In 2007 it began; Detroit spawned journalist Ryan Bartek traveled the USA to create his unique exploration of American Counterculture known as "The Big Shiny Prison (Volume One)." This non-fiction road book detailed his observations of America while equally covering the heavy metal & punk rock undergrounds.
1 year, 35 States & 600+ hours on Greyhounds later, "The Big Shiny Prison" was released November 2009 to instant acclaim; a wild, high-octane manuscript featuring hundreds of face-to-face interviews with legends in the metal/punk/industrial/alt-rock undergrounds.
By March 2012, "Fortress Europe (The Big Shiny Prison Vol. II)" was released - a proper sequel following the author backpacking Europe. This genre-defying work continued it's exploration of fringe culture, and once again featured hundreds of face-to-face interviews with legends in extreme metal, punk, industrial & rock.
"Return To Fortress Europe" is the 3rd volume of his acclaimed series, documenting an eye-opening journey through the stranger regions of Europe - Greece, Romania, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Croatia, Belgium, Germany & Netherlands - again featuring interviews with some of the most prominent metal & punk bands in their respective countries.
This work is not merely a musical exploration but also a chronicle of the worldwide protests launched by Take The Square & Occupy Wall Street, their impact & realities unfolding at the time of the author's adventures. Less a music book and more a tribute to The Beat Generation, "Return To Fortress Europe" combines the classic autobiographical road novel with current European Counterculture.
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