Loaded

“Loaded is a monumental origin story about the band of misfits, discontents, and visionaries that launched punk, grunge, new wave, glam, indie, experimental, art, and maybe even spoken-word rock. Dylan Jones weaves together a propulsive yet intimate narrative driven by a cast of insiders who trace the Velvets’ rise and fall and rise again to legendary status.”

"A Velvet goldmine of a book. Honored to be in it."

"Traces the life and legacy of one of New York City’s greatest acts of all time . . . A goldmine."

"You might understandably think you already know this story, but in Loaded, the masterful Dylan Jones assembles a raucous symphony of voices to convince you that you don't. Smart, funny, and insightful, this spellbinding oral history guides you through the evolving meanings of the music and the lives of the Velvet Underground from the Sixties to the present day. I found it riveting from start to finish."

"Riveting . . . Jones paints a vibrant portrait of the Velvet Underground’s rise against the backdrop of a 1960s New York City full of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll.” His evocative writing lends authority to insights that might otherwise read as hyperbolic, as when he describes the band’s music as 'a whirlwind of subversion that managed to epitomize the immortality of youth.' The result is a must-read for rock fans."

"More than a riveting tapestry of the New York Underground, Dylan Jones' Loaded is a perfect oral history—a blend of scholarship, testimony, and celebration of all things rock 'n' roll and all things NEW YORK! . . . From the voices of those who were there, we get a fresh take on the Velvets' origins and how their transgressive, uncompromising style influenced all Art Rock and Punk to follow . . . Here, Jones has helped to do the unthinkable: demystifying Andy Warhol and Lou Reed . . . Lou Reed himself once claimed to have graduated from 'Warhol University.' Well, Dylan Jones' book would be required reading."

"Dylan Jones has put the WOW back into oral histories. This collection of anecdotes about the Velvet Underground is particularly revealing of the band members and their milieu. He got all the right people to tell their tales."

"An informed narrative interspersed with quotes, this book paints a page-turning picture of the legendary Velvet Underground. Will appeal to general readers and rock aficionados.”

"Delivers . . . Convincingly makes the case for the band’s historical importance."

"In capturing such a wrenchingly unsentimental band, English journalist Dylan Jones manages to tenderly capture the love (then lore) that existed with all whom the Velvet Underground touched during their brief existence, the author included . . . [A] full-figured literary tale."

"Essential for Velvet diehards, but also of interest to those longing for the pre-Disneyfied New York City."

"Anyone who thinks there's nothing left to be said about the much-written-about Velvet Underground hasn't been listening to the right people . . . illuminating, amusing, unsparing."

"Lively . . . draws from David Bowie, Nico, Andy Warhol, and many others to tell the origin story of the pioneering art rockers."

"Tracks the strange and winding tale of the band from the inside out . . . a captivating witness account of the rise and fall of the Velvet Underground.”

"In-depth and eye-opening."

"A comprehensive look at the legends."

"What can be said about the Velvet Underground that hasn’t already been said? A tremendous amount, actually, as Dylan Jones demonstrates in this excellent oral history of the mighty Velvets. Documentary-like, this oral history has an incredible A-list of contributors."

Praise for David Bowie: A Life

“Dylan Jones has excavated the cacophony of voices that make up a life and curated a phenomenal portrait of the artist from childhood to the final days. The witnesses who comprise this oral biography animate the pages like characters in a non-fiction novel. Damn nigh peerless.”

"Dylan Jones elevates the art of oral biography to a cinematic level."

"Kaleidoscopic . . . Jones thoroughly and seamlessly conveys the creativity, curiosity, and velocity of a visionary."