Lester Bangs

The Profile

American music journalist and rock critic, prominent at Creem and Rolling Stone, associated with gonzo-style rock criticism; died in 1982.

Wrote for Creem and Rolling Stone; associated with gonzo-style rock criticism; a character based on him appears in the film Almost Famous; died in 1982.

A warmly admiring reading of Lester Bangs' writings as a novelistic, autobiographical take on rock criticism. The review praises his dismantling of the rockstar myth and celebrates his alignment with democratic, fan-friendly impulses in punk. The Italian edition discussed includes a preface by Wu Ming 1 and frames Bangs as a continuing presence.