "Negatives: A Book of Emo" is a captivating time capsule that celebrates the power of music, friendships, and a vibrant subculture. Amy Fleisher Madden's dedication to preserving and sharing the spirit of this influential era shines through each page, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to reconnect with their emo roots or for those looking to immerse themselves in a significant chapter of music history.

I enjoyed this nostalgic trip and it's clear the author is really passionate about these bands and the community that formed around them. Being from New Jersey and self-centeredly feeling like it was the emo epicenter at that time, I was saddened to see only one picture from Skate & Surf and no pictures from Club Krome! But a good variety of bands were included.

Fellow emo kids - you are not going to want to miss this one. An awesome anthology coffee table book featuring all of our favorite bands! I thought this was going to be mostly pictures (which I was excited about) so was pleasntly surprised to see all of the narrative around emo music and the bands that helped shape it. As someone who has seen a good amount of the bands mentioned in th is book live, it was so interesteing to read all of their sections and learn a little about their stories. The personal narratives throughout are just the cherry on top!

Will definetly be adding this one to my "to buy list" because it will be a fun book to pull out when my fellow emo lovers come over.

I like how there was so much information on Punk Rock and I am a fan of 90s rock and alternative. This review is more of what i saw and it was more pictures and stories from the artists that were featured in the book.

In <I>Negatives: A Photographic Archive of Emo (1996-2006)</I> Amy Fleisher Madden provides a visual companion work to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60323152-where-are-your-boys-tonight">Chris Payne’s </I> Where Are Your Boys Tonight?: The Oral History of Emo's Mainstream Explosion 1999-2008</I></a>. <I>Negatives</I> presents brief written descriptions of emo bands alongside photographs from numerous photographers and essays from some notable “emo” affiliated musicians, including Dashboard Confessional, Geoff Rickly from Thursday, Andrew McMahon and several others.

Fleisher Madden was very active in this world, making zines, booking bands and running her own record label, she also joined the staff at Vagrant Records. Throughout this book she reflects on memories of working to sign bands, the touring life, and finding meaning in the songs.

For this book, there are brief descriptions of 70+ “emo” bands, with at least one photo accompaniment. Many bands have several images, mostly photos of live performances or promotional images with some behind the scenes photos of the touring life. The write ups are short, and sometimes draw from Fleisher Madden’s memories or experience, but mostly read like an elder sibling explaining why you *have* to listen to this band. Occasionally, one of the photographers will share a short memory about the photo shoot.

It is very much a personal account, and is focused on celebrating the bands that made up this community that Fleisher Madden labels as “emo.” There is not much critical about lyrical content and aside from Paramore’s blurb, little about misogyny. (Though Norman Brannon’s thoughtful essay about assumptions and identity challenges the perception of this genre/scene as typically exemplified as white/male). There is no addressing or mentioning of any of sexual misconduct or substance abuse, though their are some comments addressing mental health.

<I>Negatives</I> is the yearbook of emo, a chance to look back at many of the bands in the late 90s and early 2000s underground music scene as the genre prepared to burst into the mainstream. Fleisher Madden was there and wants us to know something of what it was like.