Iain Ellis to examine Brit Wits

University of Kansas lecturer in English, and author of Rebels Wit Attitude: Subversive Rock Humor, Iain Ellis, is working on the follow-up to his debut book. Entitled Brit Wits, it is a continuation of Rebels Wit Attitude‘s contention that “have been the truth-tellers of the culture, mirroring and commenting upon the ideological tensions and oscillations of society” (from Ellis’ proposal for the new book).

Brit Wits looks to focus on artists as diverse as Lonnie Donegan (king of skiffle) and Splodgenessabounds (this writer’s personal favorite), and examine as to how their humor was predicated on more than just a cheap joke, occasionally presaging social change. Brit Wits is almost finished, but is awaiting a publisher.

In addition, Ellis is shopping a book tentatively entitled Manchester, So Much to Answer For, “tracing the history of Manchester music in its local cultural context.” The proposal for the book is fascinating, as Ellis grew up in the British town, and the first show he attended was the Buzzcocks. We here at the Pitch loved Ellis’ first book, and can’t wait for the new one(s).