Episode 21: Chris L. Terry
Episode Promo
Chris L. Terry
Chris L. Terry, Photo by Jacob Boll
Chris L. Terry was born in 1979 to an African-American father and an Irish-American mother. He spent his teens and early 20s touring the U.S. and Europe as the singer in different punk bands, including Light the Fuse and Run.
Chris has a Creative Writing MFA from Columbia College Chicago. His work has appeared in ‘Pitchfork’, ‘Stereogum’, ‘Razorcake’, ‘Very Smart Brothas/The Root’, ‘Catapult’, and the ‘LAnd Magazine’.
He is the author of the novel ‘Black Card’, which NPR called “hilariously searing” and listed as one of the best books of 2019. Chris’s debut novel, ‘Zero Fade’, was on Best of 2013 lists by Slate.com and Kirkus Reviews. He is currently editing the anthology ‘Black Punk Now’ with Afro-Punk founder James Spooner.
Chris now lives and teaches in Los Angeles.
About This Episode
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, Chris L. Terry, who is both a writer and punk rock musician, does double duty as author and music guru. Chris and I talk about his novel ‘Black Card’, a story that follows a mixed-race punk rock musician and his struggles with identity. Chris and I get candid about race, how to pronounce certain naughty words, Hip-Hop, punk rock music, and even Confederate monuments.
Per J. Ryan Stradal in ‘The Rumpus’: “Provocative, warm-hearted, and often hilarious, ‘Black Card’ tells the story of a biracial punk rocker searching for his place in a largely white world. He’s come to feel that his sole black friend holds the key to his identity, and the pressure and expectations of this friendship come to a head in a community where racism takes countless subtle and overt forms. Terry is a remarkable writer, and ‘Black Card’ oughta be on every summer reading list.”
MUSIC AND MEDIA FEATURED IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
“Longview” by Green Day
“You Should Be Sad” by Halsey
“Crimson Static #2” by Julian Calendar
“Don’t Shoot” by The Game, with special guests
“It Wasn’t Us” by Ludacris
Samuel L. Jackson and Prince saying “motherfucker”
“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy
“Hip-Hop” by Dead Prez
“U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer
“I Think They Try” by Light the Fuse and Run
“When Doves Cry” by Prince
“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin
LINKS:
Chris L. Terry on Twitter and Instagram: @chrislterry
Chris L. Terry’s ‘Black Card’ Largehearted Boy Playlist: http://www.largeheartedboy.com/blog/archive/2019/09/chris_l_terrys.html
Chris L. Terry at the ‘Black Card’ release party at Eso Won Books, Los Angeles, CA, 2019. Photo by Meg Howrey
Chris’s band Light the Fuse and Run in action in the early 2000s
