Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic

by Jim DeRogatis

Book Overview

Let It Blurt is the raucous and righteous biography of Lester Bangs (1949-82)--the gonzo journalist, gutter poet, and romantic visionary of rock criticism. No writer on rock 'n' roll ever lived harder or wrote better--more passionately, more compellingly, more penetratingly. He lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, guzzling booze and Romilar like water, matching its energy in prose that erupted from the pages of Rolling Stone, Creem, and The Village...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0767905091
• ISBN13: 9780767905091
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

And what a brilliant blurt!

This brilliant biography of Lester Bangs captures the essence of the man and what he was about with great clarity. DeRogatis writes with passion (I mean, he makes Lester's passionate sense of life come alive) and unlocks great swathes of rock culture and rock literature that I had not been aware of. It pleases me to know that Bangs was a kind person with integrity. The afterword covers his legacy in the work of music writers, in the lyrics of other artists, in his musical influence on certain alt-country bands, and in the book "Psychotic Reactions," a compilation of his work by Greil Marcus. The appendices include Lester's "How To Be A Rock Critic" and some of his lyrics, and the book provides copious notes, sources and a wonderful bibliography of Bangs' articles, reviews, books, contributions to anthologies and encyclopedias, letters and recordings, plus articles about him by other authors. It is well-illustrated throughout. Let It Blurt is a classic, both as a fascinating life story and history of rock criticism, and as a valuable reference source to Bangs' work.

Rock Journalism 101

"Let it Blurt" is an important history lesson in the rock journalism and criticism that many of us take for granted. I for one never gave any thought to its origins, and assumed music reviews have been around since the advent of magazines. Little did I know that it was championed by charismatic dreamers, frustrated musicians, and firebrands who saw the forum as a way through which to turn others on to the music they were so passionate about. In a lot of ways, the early critics for magazines like Rolling Stone and Creem were like "old school" athletes- folks who weren't paid much, and did it for the love of the game. Lester Bangs wrote in order exorcise his own feelings about music, while broadcast his feelings to a broader audience, whether they took the form of passionate endorsements, angry tirades, or merely exorcised demons. One of the salient points made by DeRogatis is that when Bangs wrote reviews, he used the word "we", so as to implicate the reading audience, "addressing his readers as fellow appreciators instead of mere consumers." In other words, Bangs was writing for the audience instead of to it. He was a music fan first, and a writer second. Now, however, reviewers seem more out to pitch product, or at the very least, to avoid confrontation or- God forbid- being blacklisted from a band or record company's party and/or press release invitation list. As a character study/biography independent of a rock criticism history, the story of Lester Bangs is captivating. His celebrity was certainly unconventional, and on the periphery of the oft-told stories of rock stars. He had the addictive personality, the creativity, and the personal demons of a rock star, but communicated through a different- though overlapping- medium. He seemed like a loveable bear of a guy- no saint, to be sure- but someone you could have a few beers with while engaging in a frank discussion of (what's wrong with) your favorite band. Bangs clearly struggled with the unrealized dreams, girl problems, and increasingly-politically correct world that most of us do. DeRogatis' research was impeccable, and it is clear that Bangs was a hero of his. Furthermore, the writings of Bangs that are quoted throughout make the book read like an interview. While DeRogatis clearly is biased in his admiration for Lester, his writing was never fawning, nor did it gloss over the character's flaws. Lastly, there is a well chosen piece from Bangs at the end- a sarcastic piece on how to be a rock critic. Anyone who enjoyed this book will surely be pursuing more of Bangs' writing. I know I will.

Great Overview of a chaotic life

I found this a most entertaining read. Lester Bangs is the most important critic in Rock history, not because of his writing style (which is unmatched), but because of his understanding of the subject matter. Jim's unflinching portrait of the troubled yet loveable critic makes you want to read everything Lester ever published. If you love music, and the critisism of it, do yourself a favor and read this book. You will not be disappointed.

Lester Lived the Life, DeRogatis Did the Research

Like many martyrs, Lester Bangs did not die for his cause, he WAS his cause and he died. This book does his life justice, because it lets Lester's writing, actions and body odor tell the good and bad of his story. I didn't finish this book feeling Lester was a God. I finished it feeling like I'd met someone who reveled in his humanity to the point where everyone who knew him either loved or hated him for doing so. Never before have I been so inspired by a writer -- not from reading his work, appendix one is the first of his writings I've ever read in its entirety -- but from simply reading about how he lived his life. The freedom and zeal with which he so naturally lived and wrote was truly a gift to me though it may have been a curse for him.Turning to the author, I think DeRogatis' strong point is definitely his exhaustive, perfectly detailed research. His prose -- nothing special beyond its dutiful journalistic clarity -- serves his years of investigation well. I guess when you're reading a book about a literary stylist like Lester, the biographer's writing style can pale in comparison to even the few short examples of Lester's writing included in the book. But perhaps that's just another instance of Lester's expansive personality overshadowing everything around him -- even the pages of his own biography.This book tells the story of one of the greatest characters in rock and roll AND American culture. Lester belongs in the same league as Woody Guthrie, Jack Kerouac and Andy Kaufman (who, in certain pictures, I thought he eerily resembled) -- artists cursed with a singular voice who lived in a society that refused to let it blurt loud enough.

Let It Blurt

Jim DeRogatis interviewed me for this book about two years ago and I am delighted by the end result. Jim's account is accurate and compelling. Lester was a handful (he was a hellacious housemate), but he was also a funny, sweet and sensitive man...an amazing writer and thinker. I loved him. I'm so glad that this book is out there finally. Lester was one of our most valuable American literary observers and Jim's book assures his well-deserved prominent place in the pantheon of great American writers. Living, working with and publishing Lester Bangs was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of my life.