Overview

"Selected writings on three decades of popular music from one of the most influential critics of his generation.Spanning three decades worth of astute, acerbic, and overall astounding music writing, Kick Out the Jams is the first large-scale anthology of the work of renowned critic Dave Marsh. Ranging from Elvis Presley to Kurt Cobain, from Nina Simone to Ani DiFranco, from the Beatles to Green Day, the book gives an opinionated, eye-opening overview of 20th century popular music--offering a portrait not just of an era but of a writer wrestling with the American empire. Every essay bears the distinct Dave Marsh attitude and voice. That passion is evident in a heart-wrenching piece on Cobain's suicide and legacy; a humorous attack on ""Bono's bullshit;"" an indignant look at James Brown and the FBI; deep, revelatory probes into the work of underappreciated artists like Patty Griffin and Alejandro Escovedo; and inspiring insight into what drives Marsh as a writer, namely ""a raging passion to explain things in the hope that others would not be trapped and to keep the way clear so that others from the trashy outskirts of barbarous America still had a place to stand--if not in the culture at large, at least in rock and roll."" If you want to explore the recent history of pop music--its politics as well as its performers--Kick Out the Jams is the perfect guidebook."

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9781797160801

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Reviews

"""Throughout, Marsh's deep passion for the music and the artists he writes about provides a bassline of energy and excitement. The author breathes new insight into well-known artists and provides avenues of discovery for new music while maintaining humor and heart...Heartfelt and often amusing, these essays will have you reaching into your record collection to listen with fresh ears."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews"""

Author Information

Dave Marsh was among the first editors of Creem magazine and wrote extensively for Rolling Stone and other publications. He has authored twenty-five books, including two bestselling biographies of Bruce Springsteen, Before I Get Old: The Story of the Who, and The Heart of Rock & Soul: the 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Marsh cofounded the newsletter Rock & Rap Confidential and currently hosts Kick Out the Jams and other programs on SiriusXM. Dennis Boutsikaris, winner of AudioFile Magazine's 2010 Best Voice in Mystery & Suspense, has recorded more than 100 audiobooks for publishers in the United States and Great Britain. His critically-acclaimed work has garnered four Golden Earphone awards and two Best Voices of the Year Awards from AudioFile Magazine and five Audies from the Audio Publishers of America. His performances include reading novels by Richard North Patterson, Tom Clancy, John Grisham, and Joseph Finder. Boutsikaris has appeared in numerous Broadway, television, and film roles. He played Mozart on Broadway in Amadeus, and has appeared on television shows including Shameless, The Good Wife, House M.D., Grey's Anatomy, ER and Law & Order. He has won two Obie Awards--one for Outstanding Performance in Nest of the Wood Grouse and one for Outstanding Performance in Sight Unseen. His films include The Bourne Legacy, W., The Education of Charlie Banks, *batteries not included, Dream Team, Boys on the Side, and Crocodile Dundee 2.

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