Dust - by Ray Robertson Paperback

Book Synopsis

"Robertson offers the whole picture, warts and all. In doing so, he honors the music of artists who have enriched his life--and opens the door for his readers to experience the same magic."--Blues Blast Magazine

In Dust: More Lives of the Poets (with Guitars), Ray Robertson digs deep, offering up an eclectic gathering of a dozen biographical and critical portraits of some of the twentieth century's most innovative, influential, and fascinating musicians. From rock to folk, blues to gospel, country to the unclassifiable; from the famous, to the forgotten, to the barely known, Ray Robertson combines a novelist's eye for dramatic detail with an unapologetic fanboy's obsession with the lives and lasting artistic achievements of twelve of his musical heroes.

FEATURING: Alex Chilton - James Booker - Nico - The Staple Singers - Captain Beefheart - Handsome Ned - Duane Allman - Lee Mavers - Duster Bennett - Danny Kirwan - Nick Drake - Muddy Waters

Review Quotes

Praise for Dust: More Lives of the Poets (with Guitars)

"From the famous, to the forgotten, to the barely known, Ray Robertson combines a novelist's eye for dramatic detail with an unapologetic fanboy's obsession with the lives and lasting artistic achievements of his musical heroes."
--Roots Music Canada

"Robertson evaluates a dozen twentieth-century blues, rock, and pop acts that have shaped his tastes and revved his imagination's engine. Yet he strives toward something deeper than just reliving memories . . . His central conceit is that in understanding these musicians' catalogues and their mostly turbulent lives, one can discover the snatches of 'occasional transcendence that make human existence more than the sum of its oftentimes puzzling parts.' This elusive quality, more than lyrical complexity or technical virtuosity, is what imbues music with poetry. In our era of hyper-marketed, algorithmically defined culture, it's refreshing to hear an impassioned voice wax on about what truly moves them."
--Rob Benvie, Literary Review of Canada

"[Robertson] welcomes readers into a set of compelling narratives, sharing his perspectives while leaving space for the readers' own reflections. Opinion never comes at the expense of dogmaticism; critique may be occasionally sharp, but is never mean and often leavened by a well-timed sense of humour. It opens familiar music in surprising and enriching ways while encouraging further exploration . . . Dust contains enough diversity of time, place and subject to provide something of interest to nearly any reader."
--Jarett Myskiw, Winnipeg Free Press

"[A] well curated, eclectic bunch of musicians, and I think there's music for everyone in this book, whether it's power pop, R&B, prog-gothic rock, gospel, avant-garde, country rock, folk rock, or country blues . . . Ray Robertson's storytelling skills are excellent and I felt like each story would make a great film or documentary . . . It's not often I see books like this, and they're real treasures."
--Angie Moon, The Diversity of Classic Rock

"In Dust: More Lives of the Poets (with Guitars), Canadian author Ray Robertson's has created a collection of twelve biographical and critical portraits of influential, innovative, and sometimes overlooked twentieth-century musicians . . . It honours the artists who influenced him while encouraging readers to discover--or rediscover--their music."
--Backbeat Books and Music

Praise for Live of the Poets (with Guitars)

"One part of Lives of the Poets (with Guitars) is a record guide revealing these undiscovered treasures, the other is Robertson's gift of spewing out stories that simply shame most rock 'n' roll writers into the hacks they really are."
--Beat Route

"There's much to like about this book, but its real strength is in Robertson's voice, which bobs and weaves throughout each essay. . . Robertson's irreverent voice, his character-driven storytelling abilities, and his personal indebtedness to the lucky thirteen make the collection work. This isn't a history lesson tethered to research--it's a novelist's exploration of pioneers and the high drama of their lives."
--The Alt

"Although Robertson may not be as well-known to American music fans as most of the cult favorites he celebrates here, he brings a good ear and plenty of critical insight to essays aimed at helping readers discover new favorites or hear more familiar music from a fresh perspective."
--Kirkus Reviews

Praise for All the Years Combine: The Grateful Dead in Fifty Shows

"For all the talk about The Grateful Dead being primarily a band you need to hear live . . . the fact that there has not been a truly great book chronicling the band's live shows is surprising. That is until now . . . Ray Robertson's All the Years Combine tells the story of 50 of some of the best Grateful Dead concerts, chronicled in order from 1966 to 1995. But Robertson's book is really more than just that . . . All the Years Combine, much like the music it heralds, transcends."
--Under the Radar

"Robertson--writing at full, heart-exploding tilt--charts the course of the greatest American band (yes, I said it), from their humble start to their humbling end through capsule reviews of 50 shows. This is a glorious book, full of setlists and anecdotes and clear-eyed love."
--Toronto Star

"All the Years Combine: The Grateful Dead in Fifty Shows is delightfully genre-fluid--part critique, part review, part biography, part journalism."
--Palo Alto Weekly

About the Author

Ray Robertson is the author of nine novels, six collections of non-fiction, and a book of poetry. His work has been translated into several languages. He contributed liner notes to three Grateful Dead archival releases: Dave's Picks #45, the Here Comes Sunshine 1973 boxed set, and the From the Mars Hotel 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. Born and raised in Chatham, Ontario, he lives in Toronto.