Pop and literature

Using song titles as writing prompts, a new series of short stories is being published this summer. The Fall's book is first, with others to follow. Sounds interesting. I'm thinking that the chapter on 'This Charming Man' will be a bit slashy.

And while Mr Wild originally intended to publish the anthology himself, Serpent's Tail then took on the project. Perverted by Language: Fiction Inspired by The Fall will be launched on 1 July at the inaugural Manchester International Festival with a gig by the band.

A further five volumes along the same lines are already in the works. A clutch of American authors are among those to have contributed to the second book, The Empty Page: Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth, the American rockers, which will be issued in April next year. Writers including Mike Gayle, Nic Kelman, Mil Millington and Kate Pullinger have contributed to Paint a Vulgar Picture, a volume based on The Smiths, and Pleasant Dreams, inspired by The Ramones, will follow.

There will be a Joy Division anthology entitled Incubation, for which The Damned Utd author David Peace has already agreed to write, and the series will conclude with What Goes On, inspired by the Velvet Underground.