Good Friday

Two happy events occurred today. One you’ve heard about: Trumpcare was declared dead in the water. The other you haven’t: I got my copy of Shake It Up: Great American Writing on Rock and Pop from Elvis to Jay Z, a new anthology from Library of America.

I’m humbled at being chosen by editors Jonathan Lethem and Kevin Dettmar as one of 50 writers representing the field, and thus finding myself in the company of heroes and exemplars like Nat Hentoff, Greil Marcus, Ellen Willis, Lillian Roxon, and Luc Sante. A number of the younger writers I’ve not yet experienced, which makes today’s arrival not only gratifying but exciting.

Here's a great interview with Jonathan and Kevin at the LoA website. For the Los Angeles Review of Books, Jonathan solos on the anthology, and on his own experience as a reader of music writing.