Latest Features

Here’s a first extract from 3:AM‘s forthcoming interview with Richard Hell who has a new novel, Godlike, out this month, and a definitive CD compilation, Spurts: The Richard Hell Story, coming out in August. Here, the original punk explains why he is a writer and not a rock star: “I’ve often had some kind of encounter with a trace of my mid ’70s self and been really repulsed. On recorded interviews, I can hear myself slurring with narcotics in my system. I just seem pathetic and maddening. Mostly, I don’t like that world, the world I inhabited then. I got

The Port Eliot Literary Festival has started. * 3:AM contributor Tony O’Neill reviews Dan Fante‘s Corksucker: “For me, finding the writings of Dan Fante was a revelation; in an era were safe writing and intellectual cowardice rule with an iron fist his books are a blessed anachronism”. * Magic mushrooms. * How to read a bookshelf? * Geoff Dyer on video games. * Happy birthday to Four-Eyed Bitch who recently turned 26! * The Globe is to stage a production of Troilus and Cressida in 16th century English: “For example, the word ‘voice’ is pronounced the same as ‘vice’, ‘reason’

Nicholas Clee, who used to do the industry round-up for the Guardian Review but now finds himself in charge of the Times’ ‘Hot type’ column, mentions a certain site today: “Six British bloggers on literary matters have joined forces to present teasers from their work, with links, at one website. I find the home page, laid out in six vertical columns, somewhat hard to navigate, but others may disagree. If you’ve yet to discover the substantial community discussing books online, www.britlitblogs.com offers the way. * * * One of the issues being aired at BritLitBlogs is the backlash against Ismail

If you’re in New York on Thursday 28 July, don’t miss the launch party for A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, the movie directed by Dito Montiel (which he has adapted from his own book) at the Apocalypse Lounge (189 East 3rd Street). There will be readings by Dito Montiel himself and 3:AM contributor Tony O’Neill (who will be showcasing his forthcoming debut novel, Digging the Vein). Artist Louis Cannizzaro and photographer Michael Alago will display their work. The movie stars Robert Downey Jr and Rosario Dawson as well as the cast and crew will all be there too. Doors

Coming to 3:AM courtesy of Richard Marshall: an interview with Jonas Mekas, the grandfather of avant-garde filmmaking in the States. “I have no script. The story is me and the people around me. It’s there, it’s real life and there is no other. I’m not carrying any other story. There is no suspense. There is no violence. There is no drama. There is no violence because I am not interested in it. I’m interested in the celebration of life. I leave violence to others. I consider there’s too much focus on abnormality, violence, ugliness and anger.”

3:AM‘s Richard Marshall (second from right) took part in a debate on DIY publishing on the last day of the Clerkenwell Literary Festival. Here’s a Richard quote from the festival’s official blog (the picture comes from there too): “‘There is a crisis in publishing… the top ten bestsellers is the way the industry views itself,’ Richard said, ‘so if you’re a first-time writer or struggling, outlets (such as zines and online sites) play a very important role’.”

Steve Aylett, reading from his latest novel Lint, at last night’s 3:AM event in Filthy MacNasty’s, London. Steve was ably supported by Spitalfields’ finest Clive Murphy, who read from his forthcoming book of ribald verse, Lust and Malice (excerpts of which will be on 3:AM soon).

Patti Smith becomes Commander of the Order of the Arts and Letters! * Claude Simon est mort.* Kevin Smith joins the ranks of bloggers. * Launch of Shanghaist. * A survivor from the King’s Cross bomb tells her story on Urban75. * Iain Sinclair on the terrorist attacks: “The novelty of the recent atrocities lay in the astonishing immediacy of the forms of remembrance. No editing, no staged highlights. No retakes. We seem to be remembering events that have not yet occurred. A fabulous stream of low-definition, drift imagery: pedestrians swimming through smoke and fuzzy light. Recorded by someone, anyone,

“Despite doing his best to exploit mammary glands, Meyer makes you see women and breasts with new respect. His movies make you like breasts and fear women. And why not? Seen humping from below, through the bedsprings, or on mountaintops, clutching flaming torches, Meyer’s women are behemoths: she who must be obeyed.” It could only be today’s Guardian review of Jimmy McDonough’s Big Bosoms and Square Jaws: The Biography of Russ Meyer.

By which we remind you that our event with Steve Aylett is this Saturday at Filthy MacNasty’s, starting at 9pm. (See also our interview with Mr Aylett.) He is currently applying his groove to: 1. “Bang Bang Rock & Roll” — Art Brut 2. “Charlie” — melt-banana 3. “Sonic Bullets” — Tha Bambi Molesters 4. “Deathwhisker” — The Naysayer 5. “W.0.8” — Scorces

Bookworld, Buzzwords, Ready Steady Book, Scarecrow, Splinters and This Space are now huddled together under the banner of Brit Lit Blogs.com, which does exactly what it says on the tin. We define our mission thus: “BritLitBlogs is the brainchild of six British literary bloggers. Each working hard at bringing readers to forgotten or overlooked books, our BritLitBloggers decided that combining their latest blog entries together in one place would highlight the breadth and depth of British literary blogging.”