The mention of Greil Marcus in the post below got me thinking about the late great - indeed the greatest ever - rock writer, the incomparable Lester Bangs


Several years ago during my formative teenage years I received a copy of his collected writings 'Psychotic Reactions and Caburetor Dung' - posthumously published but edited by the aforementioned Mr. Marcus. The book is highly recommended - particularily if you are interested in rock and roll (or jazz) as an expression of teenage rebellion, alienation and general fuckedupness. Lester wrote about punk rock years before there was punk rock. It is rock and roll criticism as literature - check out 'Of Pop and Pies and Fun' - his brilliant review of one of my favourite records ever - The Stooges 'Fun House' - it's more than a review it's 'A Program for Mass Liberation'...


To quote LB....
'......Fun House is one of those rare albums that never sits still quite long enough to actually solidify into what it previously seemed. Not always immediately accessible, it might take some getting into, but the time spent is well repaid. Because properly conceived and handled noise is not noise at all, but music whose textures just happen to be a little thicker and more involved than usual, so that yo u may not hear much but obscurity the first time, but various subsequent playings can open up whole sonic vistas you never dreamed were there. '

When you've finished with that - check out his inspirational piece on the record that had most significance in his life ....Astral Weeks.