26 December 2023
The sixth entry since
Creem’s reboot celebrates controversial but quintessential rock writer
Lester Bangs on what would have been his 75th birthday on December 14. The large-format magazine contains ample new content, but the heart of this issue is a 45-page section on all things Bangs.
Zachary Lipez writes about what made Bangs tick in his essay “The Lester Manifesto,” and Bangs himself reveals more in his snarky two-page rant to
Creem founder
Barry Kramer. Bangs signs the missive, “Your most loyal nemesis, Lester.”
Wilco frontman
Jeff Tweedy joins the fray for a twist on one of Bangs’ best-known pieces, speaking to
Creem about “How
Not to Be a Rock Critic.” When the piece goes comically awry due to a common journalistic slip,
Jaan Uhelszki throws co-writer and fellow
Creem staffer
Fred Pessaro under the bus. An annotated collection of Bangs pieces includes colorful and/or withering opinion on vintage groups including the
Yardbirds, the
Count Five, and
Question Mark & the Mysterians. His gonzo praise is applied to the then-contemporary
Stooges sophomore release
Fun House. Well, almost. After five pages of tantalizing but tertiary text, Bangs’ typewriter is halted with promises of part two in Creem’s next issue. The musically omnivorous Bangs waxes verbosely about
Kraftwerk and
Ray Charles in separate pieces. The capstone is an uncharitable, warts-and-all (and truly, there
are warts and skeletons that Bangs would be called to the carpet for today) takedown of
Lou Reed. Among a rambling list of other insults, Bangs calls Reed a “panderer living off the dumbbell nihilism of a ‘70s generation that doesn’t have the energy to commit suicide.” The page of Lester-centric letters to the editor are also revealing and fun. Say what you like, Bangs never shirked from speaking his truth and never hedged his opinion to protect his own standing.
Other delights include the returning Stars Cars column, this time featuring guitarist Matt Pike of High on Fire. Mitski is the issue’s Creem Dreem. Writer Joe Casey offers his latest Greetings from Detroit spiked with reliably snakrky captions to photos about local heroes Yeji Boys and The Stools.
Passero returns for a live report from a Phish concert in which he wrestles his conflicted conscience over whether the jam band is incredibly good or whether he hates them. Dan Morrissey interviews Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley. There are stories about Boston post-hardcore group Fiddlehead, freewheeling glamazon 4AD quartet cumgirl8, a sex toy that syncs to music through a phone app, Drive Like Jehu, musician and erstwhile bank robber Shane Enholm, and dirtbag duo Salem.
Mandy Brownholtz chronicles her brief encounter with John Waters. Eric Davidson interviews Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye about curating and continuing the seminal garage-rock compilation Nuggets. Josh Todd of skeevy rockers Buckcherry shocks all with his respectable side.
The issue winds down with a profile and gallery from photographer Nikki Sneakers, followed by brief profiles of rising musical talent including Minneapolis’ unclassifiable Hotline TNT, Australian post-punk duo The Native Cats, goth-tinged death-rockers Final Gasp, and antagonistic post-punks Sweeping Promises.
Oh, and then there’s a photo essay of “father of real folk” Devandra Barnhart trying on wigs. Truly, the magazine offers something for everyone.
