Hooked on Joel Lane's writing after picking up his collection Where Furnaces Burn at Fantasycon in Scarborough, I went and tracked down a second-hand copy of his debut novel From Blue to Black, the story of a cult Birmingham post-punk band around the time of the Tory reelection of 1992. Though not falling into the weird fiction category Joel Lane is known best for, stylistically this is very similar to Where Furnaces Burn in its hard-edged but beautiful descriptions of Britain’s post-industrial landscape. The country described is broken down, knocked down or only partially rebuilt. The IRA are still a threat, decaying factories are sprayed with swastikas and KEEP BRITAIN WHITE graffiti. The pubs are full and people drink like there’s no tomorrow.

Writing about music well is very difficult, especially rock music, but Lane really pulls it off here. There’s a clear love for the music described, as well as a keen awareness of its flaws and absurdities. Anyone who has been a fan of Felt, Nick Cave, The Cure or Hüsker Dü will find something to love (the book made me dig out all my old favourite Bob Mould songs such as this one),

From Blue to Black is about the power of music, about Birmingham, about Irishness, about destroying yourself with booze, and importantly it’s about gay men not adhering to the cliches of what gay men are supposed to be. As one character comments: ‘I don’t know any other gay men who are into rock. It’s either opera or musicals. Rock is just so uncouth.’

I don’t think I can recommend this book enough. Go and read it.