Backwards Into Future: The Recorded History of the Firesign Theatre

by Frederick C. Wiebel Jr.

Boots for Industry bundles together in one too-large book the first complete yet utterly futile biography, discography, and history of those past, present, and future masters of American satire, the comics behind The Firesign Theatre. Excerpt from a review in "“BearManor Media, one of the more engaging publishers of entertainment related books, commemorates Firesign Theatre with this collection of four meaty interviews—one with each of the group’s principals—assembled from discussions and follow-up emails and letters dating from 1994 to 2001. The combined transcriptions were polished to avoid redundancy, and vetted by Firesign Theatre. “The interviews, conducted by Frederick Wiebel Jr. and others are substantial in both length and thought. Questions are framed succinctly and smartly, and exhibit that gift that escapes so many an ability to listen, and to encourage the subjects to elaborate on previous responses. “The book has useful appendices that include a select discography covering FT, duets and solo work; discography photos (sleeves and labels); and a photo chronology that reveals FT in the recording studio and on stage. Ad pages direct the interested reader to sources for FT CDs and other items.” Excerpt from a review by Brad Schrieber in Entertainment “L.A.'s surreally funny foursome are as hard to categorize as they are to historicize but this compendium has interviews and archival photos, with discography, photo chronology and delightful bits of brilliantly silly symbology all along the way. Wiebel, who is the Grand Poobah of Firesigniana, having documented them hysterically and historically through his Firezine publication, has now put it all between two covers and allows us to eat it raw. Ken Kesey's back cover comment that ‘these people are revolutionaries’ is most apt, for Phil Proctor, Peter Bergman, David Ossman and Phil Austin have predicted so much of where we have gone. Firesign is the quantum mechanics of comedy. They cover space and time simultaneously and despite our delight, we cannot explain where they are at any given moment."

Genres: Humor

372 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2006

Reviews

[Michael Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really the only biography about the FT and it comes in the form of interviews. There is an all too brief career recap and then each member has a section to himself. Worth it if you are a fan. Get the Duke of Madness Motors book/mp3 radio collection ... $40 and literally months of entertainment.

[Thomas Gedwillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my friend Fred Wiebel, who followed me and Elayne as publishers of Firesign Theatre newsletters/magazines for fans. My copy of this book is autographed.

[Julio The Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

'All Hail (Groucho) Marx and Lennon, or How Can you be in Two Places at the Same time When You're nowhere at All?" Many of us children of the Seventies and Eighties grew up listening to the Firesign Theater, the funniest and most subversive group of comics during America's post-Nixon dark night of the soul. Religion, science, politics and the idiocies of everyday American life---nothing was to wild or mundane for this bunch. Don't miss the classic I THINK WE'RE ALL BOZOS ON THIS BUS.