Overview

Wedding the American oral storytelling tradition with progressive music journalism, Mitch Myers' The Boy Who Cried Freebird is a treatise on the popular music culture of the twentieth century. Trenchant, insightful, and wonderfully strange, this literary mix-tape is authentic music history . . . except when it isn't. Myers outrageously blends short fiction, straight journalism, comic interludes, memoirs, serious artist profiles, satire, and related fan-boy hokum-including the classic stories he first narrated on NPR's All Things Considered. Focusing on iconic recordings, events, communities, and individuals, Myers riffs on Deadheads, sixties nostalgia, rock concert decorum, glockenspiels, and all manner of pop phenomena. From tales of rock-and-roll time travel to science fiction revealing Black Sabbath's power to melt space aliens, The Boy Who Cried Freebird is about music, culture, legend, and lore-all to be lovingly passed on to future generations.

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9780061139024

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Reviews

He is one of my favorite living storytellers. -- Dave MarshAuthor of THE HEART OF ROCK & SOUL: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made Highly recommended. -- Library Journal . Tasty musical goodness.Smashing. -- Kirkus Reviews Mitch truly lives within the music. -- Jason KoranskyEditor, DownBeat Mitch Myers has an agile mind and a deft pen. -- David Wally, author of NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: The Life and Times of Frank Zappa and TEENAGE NERVOU Chicago's hyperliterate answer to Lester Bangs writes straightforward criticism in addition to trippy time-travel Grateful Dead adventures. --Time Out Chicago Mitch Myers has an agile mind and a deft pen. --David Wally, author of NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: The Life and Times of Frank Zappa and TEENAGE NERVOUS BREAKDOWN: Music and Politics in the Post-Elvis Age [The Boy Who Cried Freebird] is a much-needed and very welcome collection.--Chicago Sun-Times He's a stone soul groove with stories most supersonic. --Harp Magazine A wonderful writer...[Myers] has a wide range of influences, and he riffs on them all. --St. Petersburg Times . ..Tasty musical goodness...Smashing. --Kirkus Reviews The Boy Who Cried Freebird is a treasure trove for music lovers...Myers deserves high praise. --Associated Press Highly recommended. --Library Journal Music fanatics will appreciate Myers' expertise and imagination. --Booklist . ..like an extraordinary jam session... a rhythmic nirvana that is as compelling as it is hilariously absurd. --Blogcritics.org Music journalism is a tricky animal to tame, but Myers proves he's got the touch ... --Booklist . ..an insightful and entertaining look at popular music culture. --Publishers Weekly . ..you will love every page of THE BOY WHO CRIED FREEBIRD. --musicangle.com Chicago s hyperliterate answer to Lester Bangs writes straightforward criticism in addition to trippy time-travel Grateful Dead adventures. --Time Out Chicago He is one of my favorite living storytellers. --Dave MarshAuthor of THE HEART OF ROCK & SOUL: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made Mitch s Rock & Roll Fables are departures from the norm, alternately fresh, smart and unique. --Steve BloomEditor, High Times Tasty musical goodness Smashing. --Kirkus Reviews He s a stone soul groove with stories most supersonic. --Harp Magazine The Boy Who Cried Freebird is a treasure trove for music lovers...Myers deserves high praise. --Associated Press [The Boy Who Cried Freebird] is a much-needed and very welcome collection.--Chicago Sun-Times Dr. Myers can tell a story...When you read his fiction, you understand the facts. --Bob BoilenDirector, All Things Considered Mitch truly lives within the music. --Jason KoranskyEditor, DownBeat Mitch Myers has an agile mind and a deft pen. --David Wally, author of NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: The Life and Times of Frank Zappa and TEENAGE NERVOUS BREAKDOWN: Music and Politics in the Post-Elvis Age ...like an extraordinary jam session... a rhythmic nirvana that is as compelling as it is hilariously absurd. --Blogcritics.org ...an insightful and entertaining look at popular music culture. --Publishers Weekly Music journalism is a tricky animal to tame, but Myers proves he s got the touch ... --Booklist Highly recommended. --Library Journal Music fanatics will appreciate Myers expertise and imagination. --Booklist A wonderful writer...[Myers] has a wide range of influences, and he riffs on them all. --St. Petersburg Times ...you will love every page of THE BOY WHO CRIED FREEBIRD. --musicangle.com .. .like an extraordinary jam session... a rhythmic nirvana that is as compelling as it is hilariously absurd. --Blogcritics.org .. .an insightful and entertaining look at popular music culture. --Publishers Weekly .. .you will love every page of THE BOY WHO CRIED FREEBIRD. --musicangle.com .. .Tasty musical goodness...Smashing. --Kirkus Reviews He is one of my favorite living storytellers. --Dave Marsh Author of THE HEART OF ROCK & SOUL: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made Mitch's 'Rock & Roll Fables' are departures from the norm, alternately fresh, smart and unique. --Steve Bloom Editor, High Times Dr. Myers can tell a story...When you read his fiction, you understand the facts. --Bob Boilen Director, All Things Considered Mitch truly lives within the music. --Jason Koransky Editor, DownBeat

Dr. Myers can tell a story...When you read his fiction, you understand the facts. --Bob BoilenDirector, All Things Considered

Mitch Myers has an agile mind and a deft pen. -- David Wally, author of NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: The Life and Times of Frank Zappa and TEENAGE NERVOU

...an insightful and entertaining look at popular music culture. --Publishers Weekly ...like an extraordinary jam session... a rhythmic nirvana that is as compelling as it is hilariously absurd. --Blogcritics.org ...you will love every page of THE BOY WHO CRIED FREEBIRD. --musicangle.com ...Tasty musical goodness...Smashing. --Kirkus Reviews Dr. Myers can tell a story...When you read his fiction, you understand the facts. --Bob Boilen Director, All Things Considered He is one of my favorite living storytellers. --Dave Marsh Author of THE HEART OF ROCK & SOUL: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made Mitch truly lives within the music. --Jason Koransky Editor, DownBeat Mitch's 'Rock & Roll Fables' are departures from the norm, alternately fresh, smart and unique. --Steve Bloom Editor, High Times [The Boy Who Cried Freebird] is a much-needed and very welcome collection.--Chicago Sun-Times A wonderful writer...[Myers] has a wide range of influences, and he riffs on them all. --St. Petersburg Times Chicago's hyperliterate answer to Lester Bangs writes straightforward criticism in addition to trippy time-travel Grateful Dead adventures. --Time Out Chicago He's a stone soul groove with stories most supersonic. --Harp Magazine Highly recommended. --Library Journal Mitch Myers has an agile mind and a deft pen. --David Wally, author of NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: The Life and Times of Frank Zappa and TEENAGE NERVOUS BREAKDOWN: Music and Politics in the Post-Elvis Age Music fanatics will appreciate Myers' expertise and imagination. --Booklist Music journalism is a tricky animal to tame, but Myers proves he's got the touch ... --Booklist The Boy Who Cried Freebird is a treasure trove for music lovers...Myers deserves high praise. --Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers

Author Information

Mitch Myers is a writer, historian, and psychologist based in Chicago and New York City. His unique pop commentaries have been broadcast on NPR's All Things Consideredand published in a variety of journals, magazines, and websites. He also maintains the Shel Silverstein Archive in Chicago.

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