MJ Lenderman on Harry Crews: This Fucked-Up Guy
I came to the work of Harry Crews through word of mouth. A friend was telling me about this fucked-up guy and his book A Feast of Snakes.
MJ Lenderman, a musician from Asheville, North Carolina, discovered the work of Harry Crews during his teenage years. He was introduced to Crews' writing through word of mouth and became fascinated by his mid-70s masterpiece, "A Feast of Snakes", set in Mystic, Georgia. Lenderman was particularly captivated by Crews' novel "The Knockout Artist", which featured a character named Eugene Talmadge Biggs who intentionally injured himself for spectators' amusement.
Intrigued by Crews' style, Lenderman ordered several of his books, including "A Childhood", "The Gypsy's Curse", and "Car". The raw dialogue, pronounced Southernness, and the warped sense of reality in Crews' writing immediately resonated with Lenderman, drawing him into the world of the author. During a formative songwriting phase in his life, during the pandemic, Lenderman found Crews' advice on artistic pursuits and writing to be invaluable.
He was inspired by Crews' ability to turn absurd scenarios into heartwarming stories, and his language filled with vivid and often exaggerated phrases. Lenderman's own writing, including his album "B oat Songs" and songs like "Joker Lips", was influenced by Crews' unique storytelling style and ability to find humor and humanity in even the most outrageous situations.
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