Dave Marsh
Encyclopedia
Dave Marsh is an American
music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem
magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday
, The Village Voice
, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on rock music
.
, in which he wrote, "Queen may be the first truly fascist rock band." (Rolling Stone, Feb. 8th 1979). Previously, he had described lead singer Freddie Mercury
as possessing a merely "passable pop voice."
In the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide on Journey
, Marsh wrote, "Journey was a dead end for San Francisco area rock." He awarded all of the band's albums the minimum possible score of 1/5 stars.
Marsh has published four books about singer/musician Bruce Springsteen
. Some of these became bestsellers, including Born to Run and Glory Days. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0D91E3EF936A35754C0A961948260 Marsh is closely associated with Springsteen because his wife, Barbara Carr, is one of Springsteen's co-managers. Marsh is also closely associated with Jon Landau
, a Springsteen manager and producer, for the same reason.
Marsh has edited and contributed to Rock and Roll Confidential, a newsletter about rock music and social issues. The newsletter has since been renamed Rock and Rap Confidential.
Marsh contributed to the 1994 book Mid-Life Confidential, a book about and by the Rock Bottom Remainders
, a rock band composed of American authors.
Along with Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner
, Marsh has been involved in organizing and maintaining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in Cleveland, Ohio. However, Marsh has courted, at times, controversy with his style of maintaining selections and at one time was asked to resign.
Dave Marsh was the first music critic to employ the term punk rock
: In the May 1971 issue of Creem, he described ? and the Mysterians, one of the most popular 1960s garage rock acts, as giving a "landmark exposition of punk rock".
and the second Kick Out the Jams, airing Sundays on eclectic-rock channel The Loft. The title references the MC5
album Kick Out the Jams
.
Marsh's third Sirius program, the political talk show Live From the Land of Hopes and Dreams, airs Sunday afternoons on Sirius Left
, channel 146 and America Left
, channel 167 on XM Satellite Radio
.
Marsh is also a member of the National Advisory Board of PROTECT: The National Association to Protect Children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem
Creem
Creem , "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine," was a monthly rock 'n' roll publication first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. It suspended production in 1989 but received a short-lived renaissance in the early 1990s as a glossy tabloid...
magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
Writing career
In 1979, Marsh wrote a now-famous review in Rolling Stone of the album Jazz by QueenQueen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, in which he wrote, "Queen may be the first truly fascist rock band." (Rolling Stone, Feb. 8th 1979). Previously, he had described lead singer Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
as possessing a merely "passable pop voice."
In the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide on Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, Marsh wrote, "Journey was a dead end for San Francisco area rock." He awarded all of the band's albums the minimum possible score of 1/5 stars.
Marsh has published four books about singer/musician Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
. Some of these became bestsellers, including Born to Run and Glory Days. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0D91E3EF936A35754C0A961948260 Marsh is closely associated with Springsteen because his wife, Barbara Carr, is one of Springsteen's co-managers. Marsh is also closely associated with Jon Landau
Jon Landau
Jon Landau is an American music critic, manager and record producer, most known for his association in all three capacities with Bruce Springsteen.He is currently the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
, a Springsteen manager and producer, for the same reason.
Marsh has edited and contributed to Rock and Roll Confidential, a newsletter about rock music and social issues. The newsletter has since been renamed Rock and Rap Confidential.
Marsh contributed to the 1994 book Mid-Life Confidential, a book about and by the Rock Bottom Remainders
Rock Bottom Remainders
The Rock Bottom Remainders is a rock and roll band consisting of published writers, most of them both amateur musicians and popular English-language book, magazine, and newspaper authors. The band took its self-mocking name from the publishing term remaindered book, a work of which the unsold...
, a rock band composed of American authors.
Along with Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner
Jann Wenner
Jann Simon Wenner is the co-founder and publisher of the music and politics biweekly Rolling Stone, as well as the owner of Men's Journal and Us Weekly magazines.-Childhood:...
, Marsh has been involved in organizing and maintaining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in Cleveland, Ohio. However, Marsh has courted, at times, controversy with his style of maintaining selections and at one time was asked to resign.
Dave Marsh was the first music critic to employ the term punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
: In the May 1971 issue of Creem, he described ? and the Mysterians, one of the most popular 1960s garage rock acts, as giving a "landmark exposition of punk rock".
Talk shows
Dave Marsh hosts three Sirius XM Radio shows, one called Live from E Street Nation, airing on E Street RadioE Street Radio
E Street Radio is a Sirius XM Radio channel, broadcasting on Sirius 20 and XM 20 since November 12, 2008, as well as on Dish Network channel 6010...
and the second Kick Out the Jams, airing Sundays on eclectic-rock channel The Loft. The title references the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
album Kick Out the Jams
Kick Out the Jams
Kick Out the Jams is the first album by Detroit protopunkers MC5, released in 1969. It was recorded live at Detroit's Grande Ballroom over two nights, Devil's Night and Halloween, 1968. In 2003, the album was ranked number 294 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time...
.
Marsh's third Sirius program, the political talk show Live From the Land of Hopes and Dreams, airs Sunday afternoons on Sirius Left
SIRIUS Left
SIRIUS Left was Sirius Satellite Radio's liberal talk channel. It featured personalities such as Lynn Samuels, Bill Press, Alex Bennett, Mike Malloy, Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann and newcomer Mark Thompson...
, channel 146 and America Left
America Left
Sirius XM Left is located at channel 127 on Sirius XM Radio and carries a progressive/liberal talk format. The channel is programmed by Don Wicklin.-America Left :...
, channel 167 on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
.
Charitable causes
Marsh is a co-founder and trustee of The Kristen Ann Carr Fund http://www.kristenanncarrfund.org, created in memory of his daughter who died in 1993 from sarcoma, a form of cancer. The fund is dedicated to supporting research in the treatment and cure of sarcoma, as well as improving the lives of young adult cancer patients and their families.Marsh is also a member of the National Advisory Board of PROTECT: The National Association to Protect Children.
Publications
- Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story, (Doubleday) 1979
- The Book of Rock Lists, (Dell) 1980
- Elvis, (Times Books) 1982
- Rocktopicon: Unlikely questions and their surprising answers, (Contemporary) 1982
- Before I Get Old: The Story of the Who, (St. Martin's Press) 1983
- Fortunate Son (Random House) 1983. A collection of his journalism and criticism.
- The First Rock and Roll Confidential Report: Inside the Real World of Rock and Roll, 1984. Compilation.
- Sun City: The Making of the Record ,(Penguin) 1985
- Trapped: Michael Jackson and the Crossover Dream, (Bantam) 1986
- The Rolling Stone Record GuideRolling Stone Album GuideThe Rolling Stone Album Guide, previously known as The Rolling Stone Record Guide, is a book that, along with its sister publication Rolling Stone magazine, contains professional reviews of popular music...
: Reviews and Ratings of Almost 10,000 Currently Available Rock, Pop, Soul, Country, Blues, Jazz, and Gospel Albums (first and second editions 1979, 1983) - Glory Days: Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s, 1987. A sequel to Born to Run.
- The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, (NAL) 1989
- Heaven Is Under Our Feet: A Book for Walden Woods, co-editor with Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
, (Longmeadow Press, 1991) - 50 Ways to Fight Censorship: And Important Facts to Know About the Censors (Thunder's Mouth Press), 1991
- Louie Louie: The History and Mythology of the World's Most Famous Rock'n'Roll song; Including the Full Details of Its Torture and Persecution at the Hands of the Kingsmen, J. Edgar Hoover's F.B.I., and a Cast of Millions; and Introducing, for the First Time Anywhere, the Actual Dirty Lyrics, (Hyperion), 1992.
- Merry Christmas Baby: Holiday Music from Bing to Sting, (Little Brown) 1992.
- Pastures of Plenty: A Self-Portrait with Harold Levanthal and featuring the writings of Woody Guthrie (Perennial) 1992
- The New Book of Rock Lists with James Bernard, (Fireside) 1994
- Mid-Life Confidential: The Rock Bottom Remainders Tour America with Three Chords and an Attitude (Viking) 1994
- Sam and Dave (For the Record series), (Harper Perennial) 1998
- Sly and the Family Stone: An Oral History (For the Record series), (Quill) 1998
- George Clinton & P-Funkadelic (For the Record series), (Harper Perennial) 1998
- Bruce Springsteen: Two Hearts : The Definitive Biography, 1972-2003, (Routledge) 2003. Combines earlier two works about Bruce and adds a new chapter.
- Forever Young: Photographs of Bob Dylan with Douglas R. Gilbert (Da Capo Press) 2005
- Bruce Springsteen on Tour : 1968-2005 (Bloomsbury USA) 2006
- The Beatles' Second Album (Rodale Books) 2007