Kick Out the Jams: Jibes, Barbs, Tributes, and Rallying Cries from 35 Years of Music Writing

Since his start as a writer and editor for Creem magazine in 1969, Marsh has remained one of the most fascinating, provocative, and passionate writers in the music writing field. Apart from the breadth of his subjects and his ability to send readers straight to the turntable, club, or concert hall, Marsh effectively voices music’s place in defining who people are and what they believe. This follow-up to 1985’s Fortunate Son offers essays that run the gamut from pithy to definitive; the ones on Kurt Cobain and Pete Seeger are especially noteworthy. His stories cover Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, Bono, and Bruce Springsteen, along with politics, values, and social and intellectual battle lines. In his postscript, the Who’s Pete Townshend recalls a time with Marsh “talking about what really matters in life. Journalism, duty, truth, acquaintance, friendship, and finally family. I’m not sure we even mentioned music.” Passion, fearlessness, and a call to action are essential components in Marsh’s writing.