King Death/I Am Still the Greatest Says Johnny Angelo

by Nik Cohn

I Am Still the Greatest Says Johnny Angelo is Nik Cohn's hymn to rock as myth, in all its crazed, absurd and glorious excess. Johnny Angelo is the pop star to end all pop stars—narcissistic, mock-heroic, and massively destructive. The novel follows his progress from warped infancy to final messianic explosion. A cool and highly original read, which Bowie once claimed inspired Ziggy Stardust. King Death is part nightmare, part modern fairytale and wholly original. Eddie is a strange man with an extraordinary talent—he administers Death. His subjects, he explains, are thrilled and transported. When America's most successful TV entrepreneur witnesses Eddie in action, they literally ride to glory on the Deliverance Special, a train carrying King Death and his huge entourage all over America.

288 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2017

About the author

Cohn is considered by some critics to be a father of rock criticism, thanks to his time on The Observer's early rock column entitled The Brief and his first major book Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom, first published in 1969. Cohn has since published articles, novels and music books regularly.

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read "I'm Still the Greatest Says Johnny Angelo."

The ultimate rock n' roll novel by the iconic Nik Cohn. The rise and fall of fictional rock star Johnny Angelo, modeled after rocker P.J. Proby. After that, it's a feverish dream of a narrative, that is not based in reality, but in the images of pop music. One can see that this could be the foundation for David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust concept, the rise, and the fallen star.

[Erik Carl son]

A favorite of David Bowie and heralded as “the best rock ‘n’ roll novel ever’, I found it lacking. Perhaps I iodnt agree with Melody Maker and Bowie. It’s a simple structured take done with far more punch in Harlan Ellison’s Rockabilly and juice gang novels.