Memphis' Gift to the World

 

In Corey Mesler's wildly entertaining and occasionally hilarious "The Growth and Death of Buddy Gardner," a rock critic narrator plies every $10 word at his disposal to describe a rock legend from River City, a very big star. Buddy's stay amid the limelight eventually came crashing down, but not before he'd penned such classics as "Wrong for the Right of Way," "Buttermilk Thighs," and "Haley Mills' Underpants."

Review of EXPERIENCED by Outsider Writers Collective

Mel Bosworth wrote a generous and insightful review of EXPERIENCED for the Outsider Writers Collective. He writes: "There’s a very real and touching nostalgia seeping through these pages, a steady drip that induces bittersweet twinges in the stomach"... and... "Experienced is an honest and wild ride through the thumping bass and scorching guitar dreams of our youth and beyond that’s well worth the price of admission. Flash your breasts or forge a ticket, but make sure you get through the gate."

You can read the entire review here

Rock Radio Studio as Confessional

In Scott Nicholson's "Dead Air," a late-night DJ at odds with management due to few listeners finds his ratings suddenly skyrocket thanks to a new caller who moonlights as femme fatale serial killer, "dynamite, exploding at no charge."

Reviewed in Houston Press

Today EXPERIENCED was reviewed by Bob Rugierro, music writer for Houston Press.

Bob asks "Are You Experienced? Can You Tell Fact from Fiction?" And says "Standout pieces include a band member's account of Guided By Voices' wooing by a major label, a profile of openly gay blues harmonica player Jason Ricci, and some sketches of Dee Dee Ramone by a neighbor."

Read the full review here

Madonna...and a whole lot more...

In story numero cinco in EXPERIENCED, Harold Jaffe, the master of "docufiction," riffs on the former Louise Ciccone and mid-80's culture--everything from Madonna's navel to England's Queen mother to "Dallas" reruns to London's Sikhs to Reagan's Cabinet to technological growth to Cold War games to budding Globalization, all wrapped in an 1831 word sentence that will leave you gasping for air!

Jason Ricci's LIfe on the Road

The fourth chapter of EXPERIENCED, Brad Kava's "Road Life Wearies Harmonica Virtuoso," details the ups and downs of endless touring experienced by harp great Jason Ricci and his band New Blood. Respect and admiration from peers is something Ricci has in spades, but making a comfortable living is another matter. Success on the blues circuit is hard to come by, especially when you're openly gay.

The Grateful Dead Experience as Literature?

F-yeah! The third story to grace the pages of EXPERIENCED is Tim Weed's "Steal Your Face." It's a short story that would make make Mark Twain proud, as if Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn found themselves on tour with Jerry and the boys and culminated their eventful summers on a head full of acid in Colorado at the Red Rocks amphitheater in Boulder.You have to read it to believe it!

EXPERIENCED Review at Generation A.D.D.

Big thanks to Ed Wagemann for his comprehensive and insightful review of EXPERIENCED on his blog, Generation A.D.D.

Ed writes, "The Rock music world has many different layers, so many different story lines, so much history, technology, innovation, adventure, culture, creative performances and moments that are as complex and beautiful as life itself. Experienced, as the back cover promises, delves into the world of Rock music from all those angles and more."

You can check out the complete review here

Little Leftovers

Next up in EXPERIENCED's TOC is journalist Fred De Vries' "Little Leftovers," which chronicles his dogged, halfway-round-the globe pursuit of Britpop queen Justine Frischmann, frontwoman for the band Elastica.

Hunting Accidents

"Hunting Accidents," James Greer's wonderful tale of fact about Guided by Voices' major label recruitment by Warner Bros., bats leadoff among the 16 stories in EXPERIENCED: Rock Music Tales of Fact & Fiction.