Byron Coley
Encyclopedia
Byron Coley is an American music critic who wrote prominently for Forced Exposure
magazine in the 1980s, starting with their fifth issue until the magazine ceased publication in 1993. Prior to Forced Exposure, he wrote for NY Rocker, Boston Rock, and Take It! magazine. Coley is one of the first writers to have extensively documented indie rock
from its inception to the present day. Coley was a contributing writer to Spin
in the 1980s and '90s, and currently writes for the Wire and Arthur magazine with Thurston Moore
. He also runs Ecstatic Yod
, a record label and shop based in Florence, Massachusetts.
Coley has contributed liner notes to albums by The Flesh Eaters
, Borbetomagus
, Sonic Youth
, Dinosaur Jr
., Big Boys, Yo La Tengo
, John Fahey
, Steffen Basho-Junghans
, Flaherty/Corsano duo, and numerous others. He has also appeared in documentaries about musical artists Half Japanese
, Minutemen
, Jandek
, and The Holy Modal Rounders, in each extolling the genius of the subject matter. When he wrote The Flesh Eaters
' entry in the Spin Alternative Record Guide, Coley stated that he considers "A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die" the best rock album ever recorded. For the 2007 Deluxe Edition of Sonic Youth
's Daydream Nation
, he contributed to the liner notes with a reflective essay on the legendary album.
Coley is also a published poet
and occasionally gives public readings of his (and others') works. He also wrote a biography of Chuck Norris
that was published in 1986. He also published a quickie bio of Mötley Crüe under the pseudonym "Billy Dwight" (an in-joke).
In 2010, Coley became involved with Feeding Tube Records in Northampton, Massachusetts, a record store where he sells rare items from his personal collection.
In 2011, Coley published the first collection of his reviews, "C'est la guerre : Early Writings 1978-1983" in a bilingual edition put out by Montreal publisher L'Oie de Cravan.
Forced Exposure
Forced Exposure was an independent music magazine published sporadically out of Massachusetts from the early-'80s to 1993, edited by Jimmy Johnson and Byron Coley. It was printed on cheap newsprint with plain design and filled with corrosive yet humorous writing...
magazine in the 1980s, starting with their fifth issue until the magazine ceased publication in 1993. Prior to Forced Exposure, he wrote for NY Rocker, Boston Rock, and Take It! magazine. Coley is one of the first writers to have extensively documented indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
from its inception to the present day. Coley was a contributing writer to Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
in the 1980s and '90s, and currently writes for the Wire and Arthur magazine with Thurston Moore
Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
. He also runs Ecstatic Yod
Ecstatic yod
Ecstatic Yod, otherwise known as Father Yod, is a record label run by music critic Byron Coley. In 1993 the label partnered with Thurston Moore's label Ecstatic Peace and began releasing records under the name "Ecstatic Yod." Ecstatic Yod operates a retail outlet in Florence, Massachusetts....
, a record label and shop based in Florence, Massachusetts.
Coley has contributed liner notes to albums by The Flesh Eaters
The Flesh Eaters
The Flesh Eaters may refer to:*The Flesh Eaters *The Flesh Eaters...
, Borbetomagus
Borbetomagus
Borbetomagus are a free improvisation/noise music group. They are cited by critics as pioneers of aggressive improvised noise music.- Biography :...
, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, prior to legal issues that forced the group to change their name, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005...
., Big Boys, Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
, John Fahey
John Fahey (musician)
John Fahey was an American fingerstyle guitarist and composer who pioneered the steel-string acoustic guitar as a solo instrument. His style has been greatly influential and has been described as the foundation of American Primitivism, a term borrowed from painting and referring mainly to the...
, Steffen Basho-Junghans
Steffen Basho-Junghans
Steffen Basho-Junghans is a German guitarist and composer. He was born in North Thuringia in the former German Democratic Republic. At the age of 17 he taught himself to play acoustic guitar and in 1978 formed the folk band Wacholder...
, Flaherty/Corsano duo, and numerous others. He has also appeared in documentaries about musical artists Half Japanese
Half Japanese
Half Japanese is a punk rock band formed by brothers Jad and David Fair in their Coldwater, Michigan bedroom around 1975. Their original instrumentation included a small drum set, which they took turns playing; vocals; and an out of tune guitar...
, Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
, Jandek
Jandek
Jandek is the musical project of an anonymous outsider musician who operates out of Houston, Texas. Since 1978, Jandek has self-released over 60 albums of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs without ever granting more than the occasional interview or providing any biographical...
, and The Holy Modal Rounders, in each extolling the genius of the subject matter. When he wrote The Flesh Eaters
The Flesh Eaters (band)
The Flesh Eaters are an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1977. They are the most prominent of the bands which have showcased the compositions and singing of their founder, punk poet Chris Desjardins, known as...
' entry in the Spin Alternative Record Guide, Coley stated that he considers "A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die" the best rock album ever recorded. For the 2007 Deluxe Edition of Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
's Daydream Nation
Daydream Nation
Daydream Nation is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. It was released in October 1988 by Enigma Records in the United States, and by Blast First in the United Kingdom....
, he contributed to the liner notes with a reflective essay on the legendary album.
Coley is also a published poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and occasionally gives public readings of his (and others') works. He also wrote a biography of Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
that was published in 1986. He also published a quickie bio of Mötley Crüe under the pseudonym "Billy Dwight" (an in-joke).
In 2010, Coley became involved with Feeding Tube Records in Northampton, Massachusetts, a record store where he sells rare items from his personal collection.
In 2011, Coley published the first collection of his reviews, "C'est la guerre : Early Writings 1978-1983" in a bilingual edition put out by Montreal publisher L'Oie de Cravan.