Josh Alan

For those prone to disbelief, Josh Alan Friedman’s landmark book, TALES OF TIMES SQUARE, serves as last will and testament of what once was. Still in print since its 1986 hardcover release by Delacorte Press, TALES became its own podcast in 2017. The demimonde of old Broadway say a mouthful from the burlesque theaters, boxing rings and gutters of a fading 42nd Street. All 35 episodes of Josh's legacy podcast appear at BlackCracker.fm and on iTunes.

Previous to that, the civil rights movement was turned upside down in Josh’s “autobiographical novel,” BLACK CRACKER. A new hardcover was published in 2017, along with Josh’s collection of music journalism, TELL THE TRUTH UNTIL THEY BLEED (both from Wyatt Doyle Books). Before that: WHEN SEX WAS DIRTY (Feral House); I, GOLDSTEIN: MY SCREWED LIFE (with Al Goldstein, Thunder's Mouth Press); and NOW DIG THIS: THE UNSPEAKABLE WRITINGS OF TERRY SOUTHERN (co-editor, Grove Press). Two comix anthologies remain in print, WARTS AND ALL, and ANY SIMILARITY TO PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD, with art by brother Drew Friedman.

On the music front, as "Josh Alan," he barnstormed the state of Texas for 30 years, rocking whole arenas with his Guild D-40. Copping three Dallas Observer Music Awards for Best Acoustic Act, he released six albums: FAMOUS & POOR, THE WORST!, BLACKS 'N' JEWS, JOSH ALAN BAND, SIXTY, GODDAMMIT--and the 2025 tour-de force, ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTALS.