Bat Chain Puller

Rock and Roll in the Age of Celebrityy

By: Kurt Loder

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Stephen Hoye

Bat Chain Puller (the title is taken from a Captain Beefheart song) is an incisive portrait of a culture unanchored and adrift. In these pieces, veteran MTV commentator and rock journalist Kurt Loder turns his jaundiced eye and trenchant wit on the nature of celebrity as embodied by rock musicians and other pop culture icons. Ride along as Mick Jagger sheds his bad-boy image to embrace the jet-setter lifestyle; ponder the puzzling dichotomy between Prince's racy lyrics and self-proclaimed spirituality; and witness whether The Who's latest tour will indeed be the band's last, or a disingenuous declaration to increase profits.

Bat Chain Puller also pays tribute to those who have kept the rebellious torch burning brightly in the glittering land of celebrity: David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Laurie Anderson, The Beatles The Ramones, Blondie, The Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop, Talking Heads, The Sex Pistols, ZZ Top, Bruce Springsteen, and more...

©1990 and 2002 Kurt Loder

Critic reviews

"The book provides an intimate look at some of the rock generation's most flamboyant personalities." (Publishers Weekly)