Thursday, May 8, 2008

33 1/3 No. 38: Marc Woodworth - Guided By Voices' Bee Thousand

Woodworth's GBV book was great fun for me. I actually discovered them through the buzz around their following album, Alien Lanes, which is so ingrained in my consciousness that I know every single word on that album, in order. Bee Thousand is a close second, and I know most of the words, but stumble here and there.

Woodworth collected fans' stories, which appear in the book alongside his history of the band and the lo-fi aesthetic that produced Bee Thousand. I love this approach. Bee Thousand is a labor of love, sounding like it was knocked out in a basement only for the pleasure of those who made it; it makes sense that such a democratic approach to music should have a democratic fanbase.

Style of book: personal, lots of interviews, journalistic, fan-oriented

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