Overview

It began with The Beatles’ ‘Helter Skelter’. It was distilled to its dark essence by Black Sabbath. And it has flourished into a vibrant modern underground, epitomized by Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs. This is the evolution of heavy music. The voyage is as varied as it is illuminating: from the lysergic blunt trauma of Blue Cheer to the locked grooves of Funkadelic, the aural frightmares of Faust to the tectonic crush of Sleep, alighting on post-punk, industrial, grunge, stoner rock and numerous other genres along the way. Ranging from household names to obscure cult heroes and heroines, Electric Wizards demonstrates how each successive phase of heavy music was forged by what came before, outlining a rich and eclectic lineage that extends far beyond the usual boundaries of heavy rock or heavy metal. It extols those who did things differently, who introduced something fresh and exciting into this elemental tradition, whether by design, accident or sheer chance. In doing so, Electric Wizards weaves an entirely new tapestry of heavy music.

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9781789146530

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Reviews

A depth-charge exploration to the bloodied heart of heavy. Essential, energetic writing--Moores is the netherworld guide we always needed. --Harry Sword, author of Monolithic Undertow: In Search of Sonic Oblivion An enthrallingly funny read, and one that's hard to put down despite its girth. -- Record Collector Moores covers a rich landscape of sounds. . . . What's more, he achieves a rare feat in rock criticism of saying something fresh and interesting about the Beatles. --Dan Franklin, author of HEAVY: How Metal Changes the Way We See the World Simultaneously hilarious, provocative, and sensitive; wildly entertaining while always getting to the heart of the matter. . . . Just take my goddamned bitcoin already. --John Doran, cofounder and editor of the Quietus The landscape of heavy music is vast, its existence is ever evolving. There is no better person to explore its dynamic terrain than Moores. --Matt Baty, member of Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs This book will open a wormhole in your brain. --Joe Thompson, cofounder of the band Hey Colossus As a compendium of leap-off points, Electric Wizards is a mind-riot... Heavy music has deserved its own tome but the only thing heavy about his book is its weight--its tone and style are illuminatingly light and wonderfully convivial throughout. Someone get Electric Wizards on the national music curriculum now. -- Wire

Author Information

JR Moores is the resident psych-rock columnist for both the Quietus and Record Collector, and his work has also appeared in the Wire, Guardian, Bandcamp Daily, and Vice.

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