Volume 2, Issue 1 – July 2018

In their own ways and for different purposes, writers, and musicians draw upon their creative, critical, and experimental qualities. Sometimes a song, or a phrase, will leap from the imagination, perfectly formed. At other times a degree of elbow grease is required. When the two worlds meet – as they do often through music journalism, interviews, research, and elsewhere – the relationship between writer and musicians can be fraught, or else riddled with delight, but seemingly always contains an underlying tension. In this issue of Riffs, we explore that relationship through various forms of experimental writing about popular music.

The guest editor of this volume is Laura Snapes, a music and culture writer based in London. Together with Laura the editorial team of Riffs invited contributions based on the following prompt:

“There is nothing wrong with hating rock critics” – Of Montreal, 2003

Here is the issue we have created together. We hope you enjoy it.