CTG to Present HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC Staged Reading at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, 12/15

Lester Bangs, the rock critic who reached iconic status in the 1970s with his passionate, intellectually honest writing, is the subject of "How to be a Rock Critic," presented in a staged reading as part of DouglasPlus at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, Sunday, December 15 at 1 p.m. The reading will take place in the Douglas' rehearsal space, Upstairs@KDT.

Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, performed by Jensen and directed by Blank, "How to be a Rock Critic" follows the brief and outsized life of Bangs, who was manic, impossibly creative, and messianic about humanity in general and music in particular.

Bangs wrote about the The Clash, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Blondie, Iggy Pop, The Ramones and many more, in publications such as Rolling Stone, Creem, Village Voice and Playboy. His writing was wild, funny, original, unpredictable and dedicated to stripping away the marketing jargon surrounding the artists and telling the truth to his youthful audience.