Written by Brenda Nicholas

Pop Rock Quiz: What do Bob Dylan, Bruce Dickinson, Madonna, Will Vlautin, Joe Stretch, Louise Wener, and Rodge Glass have in common, other than the obvious (which would be music)?

Answer: They all have dabbled in fiction! That’s right, not only are these Pop and Indie musicians talented on stage, they can type a fast and furious line to the tune of books.

I’m not sure I appreciate Doug Johnstone’s depiction of writers versus rockers in his Times Online article:
“On the face of it, the worlds of being in a rock band and writing novels seem poles apart—one involving collaboration, instant gratification and very public displays of ego, the other being reclusive, isolated and very much long-term in outlook.” Thanks for reminding us writers that all of our monkish, anti-social ways may result in Jack Squat, once we get to the end of that “long-term.”

However, lucky for some of these rock stars, their stories are being published, and they’re not even writing about themselves. Here’s a quick list of what some of these rockers are writing:

Steve Earle: “Doghouse Roses” is a short story collection about “junkies, hitchers and rockers.”

Will Vlautin: “Northline” is a novel about a high school dropout with a destructive lifestyle.

Joe Stretch: Friction (March) is novel about sex.

Louise Wener: “Worldwide Adventures in Love” is a novel about love and love letters in faraway places. (April)

Rodge Glass: “Hope for Newborns” is “a revolutionary love story about two young people who have seen enough of the world to know they want nothing to do with it its current form.” (June)

I’m not surprised about these artists’ writing prowess, to tell you the truth, and I’ll have to agree with Johnstone’s summary of these rocker/writers, that they are “annoyingly talented creative polymaths.”