| Edition |
First edition. |
| Description |
304 pages ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [273]-293) and index. |
| Summary |
William S. Burroughs's fiction and essays are legendary, but his influence on music's counterculture has been less well documented - until now. Examining how one of America's most controversial literary figures altered the destinies of many notable and varied musicians, this book reveals the transformations in music history that can be traced to Burroughs. A heroin addict and a gay man, Burroughs rose to notoriety outside the conventional literary world; his masterpiece, "Naked Lunch," was banned on the grounds of obscenity, but its nonlinear structure was just as daring as its content. The author brings to life Burroughs's parallel rise to fame among daring musicians of the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, when it became a rite of passage to hang out with the author or to experiment with his cut-up techniques for producing revolutionary lyrics (as the Beatles and Radiohead did). Whether they tell of him exploring the occult with David Bowie, providing Lou Reed with gritty depictions of street life, or counseling Patti Smith about coping with fame, the stories of Burroughs's backstage impact will transform the way you see America's cultural revolution - and the way you hear its music. |
| Contents |
Nirvana the hard way -- Subterranean homesick Burroughs -- Here, there and everywhere -- Watch that man -- Music and other dark arts -- Bunkers, punkers, and junkies -- Here to go -- The western lands. |
| Subject |
Burroughs, William S., 1914-1997.
|
|
Burroughs, William S., 1914-1997 -- Friends and associates.
|
|
Burroughs, William S., 1914-1997. (OCoLC)fst00032398
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Rock musicians.
|
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Friendship. (OCoLC)fst00935174
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Rock musicians. (OCoLC)fst01099238
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| Added Title |
William S. Burroughs and the cult of rock and roll |
| ISBN |
9781477316504 (hardcover alkaline paper) |
|
1477316507 (hardcover alkaline paper) |
|
9781477318669 (electronic book) |
|
9781477318676 (electronic book) |
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