All These Things That I’ve Done: My Insane, Improbable Rock Life

With Cohen, video deejay Pinfield deftly narrates his musical life, offering a fascinating history of rock music told from his passionate perspective. The British Invasion was the sound track of his childhood, initiating a lifelong love of music. Pinfield became a college radio deejay, eventually working at MTV as host of the alternative rock institution 120 Minutes. As the story moves from one decade to the next, Pinfield follows each chapter with a best-of list detailing significant recordings from that part of his life. Throughout, Pinfield meanders between memories, mentioning the records that struck him, and jumps ahead to his professional life, where he encountered the artists who created his favorite music. Pinfield’s intimate relationships with rock stars such as Joey Ramone and Killers lead singer Brandon Flowers contextualize his fondness for their music. His own recurring struggles with addiction flesh out the narrative, grounding his enthusiasm for music in an awareness of the somber side of the rock lifestyle. His encyclopedic knowledge of contemporary sounds makes the memoir as informative as it is personal. This is an excellent read for anyone interested in rock’s history. (Sept.)