Books

New Work From Momus: The Book Of Jokes Reviewed

Huw Nesbitt delves into the dark humour in the latest piece by writer, artist and musician Momus

Tao Lin’s Shoplifting From American Apparel Reviewed

Huw Nesbitt finds Tao Lin's new novel as slick and vapid as a pair of shiny leggings from the young girl-loving fashion retailer

An Extract From John Robb’s Manchester Music City 1976-1996

An excerpt from John Robb's latest book, charting Manchester's musical history through interviews with the people that made it

The Books I’ve Loved: Christiana Spens

Novelist Christiana Spens talks to The Quietus about her favorite yarns

Get The Gays And Hairdressers – A History Of Eric’s, Liverpool

Jaki Florek and Paul Whelan's _Liverpool Eric's: All The Best Clubs Are Downstairs, Everybody Knows That . . ._ reviewed

Jon Savage Interview & An Extract From The England’s Dreaming Tapes

Following the publication of his book _The England's Dreaming Tapes_, author and journalist Jon Savage talks punk with The Quietus, and kindly donates an interview that just couldn't fit into his thousand-odd page bustling tome.

The Author Of The Long-Player Goodbye On The Vinyl Frontier

One of John Doran's favourite books on music so far this year is a charming and engaging history of the vinyl album; so he decided to ask the author, Travis Elborough, if he genuinely thinks it's curtains for the 33rpm . . .

‘White Light/White Heat, The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day’ Reviewed

Critic Steve Jelbert digs deep into the latest page in the VU's ongoing mythology

A Jeffrey Lewis Comic: The History Of The Cribs

Jeffrey Lewis' comic book interpretations of musical history are among his finest work, so it's with pleasure we present to you Jeffrey Lewis on The Cribs

‘The Death of Bunny Munro’: An Extract from Nick Cave’s Latest Novel

The first chapter of Nick Cave's second blast of fiction

On Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times Of Brian Eno Reviewed

Author Wilson Neate casts an eye over the new edition of the biography of the aerodynamic sound doctor

Four Aces, Phebes and London’s Forgotten Reggae Venues

An excerpt of _From CBGB to the Roundhouse_, a trawl around the toilet circuit and beyond, by Tim Burrows

The Author Speaks: Zoë Street Howe on Writing The Slits’ Story

On the eve of the release of her biography, _Typical Girls? The Story of The Slits_, writer Zoë Street Howe examines her own motivations for writing the book, on how she helped reunite previously disenfranchised members, and why the group's legacy is still important today.

Book Review: The Last Mad Surge of Youth by Mark Hodkinson

A Caught By The River Extract: Bill Drummond’s The Penkiln Burn

An extract by Bill Drummond from Caught By The River - A Collection Of Words On Water

A Few Lines With Vince Aletti – Disco Dispatches From 70s NYC

Here are some extracts from DJhistory.com's ace new book _The Disco Files 1973-78: New York's Underground Week By Week_. Here, in 1976, author Vince Aletti is letting his readers know about the new cult of the DJ and why the rockists just don't get it . . .

Don’t Fear The Reaper – Mick Mercer On Goth

Alex Ogg talks to Mick Mercer about his new Gothic book, Music To Die For, and asks... goth or not?

On Wire And Punk: An Extract From The 33 1/3 Book On Pink Flag

Wire were always at odds with the rest of the late 70s punks. In today's extract from Wilson Neate's 33 1/3 book on Pink Flag, we find out why

Tom Waits Biog Extract: From Wild Years To Island Days

This extract from Barney Hoskyns' new Tom Waits biography looks at how Tom Waits remarkable sonic departure on Island Records was influenced by his marriage to Kathleen Brennan. Photoillustration by Michael A. Russ

Lowside Of The Road: Barney Hoskyns’ Tom Waits Biog Reviewed

Schlock And Aue: Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones Reviewed

Steve Jelbert reviews Jonathan Littell's novel _The Kindly Ones_

Simon Reynolds In Conversation: Talking Totally Wired

The Quietus speaks to Simon Reynolds about his new book _Totally Wired_, a companion piece to post punk bible _Rip It Up And Start Again_

Dancehall: Beth Lesser Interviewed

One of our favourite albums of last year was the Soul Jazz Dancehall compilation, so we decided it was time to talk to author Beth Lesser who penned the excellent book that accompanies it. John Doran gamely exposes his ignorance.

This Heat Interview By Simon Reynolds: A Totally Wired Outtake

Plump up your cushions because we've got a (pretty) long but interesting outtake from Simon Reynolds' new book here on the cult group This Heat.

The Ten Best Metal Guitarists In The World – The Director’s Cut

Gentleman of rock Joel McIver has written a book about the best metal fret manglers ever. Exclusively for The Quietus he engages his swollen hippocampus and picks out 10 of the best. Let the bloodshed commence! (Just don't call him ass hat.)

Luke Haines Interviewed: “Britpop, My Part In Its Downfall”

As Luke Haines' Bad Vibes sours the nation's bookshelves, Jimmy Martin gives the affable writer a call to work out if there was anything worth celebrating about Britpop

Darkness Man Frankie Poullain’s Memoirs: The NME & Eating Your Own Shit

Former Darkness bass player Frankie Poullain has returned from his French castle to write a warts-and-all account of his time in the band. In these extracts, he recalls eating his own faeces as a child and the band's infamous spat with the NME.

Reading Festival: The Birth Of The Queens Of The Stone Age

This weekend sees Queens of the Stone Age play Reading and Leeds. Here in an extract from his excellent book on the band, Joel McIver recounts their early days of rock & roll madness.

The Fallen- Searching For The Missing Members Of The Fall: Reviewed

Dave Simpson nearly went bonkers tracking down everyone who's been given the boot from The Fall. John Doran finds the resulting tome to be essential reading for every Fall fan.

An Exclusive Extract From The Bad Seeds’ Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! Book

Nick Cave has collaborated with artists Sue Webster and Tim Noble to produce Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, a superb little book of sketches, photographs, and sundry scribbles. In an extract from the book, they explain how it all came together.

An Extract From Psychic Confusion: The Sonic Youth Story

Peter Beste – True Norwegian Black Metal