Don’t Suck, Don’t Die: Giving Up Vic Chesnutt by Kristin Hersch
Don’t Suck, Don’t Die. Truer words have never been spoken about the art of performance, especially so for Athens, Georgia based Vic Chesnutt. a paraplegic since the age of 18. Every show, every tour, every album he lived by that code. Constantly angry and in constant pain, Chesnutt never sucked, ever, but he did die in 2009 from his own hand. Kristin Hersh, formerly of The Throwing Muses, was his constant companion during these years both a friend and a touring partner. This book is her love letter to Vic Chesnutt. Addressed to his spirit and full of love and anger, this is the best music book of 2015 and the most important since Patti Smith’s Just Kids. Read this and remember: Don’t suck, Don’t die.
The First Collection of Criticism By A Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hopper
Jessica Hopper is the current editor in chief of Pitchfork Magazine and has been writing about music since the early 90s. I’ve been reading her work for most of that time and am stoked beyond words that this book exists. Everyone who loves dancing about architecture should buy this book and hopefully we’ll see more books of this ilk so that the title ceases to be an indictment of our culture.
This is the frightfully true story of how the film obsessed dictator’s son, Kim Jong-Il, kidnapped South Korea’s greatest director and his movie star ex-wife so as to make the communist nations movie industry a force to be reckoned with. An unforgettable read filled with car chases, prison camps, and preposterous plot twists that would seem unforgivably unbelievable were it to occur on the silver screen. Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!!!! For fans of Argo.
The Puma Blues by Stephen Murphy and Michael Zulli
One of the most beautiful pieces of graphic art from the waning days of the 20th century and one of Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Non-Superhero Graphic Novels of All-Time, The Puma Blues is a fever dream exploration of the fears of 80s America from religious extremism to environmental collapse. This is a beautiful book that drew acclaim from all across the industry and led to Zulli’s work on the final arc of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. Out of print for 25 years, Dover has, along with A Sailor’s Story below, brought the book into circulation for a new generation to experience. Far too timely in this age of Donald Trump.
A Sailor’s Story by Stan Glazman
Out of print for decades, this slice of life graphic memoir by 50s comic book artist Stan Glazman about his time serving in World War II is a delightful and essential read. From a teenager being hazed by superior officers to trying to find a place for a decent night’s sleep, A Sailor’s Life is all about what happens when the guns aren’t firing.
The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook
From Ace of Base through Backstreet Boys to Rihanna and Katy Perry, The Song Machine chronicles the story of how a bunch of Swedish DJs and musicians conquered the American and world charts for 20 years. It’s an utterly compelling and fascinating read that opens the door and shines a spotlight upon how hits are written and the anonymous people who write them.
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