Feeding Back: Conversations with Alternative Guitarists from Proto-Punk to Post-Rock

by David Todd

Feeding Conversations with Alternative Guitarists from Proto-Punk to Post-Rock offers a counter-history of rock music through the lens of interviews with musicians including Richard Thompson, J Mascis, James Williamson, Bob Mould, Tom Verlaine, Lydia Lunch, Lee Ranaldo, Johnny Marr, and John Frusciante. Individually, the book’s in-depth discussions explore these subjects’ ideas and innovations; taken together, they document an alternative-guitar tradition with roots in free jazz, punk, avant-garde, folk, and garage rock styles. Of all the conversations in Feeding Back , the most compelling is the one among the guitarists themselves, the way they both influence and respond to each other while redefining the instrument and the rock genre. From the proto-punk of the Stooges to the post-punk of Sonic Youth, from the krautrock of Neu! to the post-rock of Tortoise, the book charts this alternative thread as it makes its way through rock guitar from the late ’60s to the present.

Genres: Music, History

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[John Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read......could have chosen many more guitarists to interview for this excellent book but perhaps this should be an ongoing series.
the depth of enquiry and the direct, non patronising style of the interviewer really nails what makes most of the chosen musicians special...made me take a listen to stuff i havent heard before, and thats as good a recommendation as i could possibly offer such a book.

[Avis Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

A few players in this book, for example J Mascis and Johnny Marr, are genuinely talented alternative guitarists, and they keep this book from being totally worthless. But most of the guys in here are meandering noodlers who spend all their time bloviating about jazz and electronic music, and who couldn't write a decent tune to save their lives.

If you want to read about 'alternative' guitarists who worship jazz (a hundred year-old form of music in which the guitar played almost zero part during jazz's classic period), or electronic music (hey, you supposed virtuosi, how about playing the guitar instead of a machine?) then this is the volume for you.

There are two types of music that have had a profound influence on guitar playing way beyond every other, namely traditional classical guitar, and rock and roll. However, most of the guys in this book never mention either as an influence. Screw 'em. There are good reasons why I can't stand the work of guys like Tom Verlaine and Richard Thompson.

[Harsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interviews feel repetitive, and Todd occasionally assumes readers are already familiar with niche artists and their discographies. But this should be an ongoing series. Feeding Back offers a compelling portrait of sonic adventurers who see the guitar as way more than just an instrument but as a vehicle for radical artistic expression. If you're tired of the same old guitar hero narratives (Hendrix, Clapton, Page, Gilmour, SRV) and want a fresh, mind-expanding look at what the guitar can really do, this book is worth your time.

[leviathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for my birthday when I was very young, probably 12 or 13. It was and still is a great source of insight from some of the most important figures in modern, *truly* progressive guitar playing, and some of these interviews (particularly those with Lee Ranaldo, Glenn Branca and Christian Fennesz) greatly influenced my philosophy of engaging with the guitar as a "sonic tool". I still sometimes reach for it today whenever I'm in a rut with my playing.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrow focus ends up making this one of the better music-interview books I’ve read in awhile. By the end, not only has the author talked with a diverse group of guitarists, but they’ve all had a fascinating conversation with each other as influences and influencers.

[Jason Comely · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in the creative process of alt-rock musicians, this is a great source.

[John]

I really enjoyed this book. I am delighted that, in it, Robert Quine, Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine, to name a few, are given their due.
The interviews are pretty good, although they occasionally devolve into Chris Farly "Remember when you were in the Stooges? And Iggy smeared himself with peanut butter? That was weird. wasn't it?" or Wayne's World "We are not worthy!" territory. But honestly, if I had a sit-down with Bob Mould I'd probably be the same way.
However, the book does suffer from indie-cred-itis in it's NYC parochialism, at no point quite so much as when the author gushes over Lydia Lunch's feral slide playing in her wretched, screechy music and dismisses traditional slide playing as "tasteful." Plainly, he is unaware of R.L. Burnside, or even Elmore James.
Whatever. Read it if you're a guitar player or a punk/post-punk music fan. Even the subjects I never heard of had interesting stuff to say and I will likely check out their music

[Jesse Wiedel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the intro article, and the articles leading up to the interviews with each guitarist were good, but the interviews themselves were hit and miss. Maybe it would have been better in an essay format than a collection of interviews. I really enjoyed the Lydia Lunch interview. Her perspective on alternative guitar playing was much more alternative than the rest of the bunch. I wish they would have included Greg Ginn and Paul Leary in this collection.

[Alex Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chapter on Tom Verlaine pays for the entire book. Lee Ranaldo's chapter was also good. The book was also enlightening for showcasing awesome alternative guitarists one might not have normally paid attention to. It goes beyond the normally mentioned guitar gods of hendrix, clapton, page, gilmour, srv, etc.

[Simon Sonnak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretentious interviewing interviewing (mostly) pretentious musicians. Disappointing.