Originally written for This Magazine.
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There is a unicorn on the cover of this book. This book is like a book with a unicorn on the cover. This book is like a unicorn, like something mythical and beautiful that has to disappoint, either by its non-existence or the drab ordinariness it must assume in order to exist. This book is like a unicorn, and it is like love.
The first section in Sam Cheuk’s Love Figures, “Punctum,” is the strongest. Punctum is a term …
Originally written for Hellbound.
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I recently reviewed Neil Daniels’ excellent books, All Pens Blazing: A Rock & Heavy Metal Writer’s Handbook Volumes 1 & 2, for Hellbound (which you can read here). Rather than the guidebooks that you may have expected from the title, these books actually contain a wealth of interviews with heavy metal writers, editors of rock magazines, and other members of the press. Essentially, these are interviews with the people who usually conduct the interviews. I found that after reading and analyzing these books, I had …
Originally written for Hellbound.
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Calling these two massive volumes of interviews a “handbook” initially struck me as a curious choice. The subtitle might suggest that they’ll offer straightforward directions, containing, say, step-by-step instructions for writing your first music review or tips for assembling well-crafted interview questions. Instead, what the reader is presented with is a collection of interviews with music writers, editors, critics and heavy music fans. All Pens Blazing presents a view of music writing from the inside and a glimpse of the music …