Will Hermes
@willhermes.bsky.social
Writer, music usually. substack.com/@willhermes Contributing Editor @rollingstone.com @nytimes.com Pitchfork @npr.org Books: Love Goes To Buildings On Fire 🔥 Lou Reed: The King of New York 👑 https://linktr.ee/willhermes
Cover versions = my comfort food.
Here's a playlist stream w/ 11+ months worth:
The Pretenders by Sharon Van Etten
Brewer & Shipley by Pavement
Clairo by Olivia Dean
Blink 182 by Madi Diaz
Gillian Welch by Mavis Staples
Clifton Chenier by Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams by Margaret Glaspy
etc.
Here's a playlist stream w/ 11+ months worth:
The Pretenders by Sharon Van Etten
Brewer & Shipley by Pavement
Clairo by Olivia Dean
Blink 182 by Madi Diaz
Gillian Welch by Mavis Staples
Clifton Chenier by Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams by Margaret Glaspy
etc.
The 50 best covers of 2025
Lucinda Williams, Geese, Cat Power, Samara Joy, The XX, Robert Glasper, Norah Jones, Fiona Apple, Jeff Tweedy, Rogê, Sharon Van Etten, Margaret Glaspy, Madi Diaz, Brad Mehldau... did I miss any?
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Cover versions = my comfort food.
Here's a playlist stream w/ 11+ months worth:
The Pretenders by Sharon Van Etten
Brewer & Shipley by Pavement
Clairo by Olivia Dean
Blink 182 by Madi Diaz
Gillian Welch by Mavis Staples
Clifton Chenier by Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams by Margaret Glaspy
etc.
Here's a playlist stream w/ 11+ months worth:
The Pretenders by Sharon Van Etten
Brewer & Shipley by Pavement
Clairo by Olivia Dean
Blink 182 by Madi Diaz
Gillian Welch by Mavis Staples
Clifton Chenier by Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams by Margaret Glaspy
etc.
As a guy from Queens myself, I gotta say … um, kinda yeah.
November 22, 2025 at 1:29 PM
As a guy from Queens myself, I gotta say … um, kinda yeah.
In other news, I posted a Thanksgiving playlist — the best cover versions of the year. Comfort food (mostly). Enjoy❤️
The 50 best covers of 2025
Lucinda Williams, Geese, Cat Power, Samara Joy, The XX, Robert Glasper, Norah Jones, Fiona Apple, Jeff Tweedy, Rogê, Sharon Van Etten, Margaret Glaspy, Madi Diaz, Brad Mehldau... did I miss any?
open.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:27 PM
In other news, I posted a Thanksgiving playlist — the best cover versions of the year. Comfort food (mostly). Enjoy❤️
I wrote about Patti Smith's incandescent new memoir for
@theguardian.com — and yes, as a fan of Just Kids and M Train, I too said "what, another one?" It's totally gorgeous.
@theguardian.com — and yes, as a fan of Just Kids and M Train, I too said "what, another one?" It's totally gorgeous.
Bread of Angels: A Memoir, by Patti Smith review – a wild ride with the poet of punk
Smith’s incantatory voice shines through in this surprisingly revelatory follow up to Just Kids and M Train
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
I wrote about Patti Smith's incandescent new memoir for
@theguardian.com — and yes, as a fan of Just Kids and M Train, I too said "what, another one?" It's totally gorgeous.
@theguardian.com — and yes, as a fan of Just Kids and M Train, I too said "what, another one?" It's totally gorgeous.
Thanks Scott 🙏🏽
Currently reading and loving Lou Reed, King of New York, by @willhermes.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Thanks Scott 🙏🏽
RESCHEDULED: Next Sunday Nov 16 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT I’m teaching a biographical writing class on Zoom via Five Things. My Lou Reed biography will be a touchstone, as will "Love Goes To Buildings On Fire" and my magazine work. Excited for this one — join me.
Sunday: Join my live, online writing class
"Writing a Life Story" happens Sunday November 16 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:51 PM
RESCHEDULED: Next Sunday Nov 16 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT I’m teaching a biographical writing class on Zoom via Five Things. My Lou Reed biography will be a touchstone, as will "Love Goes To Buildings On Fire" and my magazine work. Excited for this one — join me.
Reposted by Will Hermes
It was indeed a perfect day with @willhermes.bsky.social and a fun reading and event at the @goldennotebkbooks.bsky.social in Woodstock. Great to see old friends and meet new ones, including @joehagantv.bsky.social who took the first photo and had blurbed the book!
November 3, 2025 at 9:16 PM
It was indeed a perfect day with @willhermes.bsky.social and a fun reading and event at the @goldennotebkbooks.bsky.social in Woodstock. Great to see old friends and meet new ones, including @joehagantv.bsky.social who took the first photo and had blurbed the book!
My cherry-picked playlist — 90 songs formatted for most streaming platforms. Every song has something special.
Plus my notes and album reviews, of Tortoise and the surprise Waxahatchee side project, Snocaps (Katie and Allison Crutchfield).
Autumnal sounds. Music for hibernation and heading south.
Plus my notes and album reviews, of Tortoise and the surprise Waxahatchee side project, Snocaps (Katie and Allison Crutchfield).
Autumnal sounds. Music for hibernation and heading south.
Tortoise. Snocaps. Rosalía. Florry.
Cherry-picked songs for November, w/playlists and annotations. Please vote, and vote hard.
open.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
My cherry-picked playlist — 90 songs formatted for most streaming platforms. Every song has something special.
Plus my notes and album reviews, of Tortoise and the surprise Waxahatchee side project, Snocaps (Katie and Allison Crutchfield).
Autumnal sounds. Music for hibernation and heading south.
Plus my notes and album reviews, of Tortoise and the surprise Waxahatchee side project, Snocaps (Katie and Allison Crutchfield).
Autumnal sounds. Music for hibernation and heading south.
The quality of this woman's music over the past 5 years has been astonishing. Here's more proof.
Off stream / On point
New songs (Waxahatchee, Wednesday, Neil Young) NOT on your favorite streaming platform. Plus: some weekend reading.
open.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:59 AM
The quality of this woman's music over the past 5 years has been astonishing. Here's more proof.
Backstories of Springsteen's best LP and its indie-rock ripple effects — via the new film & box set, with a selective dip into the vast online archive of bootlegs. This one was very satisfying to write & research. You’re welcome.
Nebraska revisited
The backstory of Springsteen's best LP, and its ripple effects — via box set, bio-pic, book, and online archive.
open.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Backstories of Springsteen's best LP and its indie-rock ripple effects — via the new film & box set, with a selective dip into the vast online archive of bootlegs. This one was very satisfying to write & research. You’re welcome.
Reposted by Will Hermes
In just over a week, I will be in upstate New York talking to @willhermes.bsky.social at @goldennotebkbooks.bsky.social. He is the author of the excellent Lou Reed biography King of New York. Please stop by!
goldennotebook.com/e...
Paperback out Nov 4 from @PublicAffairsBooks.
goldennotebook.com/e...
Paperback out Nov 4 from @PublicAffairsBooks.
October 24, 2025 at 6:55 PM
In just over a week, I will be in upstate New York talking to @willhermes.bsky.social at @goldennotebkbooks.bsky.social. He is the author of the excellent Lou Reed biography King of New York. Please stop by!
goldennotebook.com/e...
Paperback out Nov 4 from @PublicAffairsBooks.
goldennotebook.com/e...
Paperback out Nov 4 from @PublicAffairsBooks.
Reposted by Will Hermes
I think the main thing is people think the product newspapers and magazines sell is a generic "content," when really it's trust.
October 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I think the main thing is people think the product newspapers and magazines sell is a generic "content," when really it's trust.
Reposted by Will Hermes
California, this November 4th, the whole country is counting on you.
Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide.
So return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.
Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide.
So return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.
October 14, 2025 at 5:04 PM
California, this November 4th, the whole country is counting on you.
Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide.
So return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.
Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide.
So return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.
I assembled some thoughts + playlists re: new music you should hear — but given the nature of pop music discourse, probably haven't. BTW, Yasmine Hamdan has made one of the most beautiful and potent albums of the year.
Singing the unspoken
New music (& film) from Lebanon and beyond, with playlists. Yasmine Hamdan. Sanam. Snakeskin. DJ Haram. Guedra Guedra. Mulatu Astatke.
open.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I assembled some thoughts + playlists re: new music you should hear — but given the nature of pop music discourse, probably haven't. BTW, Yasmine Hamdan has made one of the most beautiful and potent albums of the year.
Reposted by Will Hermes
From alum Will Hermes, author of Lou Reed: The King of New York!
I'm teaching another writing class — live + interactive via Zoom — on Sunday Oct 12 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
Writing a Life Story - Five Things I've Learned
Join me in this live two-hour class and discover the Five Things I’ve Learned about telling someone else’s story – in ways that both preserve and pay tribute to their personal history. When I was wri...
myfivethings.com
October 7, 2025 at 5:37 PM
From alum Will Hermes, author of Lou Reed: The King of New York!
Reposted by Will Hermes
I'm teaching another writing class — live + interactive via Zoom — on Sunday Oct 12 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
Writing a Life Story - Five Things I've Learned
Join me in this live two-hour class and discover the Five Things I’ve Learned about telling someone else’s story – in ways that both preserve and pay tribute to their personal history. When I was wri...
myfivethings.com
September 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I'm teaching another writing class — live + interactive via Zoom — on Sunday Oct 12 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
Reposted by Will Hermes
SUPER excited to do an event upstate NY at The Golden Notebook @thegoldennotebooks.bsky.social with my friend and esteemed author of the Lou Reed biography, @willhermes.bsky.social for the Paperback release!!! Please come!! Tell your friends!!
October 6, 2025 at 9:18 PM
SUPER excited to do an event upstate NY at The Golden Notebook @thegoldennotebooks.bsky.social with my friend and esteemed author of the Lou Reed biography, @willhermes.bsky.social for the Paperback release!!! Please come!! Tell your friends!!
A lot of new music for your weekend. Norah Jones w/ El Michels Affair. A shoegaze Coldplay cover. Meklit. Jay Som. Wednesday. Cécile McLorin Salvant. Nick Drake en Français.
60+ songs for October
A 4-hour new music playlist. Freak Slug. Norah Jones w/ El Michels Affair. Banks. Wednesday. Meklit. Cécile McLorin Salvant. A sweet shoegaze Coldplay cover.
open.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 3:58 AM
A lot of new music for your weekend. Norah Jones w/ El Michels Affair. A shoegaze Coldplay cover. Meklit. Jay Som. Wednesday. Cécile McLorin Salvant. Nick Drake en Français.
I’m still wrapping my head around the new Geese album, and still loving the new Juana Molina single. Some new music to fuel your weekend.
Weekend links: Geese, Juana Molina...
Joan Shelley, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and other notable jams.
open.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I’m still wrapping my head around the new Geese album, and still loving the new Juana Molina single. Some new music to fuel your weekend.
I'm teaching another writing class — live + interactive via Zoom — on Sunday Oct 12 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
Writing a Life Story - Five Things I've Learned
Join me in this live two-hour class and discover the Five Things I’ve Learned about telling someone else’s story – in ways that both preserve and pay tribute to their personal history. When I was wri...
myfivethings.com
September 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I'm teaching another writing class — live + interactive via Zoom — on Sunday Oct 12 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
The last one (which focused on writing about music) was great fun. I'm stoked for this one. You can register below.
Lots to read, listen to, and scream at the heavens about in my latest Substack. Remember to just breathe.
Musician op-eds. AI country. Rocky Horror. Patti Smith. Maxwell's. Belle & Sebastian. Bagpipes.
Documentaries on "The Rocky Horror Show" and the Hoboken indie-rock mecca Maxwell's. Patti Smith's "Horses" turns 50. New music from Scotland and Ireland. Dirty AI country. Musician op-eds.
open.substack.com
August 24, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Lots to read, listen to, and scream at the heavens about in my latest Substack. Remember to just breathe.
I was proud of this one. #Afrobeats #Juju
Revisit our Sunday Review of a Perfect 10 international breakthrough
King Sunny Adé: Juju Music
Read Will Hermes’ review of the album.
pitchfork.com
August 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
I was proud of this one. #Afrobeats #Juju
Reposted by Will Hermes
Last week, I had the pleasure of sharing space with so many lovely humans at Reykjavik Pride. It was affirming to be in a place where basically the entire city turned up to celebrate queer joy. Let’s keep creating more spaces like this where LGBTQ+ people can flourish with love instead of hostility.
So basically all of Iceland turned up for Pride in Reykjavik.
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇮🇸
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇮🇸
August 16, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Last week, I had the pleasure of sharing space with so many lovely humans at Reykjavik Pride. It was affirming to be in a place where basically the entire city turned up to celebrate queer joy. Let’s keep creating more spaces like this where LGBTQ+ people can flourish with love instead of hostility.
Reposted by Will Hermes
Flashback Friday… ‘twas also the summer The Isley Brothers landed a hit with “Fight The Power.”
NYC summer, 50 years ago
Summer '75. Discos. Quaaludes. The "CBGB Rock Festival." Bob Marley at Central Park. Springsteen's "Born to Run." Joe Bataan's "Afrofilipino." Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians."
open.substack.com
August 8, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Flashback Friday… ‘twas also the summer The Isley Brothers landed a hit with “Fight The Power.”
Flashback Friday… ‘twas also the summer The Isley Brothers landed a hit with “Fight The Power.”
NYC summer, 50 years ago
Summer '75. Discos. Quaaludes. The "CBGB Rock Festival." Bob Marley at Central Park. Springsteen's "Born to Run." Joe Bataan's "Afrofilipino." Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians."
open.substack.com
August 8, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Flashback Friday… ‘twas also the summer The Isley Brothers landed a hit with “Fight The Power.”