Ragged Glories is a hymn to the USA - to its pop, soul, country and blues - from the author of the acclaimed Across The Great Divide (about The Band) and WAITING FOR THE SUN (about Los Angeles). Here Barney Hoskyns collects some of his best pieces about American music and pop culture from the last 20 years. From Prince to Pavement, James Brown to Joni Mitchell, ZZ Top to Tom Waits, Beck to Eminem, the former US editor of MOJO burrows deep into the heart of America's greatest music. Probing interviews with Lou Reed, Randy Newman and Johnny Cash; exhaustive profiles of cult heroes Big Star, Little Feat and Todd Rundgren; shrewd essays on disco, cyberpunk, Americana - all rock 'n' roll life is here!