In the News: Bob Mould’s New Memoir, Brooklyn Book Festival, and a Hart Crane Biopic
Author: Erika N. Turner
July 3, 2011
80s punk rocker and former Husker Du front man, Bob Mould has been very busy for the last two and half years. No, he hasn’t made a solo album. Rather, he’s been doing a different form of artistic catharsis. With the help of Michael Azzerad, he has written a new memoir, See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody. In the memoir, Mould discusses his life as a closeted musician, his work in the world of wrestling, and the brutal break up of the band, and more. Read this interview with GQ Magazine as he talks about whether or not public figures have a responsibility to be out and what inspires his music now that he’s happy with his life.
James Franco is chancing another foray into the world of notable queer figures with his latest project, The Broken Tower. Written, directed, and produced by Franco, the black-and-white film covers the life of poet Hart Crane, taking its name from one of his last published works. Franco will also be playing Crane, making this his third role as a gay man. The first was as Harvey Milk’s boyfriend Scott Smith in 2009’s Milk and the second was as poet Allen Ginsberg in 2010’s Howl. Read more about the project here.
The monthly reading/performance series, Sideshow: The Queer Literary Carnival, will be coming to an end next month. In its first year and last year, the carnival has featured award-winning writers, poets, and performers. Created by writers Sinclair Sexmith and—the dearly departed—Cheryl B., the Sideshow was meant to be “serious literature for ridiculous times,” with themes such as siblings, poetry versus comedy, and butch and femme gender presentation. The final show will be July 12 at The Phoenix in New York City. Find more details on the last show here.
The summer will be book-ended by the sixth annual Brooklyn Book Festival, from Sept. 15 through Sept. 18. The festival boasts a long list of new and well-known authors and will include panels and readings for literature lovers to look forward to. Book buffs can also look forward to “Bookends,” the festival’s event series, which will take place across Brooklyn’s clubs, libraries, and bookstores. Learn more about the festival here.
