Niche

In Niche: A Memoir in Pastiche, songwriter, novelist, cultural critic, and self-proclaimed pervert Momus recounts the story of his life and career on the margins of multiple music and art scenes.

Nick Currie, AKA Momus—named for the ancient Greek god of mockery, and described by The Guardian as “the David Bowie of the art-pop underground”—has recorded over thirty albums for labels like 4AD and Creation, published half a dozen works of speculative fiction, and written articles for The New York Times, Wired, ArtForum, Frieze, and The Wire. An unknown band called Pulp once asked him to produce their next album. (He said no.) An unknown band called Of Montreal once invited him to go on tour with them. (He said no.) He’s collaborated with fans Vampire Weekend and with the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merrit; one of his songs is regularly covered by Amanda Palmer in concert. He’s had an impression of his penis preserved by the notorious Cynthia Plaster Caster. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Probably you haven’t. This is his story. Or, rather, stories.

Rather than one avuncular tale told in his own voice, Momus has structured the narrative of his life as a mockery of the rock-bio oral history. Instead of using living witnesses, Momus assumes the voices of 217 dead authors and artists and forces them to speak for and about him. From these dramatic monologues—sometimes unreliable, often comical—there gradually emerges a picture of one eccentric star’s life across three continents and in his own, remarkable, niche.

Includes black-and-white illustrations

In Niche: A Memoir in Pastiche, compozitor, romancier, critic cultural si auto-proclamat pervers Momus povesteste povestea vietii si carierei sale la marginea mai multor scene muzicale si artistice. Nick Currie, AKA Momus - numit pentru vechea greaca zeul batjocurii si descris de The Guardian drept „David Bowie al art-pop underground” - a inregistrat peste treizeci de albume pentru etichete precum 4AD si Creation, a publicat o jumatate de duzina de lucrari de fictiune speculativa si a scris articole pentru The New York Times, Wired, ArtForum, Frieze si The Wire.