Recently finished this one--having been a fan of the fringes of rock and jazz for some time, I had heard of many of the composers mentioned in this book, but I lacked the familiarity to investigate their work. In clear, engaging prose, Ross gives the reader an in-depth look at 20th century classical music that is entertaining and informative to fans of progressive and experimental music.

Quite possibly the best book I've read on the late 70s/early 80s British post-punk scene, full of fascinating details and great recommendations.

Lester Bangs is, for me, the quintessential rock critic. His enthusiasm for bands like the Velvet Underground and the Stooges is a joy to read. He wrote like a pop culture-obsessed Beat poet.

While I'm not the metalhead I was when I first read this (around 14), this is still the best account of the insane Second Wave of Scandinavian black metal. You don't need to be a metal fan to appreciate this book, you just have to have a stomach for murder, arson, Satanism, and far-right philosophy. Intriguing, fun (in a way), and disturbing in equal measures.