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Mick Farren was born on a wet night at the end of World War II and has been complaining prolifically about it ever since. For the duration of his professional career, he has divided his time between music and literature, although with certain digressions into psychedelic agitprop, like editing the underground newspaper IT, and defending both his liberty and the comic book Nasty Tales at a protracted obscenity trail at the Old Bailey.
His tabloid heyday as a commentator on popular culture was in the 1970s, when he was part of what is now called (by some) the NME golden age, during which time he helped explain punk to people who still thought Rick Wakeman had merit. The next decade found him in New York City where, among other adventures, he drank more than was good for him, wrote TV columns for the Village Voice, a monthly rant for Trouser Press, a number of books about Elvis Presley, eight science fiction novels, the cult hit The Black Leather Jacket, and the off-Broadway musical The Last Words Of Dutch Schultz.
Since here in the twenty-first century, Farren, for the most part, writes only about performers who are either dead or born well before 1960, you won't find him in too many of the current rock magazines. His major output now comes in book form, either as works of non-fiction, as the endless stream of decidedly odd neo-gothic novels that flows from his computer, or as the occasional - and even more odd - CD of his music and poetry, usually with his floating rock & roll crap-game, The Deviants.
As a lyricist, Mick's words have been sung by Metallica, Motorhead, Hawkwind, Brother Wayne Kramer, the Royal Crown Revue, and the Pink Fairies. His most recent non-fiction is the autobiographic Give The Anarchist A Cigarette (Jonathan Cape, UK), his most recent novel is Underland (Tor Books US), and his current CDs are People Call You Crazy: The Mick Farren Story (Sanctuary UK) and The Deviants Dr Crow (Track Records UK).
Mick Farren currently lives in Hollywood, and is TV critic for LA City Beat. More about the man, including a running fiction serial, and a free novel to download, can be found on the Funtopia website (below).
List of articles in the library by artist
ABBA : Abba: Oompah?
Profile and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, April 1976
Alpha Band, The : The Alpha Band: The Alpha Band
Review by Mick Farren, NME, December 1976
Asleep at the Wheel
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, April 1977
Band, The : ...Mounties, Maple Syrup, The Band
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, September 1976
Band, The : Ten Years of Stage Fright: The Life And Times Of Robbie Robertson & The Band
Retrospective and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, June 1978
Chuck Berry, 49, Denies Knowledge of the Previous 48
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, May 1976
Chuck Berry : Rancid and Smutty (Apologists Only)
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1975
Dickey Betts: Movin' On Out Of The Macon Mess
Report by Mick Farren, NME, June 1977
Black Sabbath - Sabotage
Review by Mick Farren, NME, October 1975
Marc Bolan : Steve Peregrin Took: Staring At The Stars
Memoir by Mick Farren, Mojo, August 1995
David Bowie: Changesonebowie
Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1976
David Bowie: Mr. Bowie Has Left The Theatre
Report by Mick Farren, NME, November 1974
Edgar Broughton Band, The : Magic Triangle: The Edgar Broughton Band
Report by Mick Farren, International Times, April 1969
Arthur Brown: It's Time To Use Records As Weapons
Interview by Mick Farren, International Times, October 1967
Lenny Bruce: The Law, Language And Lenny Bruce (Phil Spector International)
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1975
Captain Beefheart : Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart: Bongo Fury
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1975
Johnny Cash: Look At Them Beans
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1975
Johnny Cash: Riding the Rails and Marty Robbins: Gunfighter Ballads
Review by Mick Farren, NME, August 1975
Johnny Cash: The Last Gunfighter Ballad
Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1977
Johnny Cash: The Gospel According to J.C.
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, October 1975
Cher: Stars/Cher's Greatest Hits; Tammy Wynette: The Best Of Tammy Wynette
Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1975
Eric Clapton: The Bullring, Ibiza
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, August 1977
Clash, The : How The Clash Fed The Wonderbread Generation, Made The Mountain Come to Mohammed - And Other Miracles
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, June 1981
Eddie Cochran: The Very Best of Eddie Cochran (15th Anniversary Album)
Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1975
Eddie Cochran: He Shouldn't have Used The Car 'Cos He'd Been Workin' Late
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, April 1974
Commander Cody and The Lost Planet Airmen: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, February 1976
Crickets, The : The Crickets: Back In Style
Review by Mick Farren, NME, October 1975
Damned, The : The Damned
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, March 1977
Detective: Detective
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1977
Deviants, The : The Deviants
Retrospective by Mick Farren, Mojo, October 1999
Fats Domino : Diamonds and Mr Domino
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, April 1977
Fats Domino: New Victoria Theatre, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, April 1976
Lonnie Donegan: Will The Circle Really Be Unbroken?
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, February 1978
Doors, The : The Doors (part 1): The Hunting of the Lizard King
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, September 1975
Doors, The : The Doors (part 2): Incident in Miami
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, October 1975
Dr. Feelgood : Doctor Feelgood: Dingwalls, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1974
Dr. Feelgood : Dr Feelgood: Be Seeing You
Review by Mick Farren, NME, September 1977
Dr. Feelgood : Dr Feelgood: The Truth Behind The Break-up...
Report by Mick Farren, NME, April 1977
Dr. Feelgood: Dingwalls, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, December 1974
Dr. Feelgood : It's only Rock 'n' Roll ...But it's crowded
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, November 1976
Dr. Feelgood : The Slaughterhouse 4: Dr Feelgood and Mr Freud (Cert X)
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, October 1975
Dr. Feelgood : Wilko Not Buried Yet...
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, October 1977
Bob Dylan : An NME Consumer's Guide to Bob Dylan, Part 2
Guide by Mick Farren, NME, February 1974
Bob Dylan: Desire (CBS)
Review by Mick Farren, NME, January 1976
Bob Dylan: Hard Rain
Review by Mick Farren, NME, September 1976
Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (CBS)
Review by Mick Farren, Oz, May 1969
Bob Dylan: The Basement Tapes (CBS)
Review by Mick Farren, NME, April 1975
Bob Dylan: Journey To The Centre Of The Psyche
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, December 1976
Bob Dylan : Remember Those Fabulous Sixties? An NME Consumer's Guide to Bob Dylan
Guide by Mick Farren, NME, February 1974
Everly Brothers, The : The Everly Brothers: Songs Our Daddy Taught Us
Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1976
Flamin' Groovies, The : The Flamin' Groovies: Teenage Head
Review by Mick Farren, NME, October 1976
Fugs, The : Lookin' Back at The Fugs
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, August 1974
J. Geils Band: Hot Line
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1975
Steve Gibbons Band : Who, Gibbons Face the Hog Butcher Vibe
Report by Mick Farren, NME, March 1976
Grateful Dead: Wake Of The Flood/From the Mars Hotel
Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1977
Grateful Dead : My Night With The Dead
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, May 1977
Grateful Dead : The Exhumation of The Dead
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, August 1974
Woody Guthrie : Growin’ Fat on the Grapes of Wrath
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, July 1977
Hawkwind: The Regular 'Wind Miracle
Report by Mick Farren, NME, November 1974
Hawkwind: Trippin’ USA
Report by Mick Farren, NME, April 1974
Heavy Metal Kids, The : Heavy Metal Kids: Heavy Metal Kids
Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1974
Buddy Holly: Legend
Review by Mick Farren, NME, October 1974
Buddy Holly: The Rocker Next Door with the Mail-Order Axe
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, September 1975
Jam, The : The Jam: This Is The Modern World
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1977
Jan & Dean : Jan and Dean: You Don't Come Back from Dead Man's Curve
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, January 1975
Jefferson Starship: Spitfire
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1976
Jefferson Starship : Skate Board Grounds the Starship
Report by Mick Farren, NME, September 1976
Waylon Jennings: Are You Ready For The Country
Review by Mick Farren, NME, October 1976
Rickie Lee Jones
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, June 1979
Kiss: Love Gun
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1977
Kiss : Pinocchio Reversed
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, July 1977
Denny Laine: Holly Days
Review by Mick Farren, NME, May 1977
Little Richard: Lewisham Odeon, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1975
Mamas and The Papas, The : The Mamas and the Papas: The Best Of The Mamas and The Papas
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1977
Bob Marley & the Wailers : Bob Marley and the Wailers: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1976
Bob Marley & the Wailers : Bob Marley: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1976
MC5 : Kramer Climbs Back From MC5 Wreckage
Report by Mick Farren, NME, April 1974
MC5/Stooges: Panic in Detroit
Report by Mick Farren, NME, December 1974
Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn and Band
Review by Mick Farren, NME, August 1975
Roger McGuinn: Urban Spaceman Metamorphoses Into Plumber
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, August 1975
Mink DeVille: Mink DeVille
Review by Mick Farren, NME, May 1977
Moonrider: Moonrider
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1975
Motorhead: Scumbags Over USA
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, June 1981
Elliott Murphy: Bottom Line, NY
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1977
Ted Nugent: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1977
Ted Nugent: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1977
Osmonds, The : The Osmonds: The Osmonds' Greatest Hits
Review by Mick Farren, NME, January 1978
Pink Fairies, The : The Pink Fairies: Looking Back
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, April 1975
Pink Floyd: Eyeless In The Galaxy
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1977
Robert Plant: Pictures at Eleven
Review by Mick Farren, Trouser Press, October 1982
Elvis Presley is Dead
Obituary by Mick Farren, NME, August 1977
Elvis Presley: Pictures Of Elvis
Review by Mick Farren, NME, December 1975
Elvis Presley: Junk, junk food junk prose (pulpitations for all)
Book Review by Mick Farren, NME, October 1977
Elvis Presley : Elvis: Father, Son & Hillbilly Cat
Essay by Mick Farren, Mojo, February 1995
Elvis Presley : Elvis: Well, Bless-uh Muh Soul, What's-uh Wrong With Me?
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, May 1976
Elvis Presley : In Search of the Real Elvis
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, February 1977
Elvis Presley : Okay, Kids... Which Twin is the Real Elvis?
Report by Mick Farren, NME, January 1976
Pretty Things, The : The Pretty Things: Greatest Hits 1964-1967
Review by Mick Farren, NME, December 1975
Ramones, The : Notes on Minimalism (or Learning To Live With The Ramones)
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, May 1977
Righteous Brothers, The : The Righteous Brothers - Sons of Mrs. Righteous
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1975
Marty Robbins : Johnny Cash: Riding the Rails and Marty Robbins: Gunfighter Ballads
Review by Mick Farren, NME, August 1975
Rolling Stones, The : Robert Greenfield: A Journey through America with the Rolling Stones
Book Review by Mick Farren, NME, September 1975
Rolling Stones, The : Rolling Stones: Tour Of The Americas 1975
Report by Mick Farren, NME, July 1975
Rolling Stones, The : The Rolling Stones: Rolled Gold
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1975
Rolling Stones, The : The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers
Review by Mick Farren, Ink, May 1971
Max Romeo & the Upsetters: War In A Babylon
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1976
Diana Ross and the Supremes: 20 Golden Greats
Review by Mick Farren, NME, September 1977
Runaways, The : The Runaways: Queens Of Noise
Review by Mick Farren, NME, January 1977
Runaways, The : The Runaways: From Jailbait to Jes' Plain Bait
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, October 1976
Pete Seeger: Together In Concert
Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1975
Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band: Live Bullet
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1976
Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band: Night Moves (Capitol)
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1976
Shadows, The : The Shadows
Interview by Mick Farren, NME, February 1977
Ronnie Spector : "I Wasn't Even a Housewife": Ronnie Spector's true confessions
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, September 1980
Status Quo: Cardiff Castle
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1976
Stooges, The : MC5/Stooges: Panic in Detroit
Report by Mick Farren, NME, December 1974
Supremes, The : Diana Ross and the Supremes: 20 Golden Greats
Review by Mick Farren, NME, September 1977
Tubes, The : What is Our Role in the Universe?
Profile and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, October 1977
Tyrannosaurus Rex : Steve Peregrin Took: Staring At The Stars
Memoir by Mick Farren, Mojo, August 1995
Gene Vincent: Po' White Punk from the Pool Hall
Retrospective by Mick Farren, NME, February 1975
Gene Vincent : Hell's Angel: Gene Vincent
Retrospective by Mick Farren, Mojo, February 2000
Tom Waits : The Skid Row Drunk Goes Legit: Tom Waits live in New York
Live Review by Mick Farren, NME, December 1979
Who, The : Who, Gibbons Face the Hog Butcher Vibe
Report by Mick Farren, NME, March 1976
Larry Williams
Retrospective by Mick Farren, Mojo, July 2000
Wings : Denny Laine: Holly Days
Review by Mick Farren, NME, May 1977
Roy Wood: The Roy Wood Story
Review by Mick Farren, NME, April 1976
Bill Wyman: Stone Alone
Review by Mick Farren, NME, March 1976
Tammy Wynette : Boots, Brandy, Boots, Bouffants + Buffy
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, April 1976
Tammy Wynette : Cher: Stars/Cher's Greatest Hits; Tammy Wynette: The Best Of Tammy Wynette
Review by Mick Farren, NME, June 1975
Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart: Bongo Fury
Review by Mick Farren, NME, November 1975
Frank Zappa: List of genre pieces Blaxtravaganza!
Report and Interview by Mick Farren, NME, April 1975
Report by Mick Farren,
God is Alive and Well and Living Off Rock'n'Roll...
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, March 1975
LA Punk
Report by Mick Farren, NME, April 1981
Nashville
Report by Mick Farren, NME, November 1976
Nashville - Part Two
Report by Mick Farren, NME, November 1976
New York: Suddenly It's A Hell Of A Town Again...
Report by Mick Farren, NME, June 1977
Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears
Comment by Mick Farren, Rock's Backpages, April 2003
Rock and Western Films: My baby useta love western movies...
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, April 1975
Rock on TV: Old Grey Whistle Test
Report by Mick Farren, NME, June 1974
San Francisco: Who needs music when we've got the Zebra?
Report by Mick Farren, NME, June 1974
Shades
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, July 1976
Sleaze: The '70s
Overview by Mick Farren, NME, October 1977
The Hollywood Binliner: L.A. Punk
Report by Mick Farren, NME, November 1977
The Kids Are Not Necessarily Alright
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, March 1975
The Rock'n'Roll Way of Death
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, June 1974
The Titanic Sails at Dawn
Essay by Mick Farren, NME, June 1976
Wild In The Streets
Report by Mick Farren, NME, August 1975
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