A provocative, entertaining but ultimately serious examination of rock's most essential questions: Beatles or Stones? Which is the best air guitar to play? Does Rush suck? And what is the meaning of Billy Joel?
Metaphysical Graffiti is a book for music fans, humor fans, and, if a meaningful ontological category, fans of philosophy too. It is a provocative, inflammatory, hilarious, but ultimately serious book about the essential questions of rock—Beatles or Stones? What Kind of Air Guitar Do You Play? Does Rush Suck? and, of course, The Meaning of Billy Joel. In a rich mix of original pieces, Kaufman not only examines the essential issues facing all rock fans, but delves into the deeper, metaphysical roots of these questions.
The book's title is a riff on the classic Led Zeppelin album, Physical Graffiti, while the book itself is an innovative, critical work that in many ways mirrors the best rock 'n' roll. Funny, audacious, irreverent, and relentlessly creative, it stretches the parameters of traditional criticism by incorporating short fiction, "Moronic Dialogues," and even a short mini-play, "Godot, The Musical," in order to explore philosophical concepts of Reality, Authenticity, Hype, and, ultimately, the purpose of music criticism itself.
Industry Reviews
Praise for Metaphysical Graffiti
"Metaphysical Graffiti will make you think twice (and laugh thrice)." -Will Hermes, Rolling Stone senior critic and NPR contributor
"Erudite, caustic and hilarious, Seth Kaufman's essays in Metaphysical Graffiti are creative non-fiction writing at its best." -Andy Hedgecock, Morning Star
"Metaphysical Graffiti is worthy companion to Psychotic Reactions & Carburetor Dung, mining music history, philosophy and comedy to explore our relationships to and with popular music." -Andreas Killen, author of 1973 Nervous Breakdown
Praise for Nuns with Guns
"A smart, witty and engrossing satire! Kaufman is a wonderfully sharp-eyed observer of modern American lunacies." -Zoe Heller, author of Notes on a Scandal
Praise for The King of Pain
"One of 2012's most enjoyable novels." -Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times
"Seth Kaufman's novel is a hoot and a boot, a zany, unsettling, satisfying, post post-modern, tragic-comic tour of prisons around the world and pain in the human heart. Start it and you won't stop. If you're a claustrophobe, read it out-of-doors." -John Darnton, author of Neanderthal