“In this bracing and provocative exploration of pop music and the Third Reich, English musician-turned-author Rachel explores the various and often troubling relationships between pop singers and the language and iconography of Nazism . . . Timely and relevant with a righteously angry introduction by Billy Bragg.”
—Booklist, STARRED Review

“Everything Rachel describes in his book was already public knowledge, but he is the first to compile it all in one place. The result: the compelling yet repugnant revelation that flaunting Third Reich imagery wasn’t just the misguided decision of a few artists, but a long-running trend that has continued to linger for decades . . . The timing of this book is impeccable, as America’s gargantuan fascist elephant keeps tromping his way around the global room in a way that looks eerily similar to Hitler’s ascension. Whether the people with the microphones are intentionally fascist and anti-Semitic, or simply too ignorant to consider the true harms of their actions, it’s critical that everyone else calls them out, and loudly. For too long, too many rock and pop stars got a pass. Thank goodness we now have Daniel Rachel’s book to help us hold them accountable.”
—Hippocampus magazine

“With the same brilliant mix of storytelling and history lesson he brought to the 2 Tone movement in his last book (Too Much Too Young), Daniel Rachel turns his attention to the use of swastikas and other vile remnants of the Hitler’s government by pop musicians in This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika, and the Third Reich . . . Equal parts enlightening, troubling, and wildly compelling, with This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll Rachel tackles one of the more taboo aspects in the history of pop music with grace, nuance, and narrative flair.”
—New Noise Magazine, 4 Stars

“A well-researched and comprehensive analysis about the history of the rock genre’s flirtation with Nazi imagery, from Siouxsie Sioux to Sid Vicious. Music historian Daniel Rachel asks whether it was for shock factor or genuine tastelessness.”
—Our Culture Mag

“In this important exploration of the relationship between pop music and the Third Reich, Daniel Rachel challenges the motivations of those artists who sought glamour and notoriety in exploiting Nazi imagery. In doing so, he raises once more the question that was put to Leni Riefenstahl after 1945, when she claimed that, while fascinated by Nazism, she was politically naive and ignorant of the fate of six million Jews: How could you not know?”
—Billy Bragg, from the introduction

“[A] deeply thought-provoking work, and long overdue.”
—MOJO

“Daniel Rachel has dug deep into rock and pop’s enduring obsession with Nazism. Why is this still going on? . . . Ultimately, flirtation with Nazi imagery cannot be divorced from the realities of Nazi ideology and what it led to . . . Let’s hope rock’n’roll, which after all built itself on the power of rebellion and the ability to speak truth to power, steps up to the challenge.”
—The Times (UK)

“A timely book exposing the complicated history of the use of Nazi symbols in popular music culture since the last World War. As the powers-that-be lurch toward a far-right future, there is no longer any hiding place for those pretending to be ignorant about the true meaning of Nazism, or using its emblems for their supposed subversive ‘cool’ factor. They have a choice, own their perverse fascination when exposed or apologize.”
—Pauline Black, the Selecter

“While it is slightly incredible that before now no one has published a book on rock’s periodic spasms of flirtation with Nazism, one could picture it as a dry, academic thesis rather than the absolute banger Daniel Rachel has written. It’s hard to imagine there will be a more original book of nonfiction this year.”
—Emma Forrest, author of Father Figure

“Compelling . . . From wearing Nazi uniforms to flaunting swastikas, the book astutely traces the global rise of fascism and its reverberations in pop culture.”
—Irish Times

“The cognitive dissonance between rock’s rebellious use of Nazi imagery and the actual horror of the Nazi regime forms the emotional core of Daniel Rachel’s new book . . . There are surprising details everywhere in the book.”
—Jewish Telegraph

“From Bowie and punk to contemporary provocation. Daniel Rachel examines the uneasy intersection between pop culture and fascist imagery. Deeply researched and provocative, it asks why artists flirt with dangerous symbols and what that says about society’s memory. This is history, ethics, and pop theory colliding in one compelling study. A must-read for anyone who believes music can challenge as well as charm.”
—Rough Trade, a Book of the Year

“Rachel’s book is compelling . . . not an easy read, but as essential now as at any point in our history.”
—Louder than War

“One of punk’s less savory shock tactics was the repurposing of Nazi imagery . . . Rachel explore[s] the musical obsession with atrocity and how it relates to rock history in general. A sadly rather timely book.”
—Wallpaper

“Rarely has a book felt so timely. The subject of nazis, fascism, and general far-right awfulness is always going to raise heckles. These are dangerous waters to wade into. Author Rachel fearlessly and skillfully takes the bull by the horns, taking musicians—many mainstream and beloved—to task over their flirtations with nazi imagery . . . There’s also a great foreword by folkie activist Billy Bragg. A brilliant book!”
—Music Connection

“Incredibly researched and fascinating, Rachel fills a gap in the history of pop music that has been silent for decades . . . This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll is a brilliant text and provocation—and a substantive exemplar of historical inquiry . . . In an age where the dark shadows of fascism are becoming all too comfortable, a citizenry that is equipped to call out hate, ask deep questions and express curiosity about the ‘other’ should be our collective goal.”
—Winnipeg Free Press

“Daniel Rachel’s remarkable This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika, and the Third Reich shows that . . . the fashion horrors of Hitler’s Third Reich have never fully gone away. And in a time when many are drawing comparisons between mass immigration raids and the Nazis, the book seems more relevant than ever . . . This is an urgent, intense examination of how one malevolent movement in the course of world history has remained relevant and powerful. While some may wish to relegate the images and parties involved to the dustbin of history, Rachel wants to guarantee that we don’t forget.”
—Sampan