OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO

Today marks the thirtieth anniversary of Lester Bangs death.  So, what, you say, he was just a rock critic.  If that's your attitude, you probably don't remember a time when rock critics kissed up to rock stars, when their job was more about what they could get, rather than what they could give.  It was easier to praise an album or artist, get backstage passes, hangout with emperors in their new clothes, get your nose packed and, depending on the backstage scene, perhaps pick up a little groupie shake.  It was payola in the form of back scratching, and Lester Bangs would have no part of it.  He was too consumed with music, the good and the bad, and he called it the way he saw it.  It wasn't always pretty.  But it was always readable, as if he was in the room, ranting on pep pills or ten pots of coffee, and whatever else might be around.  But his wasn't an organized party, it was more like hanging out in a messy apartment, with records everywhere.

“Rock ‘n’ roll is an attitude, it’s not a musical form of a strict sort. It’s a way of doing things, of approaching things. Writing can be rock ‘n’ roll, or a movie can be rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a way of living your life.”

The songs below are all I could find of his and are really for complete Bangs fiends only.  He'd probably hate the fact that anyone would consider these with any amount of reverence.  To be honest, they pretty much suck.  Notable because it's Bangs with his friend Peter Laughner, who, I think, was in Rocket From the Tombs at the time (or  maybe Pere Ubu).  Listen to "Let It Blurt," one that was officially released. (Below, streaming on YouTube. Couldn't find an mp3.)  After not hearing it for a long time, it now sounds a little No Wave-ish.  But, really, it's more about his writing, If you''ve not read his stuff, go to the Lester's Legacy page.  There are links to pages about him, many with written pieces.  You'll know immediately.  You'll know.

Thanks to Gary Ra'chac, a friend of Bangs', who hepped me to what day it was.  I can't believe it's been thirty years.  So that's what happened.  That's how all the shit slipped through.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen: 
Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner - A Little Bit Of Heaven mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner - Lester Ray mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner - Seventeen mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner - Drugstore Cowboy / I'm So Bored / G'bye Lou mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner - G'bye Lou, Too mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner - G'bye Lou, Three / Cry Your Blues Away mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
Lester Bangs - Let It Blurt streaming at YouTube 
Visit: 
Lester's Legacy - Page of Bangs associated links 
Lester Bangs - One of his last interviews at Perfect Sound Forever 
Lester Bangs at Wikipedia