Backstage Passes: An Anthology of Rock and Roll Erotica from the Pages of Blue Blood

Backstage Passes: An Anthology of Rock and Roll Erotica from the Pages of Blue Blood
edited by Amelia G
Publisher: Blue Blood (June 18, 2010)

“Backstage Passes” was first published back in July 1996 by Masquerade Books, during the hey-day of the gothic/sex/horror subculture scene.  This was way before it was hip to be ALT and the goth scene was restricted to outsiders and counter-culture freaks, rather than the melting pot of Suicide Girl wanna-bes that it has come to be today.  After seeing used copies of the anthology selling for up to $63, editor, Amelia G decided to dust off the pages of Backstage Passes and put the book back into production.  And, I am super glad she did, because this collection of erotica that explores the dark passageways of music subculture has 17 sizzling stories by some of the biggest horror/goth/erotica writers in the genre including Poppy Z. Brite, Nancy A. Collins, Yon Von Faust, Sèphera Girón, Thomas S. Roche, John Shirley, Cecilia Tan, and more. So, if you didn’t get your copy of Backstage Passes the first time, here is your chance.

What I fucking loved about this anthology.  The authors in this collection are amazing story-tellers and the top of their genres.  As a writer myself and someone who used to dabble in dark erotica, I have idolized many of these writers for years.  While each has their own unique style, they all have a way of sinking their teeth into the meat of the story, fleshing out their often flawed angst-ridden characters and creating hot throbbing scenes that explore the dark and esoteric side of sex.  Many different genres are explored from punk/gothic, dark erotica, horror/dark fantasy and every gender represented including creatures other-worldly and indefinable.  The stories have diverse themes but are all woven together by the lustful threads of a rock n’ roll subculture featuring musicians, rock stars, groupies, nefarious lovers, occultists and blood-letters.

Contents:

• Chanel No. 5 by Johnny Chen
• When Enter Came by John Shirley
• Sticky Fingers by Thomas S. Roche
• Temporary Assignment by Will Judy
• Rock Steady by Cecilia Tan
• Demon Lover by Nancy A. Collins
• Music of My Damnation by William Spencer-Hale
• Bodie by Sèphera Girön
• Accept No Substitutes by Sarah McKinley Oakes
• Dreamgirl by Amelia G
• Not Another Groupie by Andrew Greenberg
• The Ceremony of Loneliness by Althea Morin
• To an Excellent Slave by L
• Private by t. d. k.
• Lacerations by Yon Von Faust
• Pipe Dreams by Shariann Lewitt
• America by Poppy Z. Brite

While all the stories were provocative, a few do stand out in my memory such as Lacerations by Yon Von Faust (compelling and well written), Sticky Fingers by Thomas S. Roche (super sizzling hot), Rock Steady by Cecilia Tan (made me wet), and Accept No Substitutes by Sarah McKinley Oakes (gave me acid flashbacks).

“Backstage Passes” is a superb collection of edgy dark erotica—a sweaty heap of fuck-fiction laced with drug-induced deliriums and rituals of pain and pleasure, with rock star god worshipping goth sluts, leather-clad bad boys and demons who creep into your darkest dreams.

Please pick up your copy of “Backstage Passes” at BlueBloodBooks.com and check out the editor at AmeliaG.com.