A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan.

@Abby – Ah, I haven’t read that yet. People keep recommending it to me, though.

Not only does Kristin Hersh have a fantastic voice, she has great taste in cover artists. That’s Beto Hernandez (of Love and Rockets fame) who also did the cover and liner notes for Limbo and its singles.

The original title of this post was, “Another list with ‘Just Kids’” …am I rite? I kid but would this post exist if people weren’t all gaga for ‘Just Kids’?

Also, suggest “I’m In The Band: Backstage Notes From The Chick In White Zombie” by Sean Yseult

@Snarky: “Would this post exist if people weren’t all gaga for ‘Just Kids’?” Yes. Yes, it would.

(F)Rat Girl is a non-stop banal trip that is in need of some acid or anything to kick start this exaggerated frat party. The Throwing Muses never charted an album in the U.S., so where’s the story? New Wave artists ruled in the mid-eighties. Being in a band, being a teenager, doesn’t mean you have to write about your state of being, it’s been told and sold.

[...] straight-up list with no commentary and some books I do not think are very good. Flavorwire’s ten great books about music by female writers does a more thorough job, and includes many of the books on my own list (and one I hated). Their [...]

@Chris Roberts – your post is so wrong-headed that it’s hard to know where to start. So a band needs to chart an album to have a story? (That’s the Velvet Underground fucked, then.) And musicians need to take drugs to be interesting? Really? I’m also not sure what’s with your repeated use of the word “frat” – as far as I’m aware, the only time fraternities get a mention is when Kristin dodges a couple of frat dickheads at a bar. If you think being at college constitutes a frat party, then… Aw, fuck, I’m feeding the trolls again, aren’t I? Balls.

@Tom Hawking – If someone posts a contrary view, that makes him/her a troll. How laughable is that mindset. But doesn’t a troll typically use profanity? That makes you one Tommy Boy with your fucked balls, TMI bye the bye, and your reaction is straight-up frat style as in boorish and rather beyond yourself. Recognize your severely limited debating skills. I had Noam Chomsky in tears, so really, what shot do you have? I’ll answer that: none.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaha

“I had Noam Chomsky in tears…”

Thanks for making my day, Chris. That’s seriously the best thing I’ve read in absolutely ages. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the pigs are coming in to land.

I have no end of entertainment when readers just can’t read a story online and not hit the ‘keyboard bravado’ button and bash it out. Comments sections have ruined net journalism, degenerating debate to that whole fan boy culture of sci-fi fans spitting on about George Lucas raping their childhood or whatever. Nothing is written in an ‘in my opnion’ vain, it’s just “I am holier than thou and my opinion wipes the floor with your pitiful crud”. Ah well, if I wasn’t checking back here to see that dip shit Chris Roberts snooty literary snob crud backlash, i’d invite him to meet me on my block where we could see if his fight is bigger than his inflated ego and boorish mouth. But alas I’ll avoid the comments section from now on, but I will miss the trolls like our friend Chris here (frat boy comment was gold. Oh dear oh dear…). Tom, love you’re work and enjoying the lists, keep them coming and screw what others say. Oh dammit, I just contradicted myself hanging shit on our friend Chris while slamming keyboard bravado! I’m such as asshole!

@Chris Roberts:

Glad to hear you and Chom-pers have some giggles. When I hang out with jesus, neil gaiman, tori amos and tori spelling, we ALL laugh EQUALLY. so.

Drugs are Nice by Lisa Crystal Carver – one of the best books of all time (but also by a woman and about music) also Roxon’s Rock Encyclopedia? Also Be My Baby by Ronnie Spector!

I also loved some of the wives of rock star books like Cynthia Lennon, Deborah Curtis, Angela Bowie, Pamela Des Barres – Marianne Faithfull’s – Faithfull being the stand out best!

you missed babes in toylands book!

Sad to see Jen Trynin’s “Everything I’m Cracked Up to Be: A Rock and Roll Fairy Tale” missing from this list.

“Out of the Vinyl Deeps,” by Ellen Willis, a pioneering female music writer.

@Tom – Yes, I agree, you are a joke.

@Andy B(alless) – ANY TIME I’LL MEET YOU. WELL??!! Send me your address Mary -Boy. And yes, indeed, as your mother and half the world already knows, you are an asshole.

[...] This week, Pitchfork compiled a list of their favorite books about music. Noting that the authors on said list were overwhelmingly male, Tom Hawking assembled a list in response for Flavorwire. [...]

The Importance of Music to Girls by Lavinia Greenlaw

just brilliant.

Snarky comments are avoiding the fact that it’s great to get a top 10 female writers list, as Tom said in a still male dominated industry. Kudos to the Girrls I say.