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Rave New World

Confessions of a Raving Reporter

Kirk Field author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Bonnier Books Ltd

Published:22nd Jun '23

Should be back in stock very soon

Rave New World cover

A laser-lit, laugh-out-loud trip through the 1990s clubbing scene - a This Is Going to Hurt for the rave generation.

'Love this book! It triggers so many memories of the rave era. Thoroughly recommended.' - FATBOY SLIM

'Captures the hedonism and humour of the nineties with a laugh-out-loud honesty. The perfect Ibiza holiday read...if you can get it through customs!' - JUDGE JULES

'Some great stories from those early rave days. Really made me giggle.' - CARL COX

As a humble barman at the M25 Orbital raves, Kirk Field witnessed the moment acid house exploded. Inspired by media lies to start writing the truth about what he saw unfolding, Kirk became a 'raving' reporter for the clubbers' bible Mixmag, covering the historic parties from the inside and sending sweat-soaked dispatches from distant dancefloors as the scene expanded across Europe and beyond.

With a cast of characters including Diego Maradona, Timothy Leary, the KLF, Michael Eavis, Genesis P-Orridge, Brigitte Nielsen, Boris Yeltsin, Boy George, Saddam Hussein's wife, the president of Tunisia, the CIA, the KGB, Dave Courtney, Norman Lamont's dominatrix and even Her Majesty the Queen, Kirk's whirlwind account of the golden age of clubbing tells the story of what really happened in the 'naughty '90s', exposing the seedy underbelly of rave culture while also capturing the nostalgic spirit of the era.

Told through a mixture of vivid first-person narrative, surreal insider anecdotes and incisive social commentary, this honest, hilarious and uncensored postcard of hedonism will appeal to anyone who's ever put their hands in the air like they just don't care.

'Funny, intelligent and never sensationalised. Whether you're into the rave scene or not, this is an irrepressible read...starry-eyed and laughing rather than glazed and crazed. 4/5.' -- Record Collector
'Never a dull moment.... packed to the eyeballs with vivid anecdotes and a five-star cast list.' -- Electronic Sound
'(A) Fantastic account of the dance revolution...documented in exhilarating fashion. Rave New World is an intoxicating love letter to one of music's most misunderstood eras. 4/5.' -- Classic Pop
'Love this book! It triggers so many memories of the rave era. Thoroughly recommended.' -- Fatboy Slim
'Captures the hedonism and humour of the nineties with a laugh-out-loud honesty. The perfect Ibiza holiday read...if you can get it through customs!' -- Judge Jules
'Like myself, Kirk was there right from the start of the 'rave new world', reporting and recording our revolution as it happened. This book is full of great tales and laughs - the perfect balance of history, hedonism and humour.' -- Slipmatt
'There are quite a few books covering our culture, but THIS is the one.' -- DJ Fergie
'Kirk Field took a fathoms deep dive in to the chaotic, curious, and sometimes highly ridiculous world of DJ's and nightclubbing and lived to tell the tale. And what a tale it is.' -- Richard Norris, The Grid
'The rave era was a time of exploration and new possibilities and here Kirk Field documents his discoveries and experiences with skill, humour, and warmth. Whether you were there too, or just interested to learn more, this is a great read.' -- Nick Halkes, XL, Positiva Records
'A wonderful first-hand account, direct from the front-line Kirk Field was right there in the eye of the storm of those early, incredible, halcyon days of Rave. His wide-eyed enthusiasm lights up every page as he blazes through anecdote after anecdote from a truly pivotal time in the UK's cultural history.' -- Dave Seaman, Mixmag editor, DJ, producer
'Such an enjoyable book. I loved Kirk's playful style of writing and finding out about all his lively antics in clubland. Kirk is one of the most interesting people I've met in clubland, so it was a joy reading all the mischief he's got up to over the years.' -- Lisa Pin-Up, producer
'An excellent insight to what it was like to eat, sleep and breathe the vibes of the original raves. I feel like I've been transported back in time and reliving the journey!' -- Aston Harvey, The Freestylers
"Lively and relentless...Like a Forest Gump of clubland. A funny, insightful, exciting read that comes highly recommended.' -- Mixmag
'Fascinating. A refreshing reminder that the scene was built on creativity, passion and a love of music and unity on the dance floor. A must read.' -- John Digweed
'This book proves that time travel is possible. Every page will transport you back to the bass line that was the heartbeat of a revolution.' -- Gok Wan MBE
'The book is honestly ace, proper laugh out loud stories.' -- James Atkin, EMF

ISBN: 9781788707701

Dimensions: 219mm x 143mm x 32mm

Weight: 431g

368 pages