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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the article "Where Were You When Elvis Died", Bangs likens Elvis to ______ because of his secrecy.

2. Bangs suggests that when the title of greatness is conferred on a band it lasts _______.

3. Once on tour with The Clash, Bangs gets into a food fight and gets his hair set on fire by _______.

4. Bangs suggests that Reed's latest album was inspired by _______, which Bangs jokes could solve all the worlds problems.

5. In an excerpt from his review of Peter Guralinick's book, Bangs focused on Sam Phillips, the owner of _______.

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens between the man and the woman in the opening part of this section that causes her to kick him out?

2. What does Bangs say about his times with Laughner when he decides to write about him?

3. Why does Hell believe that self-hatred is important, according to the way that Bangs writes about him?

4. What does Reed have to say about Iggy Pop when he is first being interviewed by Bangs in this section?

5. What does Bangs say about the book "Lost Highway" and how it is marked?

6. What does narcissism allow a person to do, according to the opinion of Richard Hell in Bangs' writing?

7. What happens when a person buys the fictitious Rolling Stones album that Bangs describes in this section?

8. What does Bangs believe hints to Pop's isolation in the music world when he is reviewing a show?

9. Why does Bangs consider Lou Reed to be a hero of his, according to his writings?

10. Why does Bangs believe Richard Hell's style of punk rock is necessary in the world?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Joe Strummer says that he actually wants to know when he's not being as good in concerts.

Part 1: Do you think most performers want to hear whether they are good in a performance?

Part 2: How do you think a performer from today's music scene might react if someone told them they were off one night?

Part 3: Do you appreciate honesty over being told you are good, even when you're not?

Essay Topic 2

Bangs is a music critic, someone who is paid to talk about his opinions about music, which sometimes are stilted and unbalanced.

Part 1: Do you think a music critic should try to be more balanced in their writing?

Part 2: Do you agree with most of Bangs' ideas about music?

Part 3: How do you think a music critic is able to criticize music without letting their own tastes get in the way? Is this possible?

Essay Topic 3

Bangs begins to wonder if the maniacal performances by Pop and his audience aren't a reflection of a sickness in the singer and in the crowd.

Part 1: Do you think that Pop is trying to be crazy or do you think he actually is?

Part 2: Why do you think that Bangs has changed the way he looks at punk music?

Part 3: How do you think that Pop and his audience could be more controlled without being less enjoyable?

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