Train Wrecks & Transcendence: A Collision of Hardcore & Hare Krishna

Vic once again proves his ability to communicate what is going on in his head. With this book, it is recollecting his past. He comes across as honest in presenting "the good, the bad, and the ugly". Even when taking negatively about someone or something, it doesn't come across as bad mouthing. I ,for one, would be interested in reading about his experiences further since he stops at his engagement to his wife. I would love to read about his leaving ISKCON, the creation of more 108 albums, his children, his relocation to Japan, his relationship with his new guru and the restoring of his relationship with his parents.

Excellent book to read if your background to Krishna Conciousness is Krishnacore. For a non-Hare Krishna is ok, but if you are already in KC, I only recommend it to open minded devotees that accept that the "Institution" have some failures, if you are still with the "pink glasses" that ISKCON is "perfect" and there is nothing else, dont even open it, unless you are ready to open your mind to the TRUTH. I felt ultra identified with all the tales Vraj Kishor Prabhu shares, even that its his own experience, because i lived very similar situations. I see it as a SWOT analysis that everyone on KC need to do on his/her life, because Spiritual life is not a Joke, its a serious journey that we need to enjoy and do with love, and if we dont have proper goals and behaviour it can become complete self destructive and instead of attaining bliss the result can be HELL on Earth.

This book is well written: concise, intelligent, and good flow. The text is clear and easy to read with attractive subchapter headings. Unlike other memoirs, this one smartly avoids genealogy, childhood memories, or other unnecessary info. It begins in high school as Vic is discovering hardcore music. Soon he's onto Krisna influenced bands, which leads him to Vedic literature, and the ISKON movement. The main thrust here is being a Krishna devotee and a musician who is blending the worlds of Hindu religion and hardcore punk music. Intriguingly for Rage-ATM fans, he's in a band with Zack De La Rocha, a band which is actually quite good (Inside Out). His treks to India could have been made clearer. Sometimes it's had to tell whether he is India or the USA. Other than that, it was a GREAT read.

This books appeals to a particular niche of those interested in punk, 90s hardcore, Krishna. Fitting this niche, I greatly enjoyed it. Vic is a great writer and loved his stories. There is a lot highly critical of ISKCON, so be prepared if that'll be an issue for some. I would like to read an (alluded to) companion piece with all the zines, etc referenced in the book as well as a possible follow up. The only disappointing parts were learning Vic broke up Inside Out and kicking Kate out of 108.

This book was a real surprise for me. I had been active in ISKCON (the Hare Krishna movement) from 1977 to 79, and have written my own memoirs about those years, and I've always been curious about what happened to the movement after I left. Lately I've been reading and reviewing novels, memoirs, etc. by ISKCON devotees and ex-devotees. I never regretted leaving the movement, but in the back of my mind I had wondered what my life would have been like if I had stayed, and I read those books in search of answers to that question.So I read this book, and it came as a total surprise. I knew that there were good musicians in ISKCON, and I even had albums by some of them. When I found out that Boy George had been involved with ISKCON and had recorded the song Bow Down Mister it was surprising, but it made a kind of sense. It wasn't that different from the songs George Harrison had done about Krishna.None of this prepared me for the idea of Krishnacore. I had never heard of hardcore Punk before reading this book, and I only know what it sounds like from listening to You Tube videos. It sure doesn't sound like "My Sweet Lord". It isn't my taste, but what is surprising is how different from anything I would associate with ISKCON music it is. If you told me in 1979 that ISKCON would be encouraging people to perform this kind of music I would not have believed you. Heck, if you told me last year I would not have believed you.The author describes a Hare Krishna movement that is both recognizable as the movement I had joined and very, very different. The problems he identifies in the book were there when I joined up. Definitely the misogyny was always there, which always bugged me. (Oddly enough, I had a really low opinion of women before I set foot in a temple, and it was the women of that temple who changed that. It wasn't like they were trying to do it, but they were so thoughtful and intelligent that they improved my opinion of their whole gender).Half of the story is about touring as a punk band, sometimes with sannyasins tagging along, and the other half is about being a Krishna devotee in a temple. He knew some of the people I did, although by the time he met them they were all older and mellower. Tamal Krishna Goswami would be an example of someone who is different in the book than I remembered him. At one point he tells a band to make the guitars louder. Definitely not the TKG I had wanted to be my guru.Clearly a lot of reforms had happened between when I left and when this story begins, but as the author notes the movement still has some serious issues to deal with. The movement wants to remain true to Srila Prabhupada's original teachings, but even that causes problems, as they discover when a translation of an important text suggests that what Prabhupada taught us about how we all wound up in the material world is wrong or at least disputed. It doesn't help that Prabhupada had conflicting opinions on many subjects, something I had noticed from the beginning of my own involvement in ISKCON.I found the book to be well told and full of interesting incidents, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in ISKCON or punk rock music.

Growing up during the "Krishna-Core" era and being a big fan of both 108 and Shelter, this book was a great, informative quick read. I found myself remembering the "good old days" while Vic told stories from the different era of his career. I learned a lot about his beliefs and how his goals were not always aligned to those of ISKON. My only complaint is that the book seems to outpace itself toward the later 108 years. I really wish that there were more depth/detail when he recounted this ere in particular. However, it should not dissuade you from reading it. Excellent all around.

I've always appreciated Vic Dicara (Vraja Kishore Das) for his talent as a musician, composer and writer. This work is no exception. His style is unique and catchy. For guys like me, who have been involved into the hardcore music scene and have been practising a spiritual discipline, this book is simply truthful and inspiring. I love it.For the others, who have not been into music or spiritual paths, this book is his biography part 1, where in a very catchy writing style, he tells how strong values and sincere commitment forged his personality and lifestyle, in time becoming a successful man (not in a mundane sense), accomplishing his mission to develop his talents and human potential, making valuable, enriching experiences.