Connections: Delmore Schwartz & Lou Reed

One of the biggest influences on the work of iconic rocker Lou Reed was the poet & writer Delmore Schwartz. Schwartz taught creative writing at Syracuse while Reed studied there, but he was more than just his professor. He was a friend and mentor, and his powerful use of everyday language and the common vernacular in his writing, as well as his ability to find sparks of beauty and light amid the darkness of the mundane, helped shape Reed's lyrics.








On "My House," from the 1982 album,  The Blue Mask,  Reed pays tribute to his friend and teacher of "the proud and regal name Delmore."

"We're thinking of getting the band back together..."

 Few statements elicit such "mixed" feelings among fans and critics alike. The Eagles, Phish, Van Halen, The Police. It might seem like a good idea for at few seconds, maybe even a few minutes. But in the end, it's almost always a bad way to go. We know why bands keep reuniting, and it's definitely not about the music.

In J.T. Townley's "Deja Vu (All Over Again)," a band called The Real Enchiladas discuss plans to follow in the footsteps of such bands. Those who've made it through rehab and dusted off their instruments in hopes of riding the wave of hype and financial reward that comes from our longing for rock 'n' roll nostalgia. Only it might not be that easy...

Review of EXPERIENCED by Book Pleasures

Happy to see EXPERIENCED get a glowing review by Dr. Wes Britton at BookPleasures.com.  He describes the book as a type of kaleidoscope with each of its 16 stories colorful shards of glass. And sums things up by saying:  

"If you love rock ‘n roll and all that comes with it, you’ll not only enjoy this fast-moving book, but you’re likely to see at least one reflection of yourself in it. But as the level of writing is so high, you need not be solely interested in the subject matter to appreciate what the editors have collected here. Experienced is chock-full of memorable characters—real and imagined—settings and situations—fact and fiction—and narratives that move with the pace of a pop classic. A most enjoyable kaleidoscope indeed."

You can read the entire review here

Rock Music Shaping Our Lives

Esteemed music writer and critic Jim DeRogatis has written about leading figures in the rock 'n' roll world, including entire books on The Flaming Lips and Lester Bangs, among others. But "Bodies on the Moon," his piece in EXPERIENCED tells the story of another subject, himself, recounting those awkward teen years and how rock music helped him through. One night his band got the chance to perform at the school dance, although its set list wasn't vetted. Some songs just aren't appropriate in such circumstances.

Connections: Zak Sally

This will be the first in series I'll post periodically called "connections," whereby the lit and rock music worlds overlap. Some entries will be anecdotes, others brief profiles on multi-talented artists like EXPERIENCED contributor James Greer. Since I saw a great show by the band Low last night, I thought I'd start by writing about the bass player who wasn't there...

Zak Sally played bass for the Duluth, MN-based band Low for more than a decade. A very talented comic artist involved in the underground zine scene for years, Sally took the next step and formed his own publishing company called La Mano 21which publishes graphic novels and comic books. The small press features the work of many fine artists and writers, including some of Sally's own work. Check out its site and see for yourself. They offer many limited edition pressings.



Here's a video of Low with Sally playing "Monkey" from the album, The Great Destroyer.