Lit RiffsFollowing in the footsteps of the late great Lester Bangs -- the most revered and irreverent of rock 'n' roll critics -- twenty-four celebrated writers have penned stories inspired by great songs. Just as Bangs cast new light on a Rod Stewart classic with his story "Maggie May," about a wholly unexpected connection between an impressionable young man and an aging, alcoholic hooker, the diverse, electrifying stories here use songs as a springboard for a form dubbed the lit riff. Alongside Bangs's classic work, you'll find stories by J.T. LeRoy, who puts a recovering teenage drug abuser in a dentist's chair with nothing but the Foo Fighters's "Everlong" -- blaring through the P.A. -- to fight the pain; Jonathan Lethem, whose narrator looks back on his lost innocence just as an extramarital affair careens to an end -- this to the tune "Speeding Motorcycle" as recorded by Yo La Tengo; and Jennifer Belle, who envisions a prequel to Paul Simon's "Graceland" -- one that takes place at a children's birthday party replete with a real live kangaroo. With original contributions from Tom Perrotta, Nelson George, Amanda Davis, Lisa Tucker, Aimee Bender, Darin Strauss, and many more -- riffing on everyone from Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen to the White Stripes, Cat Power, and Bob Marley -- this is both an astounding collection of short stories and an extraordinary experiment in words and music. Soundtrack available from Saturation Acres Music & Recording Co. |
Contents
Jonathan Lethem | 41 |
JT LeRoy | 77 |
Tanker Dane | 95 |
Lisa Tucker | 99 |
Aimee Bender | 119 |
Anthony DeCurtis | 127 |
Hannah Tinti | 141 |
Neal Pollack | 153 |
Arthur Bradford | 199 |
Jennifer Belle | 219 |
Bouncing inspired by the music and lyrics | 230 |
Darin Strauss | 255 |
Judy Budnitz | 287 |
David Ebershoff | 307 |
Elissa Shappell | 339 |
Zev Borow | 375 |
Other editions - View all
Lit Riffs Jonathan Lethem,Tom Perrotta,Lester Bangs,Aimee Bender,Amanda Davis,Neal Pollack,J. T. Leroy,Heidi Julavitz,Touré No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
anymore asked author inspiration better Black Crowes Blake blue Bobby called Chuck Klosterman coffee Cupper dark door Dylan Elgar eyes face father feel felt fingers fuck girl gray Guiterrez hair hand HANNAH TINTI Harrington head hear heard heart Hector Highway to Hell Indio Inelda inside Irvine Welsh JONATHAN LETHEM JULIANNA BAGGOTT kids kitchen knew Larry laughed Lester Bangs Lionel listen lives look McQuaid mother Neal Pollack NEIL STRAUSS never night okay Olive Olive's once picked Plates play prison Pritchardville pulled Reed says Sean Lennon seemed shit sleep smile someone song Stampp staring stopped story sure Swampthroat talk tell there's thing thought told Tom Perrotta took town turned voice waiting walked Washington County watching window woman write wrote Yeah
Popular passages
Page vii - Let your women keep silence in the churches : for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.