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Byron Coley

Byron Coley

American music critic who wrote prominently for Forced Exposure magazine in the '80s. Also wrote for NY Rocker, Boston Rock, and Take It!. Coley is one of the first writers to have extensively documented indie rock from its inception to the present day. Coley was a contributing writer to Spin in the 1980s and '90s, and currently writes for The Wire and Arthur magazine with Thurston Moore. He also runs Ecstatic Yod, a record label and shop based in Florence, Massachusetts. In 2011, Coley published the first collection of his reviews, C'est la guerre : Early Writings 1978-1983 in a bilingual edition put out by Montreal publisher L'Oie de Cravan.

Byron Coley's C'est La Guerre

70 articles

List of articles in the library

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Devo: Where the Rubber met the Road

Report by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, January 1979

"Louis bided his time, isolating Spain diplomatically, and acquainting his fellow rulers with the term devolution." — Encyclopedia Britannica Vol. VI, p. 1093 ...

The Boy Looked At Johnny by Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill (Pluto Press)

Book Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, June 1979

 "Hell hath no snapping fury like an angry chipmunk." —Jesus The Good Book "I live on hate more than noodles." —Louis Ferdinand Celine Castle To Castle ...

Pearl Harbour & The Explosions: The Sophisticated Boom-Boom of Pearl Harbor & the Explosions

Profile by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, July 1979

IN MAY 1966 my fifth grade English teacher, Ms. Sarah Graufmann (hi, Sarah!), asked that the class write down the place they would most like ...

Snakefinger: Boarding House, San Francisco CA

Live Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, November 1979

PHILIP "SNAKEFINGER" Lithman is probably best known as a member of the Resident family. As such, he adheres to what seems to be one of ...

John Cale, The Velvet Underground: John Cale: Conversation With A Saboteur

Interview by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, March 1980

NY Rocker: You've been around the industry for a while, doing A&R, producing, performing and whatnot. I was wondering if you had any theories on ...

8-Eyed Spy, Lydia Lunch, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks: Way Out West With 8-Eyed Spy

Report by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, May 1980

IF LYDIA LUNCH'S Queen Of Siam hadn't come out when it did, I'd probably still be freezin' my butt off in Ketchum, Idaho, a town ...

Moe Tucker, The Velvet Underground: Maureen Tucker: "Quiet, Mommy's Recording"

Interview by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, July 1980

I GUESS THERE must be people out there who aren't aware of who Mo Tucker is. If you're one of them, listen up: MAUREEN TUCKER ...

Robert Fripp: God Save The Queen/Under Heavy Manners (Polydor)

Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, July 1980

I. Last year, Bob Fripp announced his "Drive to 1981". As I understood it, The Drive was to consist of three albums: the first, a ...

The Shaggs, The Slits: Slits: Y3LP (Y/Rough Trade import); The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World (Red Rooster/Rounder)

Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, September 1980

WHAT WE HAVE here are two sets of women arriving at (arguably) the same place by (unarguably) dissimilar routes. The place in question is Primitivesville ...

The Raybeats: Sons and Daughters of No New York: The Raybeats

Profile and Interview by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, October 1980

THE TRADITION of white instrumental rock in America is not a particularly strong one. Indeed, most of the young 'uns I know consider the white ...

Joan Jett, Young Marble Giants: Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth (Rough Trade Import); Joan Jett: Joan Jett (Ariola import)

Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, November 1980

"I was sad because I had no cigarettes, then I met a man who had no lungs." — Thomas "Wag" Givan ...

Circle Jerks: Group Sex (Frontier)

Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, March 1981

ONE OF THE real top great beauties of Anglo punk, the early, was that there was never a lyric sheet. Singers sang breakneck as they ...

Lydia Lunch & 13.13: O.N. Klub, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, September 1981

THE O.N. KLUB, at the very far end of the entertainment turf strung along Sunset Boulevard, has the feel of a biker's bar gone cool ...

The Germs: Germicide (Mohawk/Bomp)

Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, September 1981

THIS ALBUM'S a real pisser. If you've got a nose for noise and don't buy this slab, you're up Hell Creek without an asbestos wiener. ...

The Flesh Eaters: Flesh Eaters' Chris D.'s Carnal Knowledge

Essay by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, December 1981

IN MY OPINE, Chris Desjardins is the best goddamn singer/songwriter ('r "S/S" in classic Creemspeak) that's e'er poked his pate above the stiflin' smog that covers ...

Hüsker Dü: Land Speed Record (New Alliance)

Review by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, 1982

FRENCH REVOLUTIONARIES of the 19th century had an interestin' way of equippin' their "human bombs." ...

Tav Falco's Panther Burns: Some Smoke Raises Burns Panther

Report and Interview by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, February 1982

A MEMPHIS BAND TAKES ROCKABILLY'S SKELETONS OUT OF THE CLOSET ...

Lester Bangs: Jook Savages on the Brazos (Live Wire Records)

Review by Byron Coley, L.A. Weekly, 7 May 1982

Lester Bangs Writes a Good 'Un ...

45 Grave, Vox Pop: California Screamin': 45 Grave and Vox Pop

Profile and Interview by Byron Coley, New York Rocker, September 1982

"All I can say is that everyone in Vox Pop is smarter than everyone in 45 Grave."--Jeff Dahl, May '82"I'm smarter than everyone in Vox ...

The Bangles: Big Bangle Theory

Profile by Byron Coley, Boston Rock, 15 December 1982

WHEN ALL'S been said and done, the Recycler has got to be one of the coolest rags in the entire LA press sump. Now, every ...

The Minutemen: Through Time With The Minutemen

Profile by Byron Coley, L.A. Weekly, 25 March 1983

OFTEN THE mention of a band will bring a visual and/or sonic image to the tip of one's lobe. The words 'Mau Mau' are spake ...

Sonic Youth

Interview by Byron Coley, Spin, August 1985

Hear a rumbling from Manhattan's Lower East Side? That's Sonic Youth's squall of the wild ...

The Minutemen: Minute By Minutemen

Profile and Interview by Byron Coley, Spin, December 1985

The jazz-power-punk trio from San Pedro is trying its damnedest to sell out — sort of. ...

Fungus Brains: Ron Pisto's Real World Mini-LP (Aus, Max Music)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, Summer 1985

...RP's RW apparently came out a coupla yrs ago. But I never heard of it before so I figured that maybe you never did either. ...

The Everly Brothers: The Everly Brothers/Fabulous Style Of…/Songs Our Daddy Taught Us/All They Had To Do Was Dream (Rhino)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, Summer 1985

…ANY PERSON who drools o'er the "bro" bands currently afloat (Fuegos, Blasters, 1/2 Jap, ad inf...) & who's unhep t' the Everleys' muse's missin' one ...

Rat At Rat R: Amer$ide (Neutral)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1986

...ONLY THING I'd really heard by these NY'ers was their track on that Terminal flexi & 'twas hard t' tell much from it. The emergent ...

The Scientists: Atom Bomb Baby (Au Go Go)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1986

...h'ok, h.ok. So it seems that w/ their hemispheric relocation they have regressed a bit in terms o' the structural development, but — Woe There, ...

The Scientists: Heading For A Trauma (Au Go Go)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1986

...a scuzzy compendium from the Scientists' third & fourth phases. This has their first classic "back from the dead" singles sides ('Swampland' & 'We Had ...

Swans: Ugliest Ducklings

Profile by Byron Coley, L.A. Weekly, 9 January 1986

The Swans' concept of rock & roll ain't pretty. ...

Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys: Circle Jerks: Wonderful (Combat Core)/Dead Kennedys: Frankenchrist (Alternative Tentacles)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, February 1986

THE Circle Jerks and Dead Kennedys are two of a handfulla bands surviving in name and form from the first three waves of California-style pre-hardcore ...

The Minutemen: 3-Way Tie (For Last) (SST)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, April 1986

FATE SUCKS. And this this is not meant to be read in the Bob Christgau suck-is-good meaning of the word either. ...

Killdozer: Snake Boy (Touch and Go Records)

Review by Byron Coley, Matter, June 1986

JESUS. It's as if ya fell asleep chained to the carcass of a standard-sized poodle and woke up to find yr leg harnassed to a ...

Madonna: True Blue (Warner Bros.)

Review by Byron Coley, L.A. Weekly, 18 July 1986

Meditations on Madonna ...

Big Black's Incendiary Devices

Profile by Byron Coley, L.A. Weekly, 15 August 1986

  THERE ARE any number of questions that people ask about Big Black: Why does Steve Albini cut his hair with a saber saw? How do ...

The Feelies: The Good Earth (Coyote)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, October 1986

THERE WERE these two guys who lived at a drug dealers' commune in western Idaho in the early '70s. One was named Ace, one was ...

The Meatmen: War Of The Superbikes (Homestead)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, Winter 1986

TESCO VEE is a sick yake. ...

Killdozer: Burl (Touch and Go Records)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1987

HOLY holy holy. ...

Pussy Galore: Groovy Hate Fuck EP (Shove)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1987

SIMULTANEOUSLY more rockin' & more fruitily pseudo-gnarly than their debut, this takes a certain type of flake aggression to its virtual lyrical limit. ...

The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers LP (Rhino)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1987

THIS RE-ISH of the basic, essential, first Mod Lovers LP also includes 'Government Center' (from the Chartbusters comp), the Warners version of 'I'm Straight' and ...

Swans: Holy Money (PVC)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, January 1987

RECORDS BY the Swans have so little to do with pleasure, fun, and the, uh, joy of living that it's no off-a-log-fall explainin' why they ...

Divine Horsemen: Devil's River/Mother's Worry (SST)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, June 1987

WHILE dim bulbs and babes still a-swaddling may not be familiar with the work of Chris D, it's a fairly safe bet that most practicing ...

GG Allin: Underground: GG Allin

Guide by Byron Coley, Spin, August 1987

FIRST things first. Just as 1986 was the Year of the 'Steen, 1987 is gonna be the Year of GG Allin. ...

Sandy Bull: Jukebox School of Music (ROM Records)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, December 1988

IN THE decade and a half since his last release, the rumor circulated that Sandy Bull had died. After a string of generally brilliant albums ...

Spacemen 3: Urine Salesmen Of The Apocalpyse [sic]

Interview by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, Fall 1988

SWEETLY, simply put, Spacemen 3 are the only English band that I'd walk across the street to piss on. Meaning mostly that I wouldn't even ...

John Cale, Lou Reed: Lou Reed and John Cale: Deja VU

Comment by Byron Coley, Spin, April 1989

POPULAR RUMOR has long held that Lou Reed and John Cale are mortal enemies. ...

Daniel Johnston: Hi, How Are You (Homestead Records)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, Summer 1989

HOMESTEAD'S DECISION TO release this album, after Blast First decided to drop it at the 11th hour, has generated a lotta interesting correspondence. ...

Royal Trux: Royal Trux (Royal)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, Summer 1989

 …IT WAS my (apparently erroneous) belief that Jon & Julia were the primary form-disrupters in Pussy Galore. ...

Shirley Collins: The Power Of The True Love Knot (Hannibal)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1990

…PAP-TUPPIN' REISSUE of a truly snazzy UK-folk nugget from '67. ...

Sun City Girls: Torch of the Mystics

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, May 1990

JUST OUT OF the box, and so majestic that it makes my brain do out-skull jigs across my sizzling, glass-strewn floor, is the Sun City ...

The Meatmen: Meatmen, The: Crippled Children Suck (Touch & Go)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1991

…IT WOULD BE safe to say that the material on this LP (a reprise of the band's second EP + a variety of live seepage ...

Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages (Axiom/Island)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, September 1991

GUITARIST SONNY Sharrock is best known (or at least most revered) for his work's skronk-fusionist qualities. His massively searing string-attack has been legendary in noise-fan ...

Matthew Shipp Trio: Circular Temple (Quinton)

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1993

…LIKE MARC EDWARDS' quartet, this trio is descended from David Ware's current working unit. ...

Sun Ra: Holiday For Soul Dance; Jazz In Silhouette; Monorails and Satellites; Sound Sun Pleasure!!; Super-Sonic Jazz

Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, 1993

…SUN RA is one of the truly legendary figures of modern jazz. He's led his Arkestra for better than 30 years and in that time ...

Jack Logan: Bulk (Medium Cool/Twin/Tone Records)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, September 1994

EVER SINCE Daniel Johnston's pained urks began to be appreciated by hep collegiate voyeurs, the cassette revolution has taken a turn for the worse. Dork ...

Jeff Buckley: Grace (Columbia)

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, October 1994

ONE OF MY favourite sorts of music has no real generic handle by which it can be carried into the marketplace. Informed by jazz, rock, ...

John Fahey: The Persecutions And Resurrections Of Blind Joe Death

Profile and Interview by Byron Coley, Spin, November 1994

More than 30 years of mind-blowing guitar playing and composing have earned John Fahey a hip handful of devoted fans and a squalid room in ...

Hampton Grease Band: Music To Eat

Review by Byron Coley, Spin, June 1996

THE HAMPTON GREASE BAND were an Atlanta-based combo unlike any other. A genuinely strange and Southern-fried cross between the early Mothers of Invention, the Grateful ...

John Fahey: Resurrection Shuffle

Report by Byron Coley, Spin, April 1998

John Fahey's Revenant label bestows the breath of life. ...

Captain Beefheart: Grow Fins: Rarities (1965-1982)

Review by Byron Coley, The Wire, May 1999

ALTHOUGH IT WAS their third released album, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band arrived with 1969's sprawling Trout Mask Replica. The ability to appreciate its ...

Captain Beefheart: Three Decades Inside The Mask: Captain Beefheart

Retrospective and Interview by Byron Coley, unpublished, December 1999

NOTE: This article appeared in a much-shortened version in the December 1999 edition of Spin entitled "The Strangest Album Ever Sold: The Making Of Trout ...

Epiphanies: Mr. Jazz and 'Coarse Fish'

Memoir by Byron Coley, The Wire, October 2002

In 1974, TV's 'Mr Jazz' threw a switch that scrambled Byron Coley's brain with the DIY cut-ups of Orchid Spangiafora. ...

Steve Beresford, Manfred Schoof, Sun Ra, David Toop, Alexander von Schlippenbach: Unheard Music Series

Review by Byron Coley, The Wire, November 2002

Byron Coley appraises more archive treasures of free jazz and Improv unearthed in Atavistic's ongoing Unheard Music Series. ...

Terry Reid: River

Review by Byron Coley, MOJO, March 2003

BY ALMOST any measure, 1973 was a craven, rotten fuck of a year. Although many pick 1968 as the nadir of 20th century underground culture, ...

No Fun Festival: Music Hall of Williamsburg, New York City

Live Review by Byron Coley, The Wire, September 2009

THE SIXTH New York instalment of the No Fun Festival was probably the last one in the US for a while. "Although," advises organiser Carlos ...

Merzbow, Richard Pinhas: Richard Pinhas & Merzbow: Paris 2008 and Rhizome (Cuneiform)

Review by Byron Coley, The Wire, October 2011

THE CONCEPT of French avant Prog guitarist Richard Pinhas and Japanese Noise king Merzbow playing together may not seem like the most natural pairing. But ...

John Fahey: Commemorating one of the New Weird America's founding fathers

Comment by Byron Coley, The Wire, February 2013

THE TERM New Weird America (NWA) was used by The Wire's David Keenan to describe the music at the Brattleboro Free Folk Festival in 2003. ...

Patrick Lundborg: Psychedelia: An Ancient Culture, A Modern Way of Life

Book Review by Byron Coley, Forced Exposure, April 2013

PATRICK LUNDBORG is a dapper Swedish record collector and culture writer with a penchant for the American underground scene. He's done a few quite good ...

Michael Hurley: On the Trail of the Lonesome Snock

Profile and Interview by Byron Coley, Arthur, 27 April 2013

Wily folkplayer Michael Hurley (aka Elwood Snock) has charmed hip audiences for over fifty years now with his timeless surrealist tunes and sweetly weird comics, ...

This Heat: Head Birth In The Year Zero

Retrospective and Interview by Byron Coley, Rock's Backpages, December 2015

"IN MY MIND, the linearity is that we did Dolphin Logic. Then Gareth joined Dolphin Logic and we became This Heat. That's my version," says ...

Bob Cobbing: William Cobbing & Rosie Cooper (Editors): Boooook – The Life And Work Of Bob Cobbing (Occasional Papers)

Book Review by Byron Coley, The Wire, March 2016

THE LATE Bob Cobbing was an extraordinary individual. People, especially Americans such as myself, tend to be familiar with just one aspect of his long ...

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