Robert Duncan, Former Editor of ‘CREEM’ Magazine & Author of the Rock Novel ‘Loudmouth’, On Lester Bangs, Ron Wood & Keith Richards, Springsteen, & More!

Hello, Lit Listeners. If you dig the crazy, down-and-dirty (and deafening), let-it-all-hang out, have-a-nice-day, far out 1970s, you’re in for a treat. Music journalist-cum-rock novelist Robert Duncan is here doing double duty as both author and music guru—because why wouldn’t he?—and he dishes on some folks whose records are in your collection. You DON’T want to miss this episode!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• The blurred lines between the novel ‘Loudmouth’ and Robert’s real life
• Robert’s wild boy big brother—“the original rock ‘n roll guy”—Rusty
• Scratch inspections and Robert’s friend with a special talent at summer camp (get ready to laugh)
• Robert and I playing a drinking game on the episode, and the phrase I coined for it
• Robert having tea with Lester Bangs at MC5’s Rob Tyner’s house
• Getting drunk at Patti Smith’s and Allen Lanier’s apartment near Washington Square in NYC with Jim Carroll, author of ‘The Basketball Diaries’
• How Robert became a music journalist and got the job at ‘CREEM’
• Lester Bangs—and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of him in ‘Almost Famous’
• The time Legs McNeil took the last beer from Robert’s NYC apartment fridge and Robert and Lester’s subsequent fight
• The day Lester died
• Robert’s interactions with various rock stars, including Ron Wood and Keith Richards, Iggy Pop and David Bowie, KISS, Ozzy Osbourne, The Clash, etc.
• Partying at Liza Minnelli’s apartment in NYC with tons of celebrities
• Driving around Cleveland with a young Bruce Springsteen
• The tragic genesis of the novel ‘Loudmouth’
• Robert Duncan’s one and only Jimmy Page encounter

MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:

1. [No Copyright Music] Retro ‘70s Funky Jazz-Hop Instrumental (Copyright Free) Music—Funkman
2. The Beatles—Live at Shea Stadium, New York (August 23, 1966)—cheering 
3. “My Foolish Heart” by Bill Evans
4. “I Am A Scientist” by Guided By Voices
5. “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley
6. “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!” by Allan Sherman
7. “I Touch Myself” by the Divinyls
8. “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by The Stooges
9. ‘Metal Machine Music’ by Lou Reed
10. “Holy Ghost” by Albert Ayler
11. “Breathe On Me” by The New Barbarians, live 1979 Washington, DC
12. “Detroit Rock City” by KISS
13. “Upside Down” by Diana Ross
14. “The River” by Bruce Springsteen
15. Clip of Jimmy Page talking to Robert Duncan
16. “Tommy’s Holiday Camp” by The Who
17. “Rock and Roll Radio” by The Ramones

LINKS: 

Robert Duncan’s website, https://www.duncanwrites.com/

Robert Duncan on Twitter, @robertduncansf

Robert Duncan on Instagram, @rduncansf

Robert Duncan on Mastodon, @Rduncan@newsie.social

Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/

Christy Alexander Hallberg on Twitter, @ChristyHallberg

Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, @christyhallberg

Christy Alexander Hallberg’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfSnRmlL5moSQYi6EjSvqag

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