This is my blog, I’m allowed to do this, right? I’m not, nor would I ever, take you conversationally hostage with this sort of thing at some social gathering or music performance concert or dinner party. Why am I asking? Like I’ve been using this site for much else this year. As this post is written, there will be an attempt to spice things up with some comments/opinions on other people’s problems/hard work/crap/brilliance, but no promise have I made!
First Bullet Point - My writing/work will be in three upcoming books, all published later this year. In September, Voyageur Press will be publishing Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: An Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time, a mini-coffee table book that features my 1,000 word essay on the great Led Zep underdog album, Presence.
Then…a little later in the Fall, I think, or maybe a little sooner in August (next month!), The Rock Bible: Unholy Scripture for Fans & Bands (Quirk Books) will hit the shelves. This is Henry Owings’ (Chunklet) baby, but he surrounded his vision with a varied selection of helpers and a smaller, core group of contributors/editors/punch-up people. I am one of the latter. In case you are calling me a fraud right this second, take a look at that blurb down towards the bottom. Better yet, I’ll paste it right here:
“Complete with faux-biblical illustrations and parables and essays from comedian Patton Oswalt, drummer Brian Teasley, and professional smartass Andrew Earles, The Rock Bible is a rude and raunchy look at the best and worst of rock ‘n’ roll.”
And the third book. Ah…I’m very excited about this. John Wenzel’s Mock Stars: Indie Comedy and the Dangerously Funny features a long-ish interview with me….an honor, yes, though I’m truly jazzed about my contribution. The ”Comedy From Another Planet” chapter is my 3,500+ words on HBO’s 1989 bizarro must-see-to-believe comedy special, Opening Night At Rodney’s Place.
Second Bullet Point - While I’m on the subject of books, I picked up Colin Meloy’s (the man to be blamed for Quirk-off, McSweeneyCore band The Decemberists) 33 1/3 title on The Replacements’ Let It Be. Wow. I didn’t know writing like this could still be found outside of Cometbus back issues, what Dave Eggers left piled on the floor after sending A Heartbreaking Work to the publisher, or spiral notebooks that deservedly stay in boxes. Basically, 80 - 90 of its 106 pages make for the most insufferably innocuous (autobiographical) coming of age story ever told. Someone, perhaps the same someone that decided against my Flip Your Wig pitch, deemed this self-important, unbearably precious snooze-fest worthy of publication. Unbelievable.
Did I really just start the Facebook process? Did I? I think so!