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.
