AD Reads..."Let It Blurt"

Big News! This is the first ever official Audiodaughter book review. I’m not sure if there will ever be a second (Okay, there will probably be another. I’m halfway through a Pamela DesBarres book right now), but that’s okay. If this were the only book review I ever wrote-I would be proud to admit it! Ready? Here goes…


Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic

“Let it Blurt” paints a much different picture of that ‘Lester Bangs’ guy from ‘Almost Famous.’ While Cameron Crowe saw Bangs as his hero (and painted him so), Jim DeRogatis’ account dives deeper into the heart, soul and history of Lesley Bangs. After all, Bangs’ real life contained a lot more than speed and his paranoia and cynicism ran a lot darker than what was shown on the silver screen. DeRogatis even recounts the same story of when Crowe and Bangs first met, afterward informing the reader that the time with Crowe was one of his only pleasant moments on that trip back to California. But where ‘Almost Famous’ stops (after one meeting and multiple phone calls in a few weeks’ time span), ‘Let it Blurt’ keeps going all the way up until the ultimate demise of “America’s greatest rock critic.”

To be honest, I haven’t yet finished “Let it Blurt.” However, I fear that if I wait until it’s finished, this review could go unwritten for a few more months. It’s not that the book is poorly written-It’s certainly not. As a matter of fact, I believe the reason it’s taking me so long is due to the sheer depth of knowledge that spills from its pages. It’s intense and it’s awesome. The stories of Lester and his friends are so well researched and colorfully described, I often find myself lost in imagination only halfway through a sentence. I keep stopping to take in the scenery, to look around the party and see who else I can spot in the crowd. I keep trying to imagine just how amazing it would be to sit across the room from Lou Reed- and give him shit.

It may be dreary at times, but ‘Let it Blurt’ is also filled with humor-if only in accounts of Bangs’ absurd antics. There are moments when I’ve gasped and wondered how the book would continue on for a hundred more pages if Lester got himself killed in yet another episode of drunken stupidity. I’ve also spent a lot of time swooning over the incredible situations Bangs found himself in with various musicians. This book is heavy (both in theme and size), but it’s amazing. I may not be through with it yet, but I’m sure I won’t be giving up my red Chuck Taylors any time soon.