Leslie conway lester bangs december 14, 1948 april 30, 1982 was an american music journalist, critic, author, and musician. Cofounder and publisher of rollingstone jann wenner made the order, saying that bangs had no respect for artists. We had lester bangs threatening to stab a bottle of ripple into james, he told david browne in. Thompson, charles bukowski, and jack kerouac all rolled into one.
Canned wheat is the fifth studio album by canadian rock band the guess who, and was released in september 1969. These are the original versions, digitally remastered and sounding great, so ignore the glut, this really is. Canned heat rose to fame because their knowledge and love of blues music was both wide and deep. Canned heats final album for united artist, the new age, released in 1973, featured james shane on guitar. It is also a hell of a lot more readable than psychotic reactions and carburetor dung the previous lester bangs reader edited by greil marcus. I do know that lester bangs wrote some amazing pieces for rolling stone and new all the bands and songs. It sounded like the man who made astral weeks was in terrible pain, pain most of. Clara ward also appears on the album in her very last recording.
The big bangs a former creem magazine colleague of lester bangs remembers and members of the doors, the mc5, blondie and the mekons respond to the late, great rock critics bracing vitriol. Even though they were always real fine journeymen, they never made a wholly and entirely good album, of course, but theyve consistently had their moments. Lester bangs is one of the most esteemed rock writers in history, but even he didnt quite get black sabbath when he heard their first record. The ten most ridiculous records of the seventies by. Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boomever see the 2000 movie almost famous. Canned heat is the second single from british funkacid jazz band jamiroquais fourth studio album, synkronized, released in 1999. To read such a meticulously researched and wellwritten bio of the man was like a. Lester bangs moniker, americas greatest rock critic is a title well deserved.
The best of canned heat licensed to youtube by umg on behalf of capitol catalog mkt c92. The following comprehensive bibliography of lester bangss works published, printed, or posted onlineofficially or unofficiallyis organized for your convenience into the following categories. The ultimate library of rock music writing and journalism. We had lester bangs threatening to stab a bottle of ripple into james, he told david. Emerging in 1966, canned heat was founded by blues historians and record collectors alan blind owl wilson and bob the bear hite. Wenner contended that bangs was disrespectful to musicians. She and her husband, former creem editor robert duncan, lived nextdoor to lester atop 542 sixth avenue. Boston, canned heat, how to be a rock critic, jann wenner, lester bangs, lou reed. Syd barrett the breakdown of syd as told by his sister and band members radio broadcast 090611 duration. When youve got three copies of white lightwhite heat, eight copies of raw power, and everything ever cut by miles davis, the next step is obvious.
Owing to his prose style, his readers often describe him as. Check out greatest hits by canned heat on amazon music. The new age is the ninth studio album by canned heat, released in 1973. Lester bangs quotes author of psychotic reactions and. And, of course, what would a canned heat compilation be without the bona fide hippie hits.
Meltzer and bangs tagteam verbal trashing of the village voices robert christgau, bangs recitation of a letter written by canned heats manager to rolling stone that got him banned from that publication, and meltzers questions to zoo world editor arthur levy what. I think its a guys book or lester bangs enthusiasts. However, bangs did not always have the best relationship with rollingstone. Lester bangs biography childhood, life achievements. Writing can be rock n roll, or a movie can be rock n roll. Lester bangs was a wreck of a man, right up until his death in april of 1982, at the age of thirtythree. His song, the harleydavidson blues, became a popular biker anthem. He was a hugely influential rock critic who died young, and the people he inspired can be protective of his legacy. Boogie with canned heat is the second album by canned heat, released in 1968. One of the first tomes i sought out was a compendium of the writing of lester bangs. He started as a rock critic for rolling stone magazine and was fired for writing many a negative article, including a slant on the rock group, canned heat.
Unlike their debut, it features mostly original material. The life and times of lester bangs, americas greatest rock critic, biography, jim derogatis. During his stay in austin he recorded an album as lester bangs and the delinquents entitled jook savages on the brazos. Canned heat boogie with canned heat releases discogs. Lester bangs was a legendary rock critic, journalist, author and musician, who is bestknown for his collection of essays entitled, psychotic reactions and carburetor dung. But canned heat disappeared from the sets for awhile there, just sorta flapped up and boogied into the zone and what was really sad was that nobody missed em. It was quoted that, lesters album with the delinquents was the predecessor of socalled alternativecountry bands such as wilco and son volt. And banned is probably a more accurate term than fired, since he was never a formal member of the rs staff. The life and times of lester bangs, americas greatest rock critic is a book that you either devour in one sitting or else youd never pick it up in the first place. He wrote of his contempt for the music industry and rock criticism in general in biting, often hilarious terms. Lester bangs died april 30,1982 and his legend still lives on in music, movies, and books. A former creem magazine colleague of lester bangs remembers and. Psychotic reactions and carburetor dung was tough to read, i was lost pretty much of the chapters i read.
Canned heats label complained, and jon landau banned bangs as he had richard meltzer and nick tosches from the magazine. He wrote for creem and rolling stone magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music criticism. Mainlines, blood feasts and bad taste a lester bangs reader edited by john morthland anchor books this book is the real deal for any lovers of the sort of music that im into. Influential rock critic lester bangs was fired from rolling stone for writing a. In that film a 15 year old rock journalist want to be falls under the tutelege of lester bangsthe ramones in not my place in the 9 to 5 world give him a shout out.
Almost famous lester bangs legacy to be celebrated by. It included the top 10 hit on the road again, one of their best known songs. Ill spare the playbyplay its in derogatis book, but highlights were. When i arrived at college, it took me some time to use the university library for academic purposes. Ita a bit of a challenge to write about lester bangs. Consider his characteristic trashing of canned heat as nondescript. It was the first album to feature the talents of james shane and ed beyer. My other big record of the day was white lightwhite heat. On the road again, goin up the country and lets work together. The music critic jim derogatis called him americas greatest rock critic. Influential rock critic lester bangs was fired from rolling stone for writing a disrespectful. Bangs had written prolifically for rolling stone from 1969 until 1973, but was fired that summer for mocking canned heats seventh album, new age, in the 6773 issue. Bangs next became editor of creem in 1971, moving to detroit.
The song was their second numberone on the us dance chart and peaked at number 4 on the uk singles chart as well as number 2 in spain. The late rock music critic lester bangs was celebrated in song by r. Lester bangs was one of my heros and i loved him to pieces. Leslie conway lester bangs december, 1948 april 30, 1982 was an american music journalist, author, and musician. In 1980 he traveled to austin, texas and met a punk rock group named the delinquents. The first mistake of art is to assume that its serious. No, not the plaster casters blues band its canned heat. He was fat, sweaty, unkemptan outofcontrol alcoholic in torn jeans and a. The lester bangs conspiracy is lesters first performance at a punk magazine benefit at cbgbs bangs meets richard quine at cbgbs jun. Amphetamine annie, a warning about the dangers of amphetamine abuse, also received considerable airplay. The ten most ridiculous records of the seventies by lester bangs.