"Friend, asshole, angel, mutant," singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt "came
along and made us gross and broken people seem...I dunno, cooler, I
guess." A quadriplegic who could play only simple chords on his guitar,
Chesnutt recorded 17 critically acclaimed albums before his death in
2009, including About to Choke, North Star Deserter, and At the
Cut. In 2006, NPR placed him in the top five of the 10 best living
songwriters, along with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul McCartney, and Bruce
Springsteen. Chesnutt's songs have also been covered by many prominent
artists, including Madonna, the Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M., Sparklehorse,
Fugazi, and Neutral Milk Hotel.
Kristin Hersh toured with Chesnutt for nearly a decade and they became
close friends, bonding over a love of songwriting and mutual struggles
with mental health. In Don't Suck, Don't Die, she describes many
seemingly small moments they shared, their free-ranging conversations,
and his tragic death. More memoir than biography, Hersh's book plumbs
the sources of Chesnutt's pain and creativity more deeply than any
conventional account of his life and recordings ever could. Chesnutt was
difficult to understand and frequently difficult to be with, but, as
Hersh reveals him, he was also wickedly funny and painfully perceptive.
This intimate memoir is essential listening for anyone interested in the
music or the artist.
