In her second book, *We Were Here*, Stephanie Phillips examines the persistent challenges faced by Black artists in the alternative music scene, shedding light on how racial categorization and industry biases have shaped the trajectory of rock and related genres. Released amid ongoing dialogues about representation in music, the book traces a history of Black alternative musicians, primarily in the UK and the US, from figures like Sister Rosetta Tharpe to contemporary acts.

Phillips, a musician herself and author of *Why Solange Matters*, approaches the topic with a dual perspective gained from her experiences as a journalist and as a member of the Black punk band Big Joanie. She defines “alternative” music broadly to include punk, metal, and indie rock, emphasizing the genres’ confrontational and boundary-challenging nature. Throughout, she explores how Black artists have often been marginalized or misclassified within the industry, citing instances where Black women creating rock music are labeled as R&B acts solely because of their race—a categorization that limits exposure and recognition.

The book highlights the deliberate erasure of Black contributions to rock’n’roll, a process tied to broader cultural shifts in the 1970s that led to the so-called “Disco Sucks” movement, marked by its homophobic, misogynist, and racist undertones. Phillips also addresses the segregated nature of American culture and how it affected music, including an account of the majority-Black experimental rock band TV on the Radio, whose members faced racially charged questions about their visibility and identity in mainstream spaces.

One of the book’s focal narratives is the rise and fall of the Afropunk festival, which began as a platform for Black alternative artists but eventually became the site of tensions over authenticity and commercialization. Phillips uses this story as a lens to explore the difficulty of maintaining cultural integrity while seeking broader audiences. She also discusses the importance of inclusive live music scenes in fostering community and creative expression.

Phillips candidly shares aspects of her personal journey, including experiences of exclusion and the pressure to conform to white standards of beauty within the predominantly white alternative music world. She argues that Black artists have often been denied the freedom to simply be mediocre or fail—a liberty more readily granted to their white counterparts.

While the book offers valuable historical insight and passionate advocacy, it has been noted that it sometimes lacks specific musical examples to fully ground its arguments. Moreover, Phillips’s critical view of certain mainstream acknowledgments—such as the omission of Black alternative artists from major “greatest albums” lists—raises questions about the significance of those lists, given their commercial and demographic biases. Some characterizations, such as describing Oasis as an outsider indie band, have also drawn scrutiny for overlooking the nuances of that band’s mainstream success.

Ultimately, *We Were Here* argues that Black alternative musicians have long been “buried” by an industry that fails to provide equitable support, but it concludes on a hopeful note. Phillips highlights current possibilities for greater visibility and influence, underscored by a rallying message from Skin, frontwoman of Skunk Anansie: despite historical obstacles, Black artists in alternative music have always been present and are here to stay.