Lester Bangs (1949–1982) redefined music journalism with his gonzo approach, raw honesty and poetic flair. He emerged as a fearless voice in publications like Rolling Stone, Creem and The Village Voice—championing louder, harsher sounds that energized a generation.

Let It Blurt delivers a scrupulously researched biography, tracing Bangs’s bohemian lifestyle and literary flair as he mapped out the aesthetics of heavy metal and punk. Readers gain insight into his frenetic writing process, his relationships with icons from Lou Reed to Patti Smith, and the cultural ferment of 1970s rock.

This definitive portrait also includes the never-before-published essay “How to Be a Rock Critic,” where Bangs offers a hilarious, unvarnished manual for aspiring writers. Between its pages, you’ll find both the grit and vision of one of America’s greatest rock critics.

• In-depth exploration of Bangs’s life and work
• Context on punk, metal and rock culture in the 1970s
• Unpublished essay revealing Bangs’s writing secrets
• Interviews and archival research for fresh perspective

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