Volcanic Tongue presents the first ever collection of multi-award-winning author David Keenan’s music writings. Keenan has been writing about music since publishing his first fanzine, inspired by The Pastels and by Glasgow (and Airdrie’s) DIY music scene, in 1988. Since then, he has written about music for Melody Maker, NME, Uncut, Mojo, The New York Times, Ugly Things, The Literary Review, The Social and, most consistently, The Wire. Volcanic Tongue was also the name of the record shop and mail order that Keenan ran with his partner, Heather Leigh, in Glasgow from 2005-2015.
Volcanic Tongue features the best of his reviews, interviews and think pieces, with exclusive in-depth conversations between Keenan and Nick Cave, members of legendary industrial bands Coil and Throbbing Gristle, krautrock legends like Faust, Shirley Collins, the first lady of English folk, Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, German auto-destructives Einstürzende Neubauten, as well as discographical analysis of the back catalogues of groups like Sonic Youth and musicians like John Fahey, extensive writings on free jazz and obsessive in-depth digs into favourites like Pere Ubu, Metal Box-era Public Image Ltd, Sun Ra, guitarist and vocalist John Martyn and many more. It is an essential addition to any music fan’s bookshelf.
This first collection of his legendary criticism functions as an extended love letter to the revolutionary music of the 20th century and the incredible culture that sustained it.
Volcanic Tongue features the best of his reviews, interviews and think pieces, with exclusive in-depth conversations between Keenan and Nick Cave, members of legendary industrial bands Coil and Throbbing Gristle, krautrock legends like Faust, Shirley Collins, the first lady of English folk, Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, German auto-destructives Einstürzende Neubauten, as well as discographical analysis of the back catalogues of groups like Sonic Youth and musicians like John Fahey, extensive writings on free jazz and obsessive in-depth digs into favourites like Pere Ubu, Metal Box-era Public Image Ltd, Sun Ra, guitarist and vocalist John Martyn and many more. It is an essential addition to any music fan’s bookshelf.
This first collection of his legendary criticism functions as an extended love letter to the revolutionary music of the 20th century and the incredible culture that sustained it.
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Reviews
David Keenan is one of the few writers I know of who had to exist because we could never have invented him. His music writing helped change how I understand my own work. A wizard, a true star
Volcanic Tongue presents David Keenan as the progeny of Lester Bangs and more - Keenan punctures the world of underground music with a TV eye, and a Pandora's box of visceral magic pours on to the page. His descriptor for the musics match his writing with words that 'open on forever'
Volcanic Tongue is a colossal triumph. This high-velocity love letter to the twentieth century avant-garde is thrillingly alive; the work of a true rock and roll evangelist, full of fire and delight. If you don't think that a book about late-twentieth century underground music is for you, I would ask you to reconsider. Because I predict that you'll be thrilled, energised even, by the sheer charge of these pages. You might even find yourself seeking out some of the music you have encountered. Volcanic Tongue is that precious and magical thing: joy in writing, joy in rock and roll
David Keenan is a fabulous music writer - words zigzag off the page in magical trails that make you want to laugh and cry and remember why you fell in love with music in the first place. Most music books I want to say, stop explaining, stop researching - just stop full stop. Read something by David Keenan and then come back with something as good as that - if you can
David Keenan's books are just off-the-charts mind-bogglingly brilliant and I encourage everyone to read them all!
A thing of absolute beauty. If like me you love truly original voices evangelising about music and its profound effect on society, look no further than Mr Keenan. You will not be disappointed