Rock of Pages: The Literary Tradition of 1980s Heavy Metal (excerpt)
In this excerpt of Rock of Pages, Jesse Kavadlo shows how heavy metal, literature, and the Cold War were bonded from the beginning.
by the book
‘Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story: The Beat. UB40. Tears of a Clown’ (excerpt)
This excerpt from Daniel Rachel’s history of 2 Tone Records shows the formation of the Beat and the best version of the band-defining “Tears of a Clown” ever.
‘Dreams in Double Time’: When Bebop Counter-Punched Racist Violence
In this excerpt from Jonathan Leal’s study of Black American jazz, Dreams in Double Time, bebop gives the music a “new accent” and the outsider citizenry a “new language” for counter-punching rebellion.
‘The Media Swirl’ and the Glitter in Your Eyes
In this excerpt from The Media Swirl, Carol Vernallis peers through the glitter of the stunning party scene in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby and exams its sparkling layers of meaning.
No Sex Please, We’re British: Coil’s Subversively Overt Homosexuality
Homosexuality drove experimental band Coil’s creativity, yet they rejected the demand that they either embrace performative homosexuality or remain discreet and closeted.
In Bob Stanley’s Let’s Do It ‘The Winds Grow Colder’ for Judy Garland and Billie Holiday
In this excerpt from Bob Stanley’s history of pop music, Let’s Do It, the music and stories of iconic singers Judy Garland and Billie Holiday are forever intertwined.
‘Addicted to Noise’: Tom Waits Tests Michael Goldberg’s Sense of Humor
Tom Waits splashes about in his “puddle of consciousness”, testing Michael Goldberg’s sense of humor in this interview excerpted from Goldberg’s new book, Addicted to Noise.
Straight Into Darkness: Tom Petty as Rock Mystic (Excerpt)
Happy 40th anniversary to Tom Petty’s Long After Dark album, an underrated manual for creatives in existential crisis. Enjoy this excerpt from Straight Into Darkness: Tom Petty as Rock Mystic.
Aquaman and the War Against Oceans (Excerpt)
Aquaman can be read as an allegory that responds to the climate change crisis, an era in which the oceans have become sites of warfare and mass death.
‘No Machos or Pop Stars: When the Leeds Art Experiment Went Punk’ (excerpt)
In this excerpt of British punk history book, ‘No Machos or Pop Stars’, the Mekons, Gang of Four, and Delta 5 put their anti-hierarchical, anti-capitalist, feminist theory to the test.
Queer Country: Lesbian and Gay Mainstream Country Artists? (Book Excerpt)
In this excerpt of ‘Queer Country’, Chely Wright, Mary Gauthier, Brandi Carlile, and Amy Ray share the battles they’ve fought to make country music recognize its lesbian artists.
Manifest Technique: The Cosmic Vision of Afro-Filipino Futurism (Excerpt)
In this excerpt of Mark R. Villegas’ Manifest Technique, we vibe with ISP’s avant-garde turntablism spinning Filipino alienation.