If writing about music is like dancing about architecture, you'd do best to hone your chops and avoid clichés (like the one that begins this sentence) by learning from the prime movers. How to Write About Music offers a selection of the best writers on what is perhaps our most universally beloved art form. Selections from the critically-acclaimed 33 1/3 series appear alongside new interviews and insights from authors like Lester Bangs, Chuck Klosterman, Owen Pallet, Ann Powers and Alex Ross.
How to Write About Music includes primary sources of inspiration from a variety of go-to genres such as the album review, the personal essay, the blog post and the interview along with tips, writing prompts and advice from the writers themselves.
Music critics of the past and the present offer inspiration through their work on artists like Black Sabbath, Daft Punk, J Dilla, Joy Division, Kanye West, Neutral Milk Hotel, Radiohead, Pussy Riot and countless others. How to Write About Music is an invaluable text for all those who have ever dreamed of getting their music writing published and a pleasure for everyone who loves to read about music.
FOREWORD BY RICK MOODY
INTRODUCTION BY MARC WOODWORTH
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
THE WRITERS
OVERTURE: EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
CHAPTER 1
THE ALBUM REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
ANN POWERS ON DAFT PUNK'S RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES
JIM DEROGATIS ON SIMON AND GARFUNKEL'S BOOKENDS
LAURIE ANDERSON ON ANIMAL COLLECTIVE'S CENTIPEDE HZ
LOU REED ON KANYE WEST'S YEEZUS
WRITING PROMPT: THE BLIND REVIEW
WRITING PROMPT: MAKE IT BETTER
THE GO-BETWEENS: HOW TO MAKE CONTACTS
CHAPTER 2
THE LIVE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
PAUL MORLEY ON JOY DIVISION AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
ZACH SCHONFELD ON SPIRITUALIZED AT WEBSTER HALL
CHARLES AARON ON HOLE
WRITING PROMPT: THE LIVE SHOW
THE GO-BETWEENS: THE FIVE THINGS EVERY MUSIC WRITER OR EDITOR NEEDS
CHAPTER 3
TRACK-BY-TRACK
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
KIM COOPER ON NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL
MARY GAITSKILL ON B-MOVIE
TAVI GEVINSON ON TAYLOR SWIFT
JONATHAN LETHEM ON TALKING HEADS
WRITING PROMPT: TRACK-BY-TRACK
THE GO-BETWEENS: HOW DID YOU LAND YOUR JOB?
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
RICHARD MELTZER ON EVIL AND ROCK 'N' ROLL
LUKE TURNER ON ENYA
BRIAN MORTON ON COMPUTER MUSIC
JORDAN FERGUSON ON J DILLA
WRITING PROMPT: LATE STYLE
THE GO-BETWEENS: OFF-BEAT ADVICE
CHAPTER 5
THE ARTIST INTERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
LIZZY GOODMAN WITH KIM GORDON
THOMAS SAYERS ELLIS WITH BOOTSY COLLINS
ALLEN GINSBERG WITH BECK
WRITING PROMPT: BE BOTH INTERVIEWER AND INTERVIEWEE
WRITING PROMPT: LEARN FROM THE BEST
THE GO-BETWEENS: YOUR DREAM INTERVIEW SUBJECT
CHAPTER 6
THE PERSONAL ESSAY
INTRODUCTION
BRUCE EATON ON BIG STAR
LESTER BANGS ON VAN MORRISON
JAMES WOOD ON THE WHO
RICK MOODY ON OTIS REDDING, SIMON & GARFUNKEL, THE BEATLES , FUNKADELIC AND OTHERS
WRITING PROMPT: THE PERSONAL ESSAY
WRITING PROMPT: OFF-THE-RADAR MUSIC THAT MATTERS
THE GO-BETWEENS: HOW IS MUSIC WRITING DIFFERENT?
CHAPTER 7
THE BLOG PIECE
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
CHRIS DEVILLE ON MUMFORD AND SONS
NICHOLAS CROGGON AND JAMES PARKER ON THE TROUBLE WITH CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CRITICISM
MATT MELIS ON FANDOM
WRITING PROMPT: THE BLOG PIECE
THE GO-BETWEENS: YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE
CHAPTER 8
THE ARTIST PROFILE
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
ALEX ROSS ON RADIOHEAD
JOHN JEREMIAH SULLIVAN ON AXL ROSE
LINDSEY ZOLADZ ON PUSSY RIOT
SASHA FRERE JONES ON BEYONCÉ
WRITING PROMPT: THE LOCAL ARTIST PROFILE
THE GO-BETWEENS: WHAT SOURCES DO YOU USE?
CHAPTER 9
ALTERNATIVES
INTRODUCTION
JOHN DARNIELLE ON BLACK SABBATH
MARTY DAVIS ON BLACK FLAG
ROB SHEFFIELD FROM LOVE IS A MIX TAPE
JOE DEUEL ON Hüsker Dü
CAMPBELL MCGRATH ON BOB DYLAN
WRITING PROMPT: THE ANNOTATED MIX TAPE
WRITING PROMPT: OTHER VOICES
WRITING PROMPT: HEADLINES FROM TITLES
THE GO-BETWEENS: DESERT ISLAND DISCS
CHAPTER 10
HOW IT SOUNDS
INTRODUCTION
EXPERT ADVICE FROM OUR WRITERS
ANDY BABIUK ON THE BEATLES
OWEN PALLET ON KATY PERRY
SUSAN FAST ON LED ZEPPELIN
JOHN PERRY ON JIMI HENDRIX
WRITING PROMPT: ISOLATED TRACKS
THE GO-BETWEENS: DO YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE MUSIC TO WRITE ABOUT IT?
CHAPTER 11
MUSIC SCENES
INTRODUCTION
GINA ARNOLD ON LIZ PHAIR'S GUYVILLE
ROSS SIMONINI ON JAMAICAN RUDE BOYS
SIMON MORRISON ON DANCE CLUBS IN KOSOVO
WRITING PROMPT: MUSIC SCENES
THE GO-BETWEENS: HOW HAS THE FIELD OF WRITING ABOUT MUSIC CHANGED?
CHAPTER 12
CULTURAL CRITICISM
INTRODUCTION
CARL WILSON ON CELINE DION
CHUCK KLOSTERMAN ON EMINEM
GREIL MARCUS ON CLARENCE ASHLEY
WRITING PROMPT: CULTURAL CRITICISM
THE GO-BETWEENS: WORDS OF ADVICE TO THE LONELY MUSIC CRITIC
CHAPTER 33 1/3
HOW TO PITCH A 33 1/3
INTRODUCTION
A SUCCESSFUL PITCH: SUSAN FAST ON MICHAEL JACKSON'S DANGEROUS
A SUCCESSFUL PITCH: PHILLIP CRANDALL ON ANDREW WK'S I GET WET
PHILLIP CRANDALL REVISITS HIS 33 1/3 PROPOSAL
WRITING PROMPT: THE 33 1/3 PITCH
COMPANION WEBSITE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INDEX
