12 Contemporary Books That Will Have You Rethinking Music History
The best contemporary music books on this list are specific and sweeping, creating new narratives that challenge dominant orthodoxy on music and its histories.
Greil Marcus
Same Song Different Readings: Bob Dylan’s ‘Visions of Johanna’
Bob Dylan’s 1966 song, “Visions of Johanna”, stirred Germaine Greer, Greil Marcus, and other notable critics to argue the song’s meaning and influences. Who is right?
‘Avedon / Warhol’ Is an Astute Juxtaposition of the Two Brightest Stars in the Gagosian Galaxy
Gagosian has a clear-eyed, bird’s eye view on perhaps the most self-evident yet severely complicated relationship in modern art history.
The Myth of Elvis Presley
Rock critic Greil Marcus holds that Elvis' songs are simply a facade. But is there not a creative person behind the facade?
The Holy Greil: Marcus Nears 70 and He’s Better Than Ever With This New Rock History
In The History of Rock 'n' Roll in Ten Songs, Marcus's writing is as intoxicating as ever. The man is a poet.
When the Music Is Over: Greil Marcus on the Doors
In his biography The Doors, Greil Marcus colors in the cultural and historical space surrounding the band.