Running with the Devil

John Albert was an exceptionally charismatic person, cofounded Christian Death, played drums with Bad Religion, and influenced many notable figures in the Los Angeles underground of the 80s and 90s. As he got sober and older, he would be known widely for his wit, withering or puerile as the occasion demanded, as well as his love of baseball, dogs, and surfing. He became a loyal friend to many and dedicated father to his son, Ravi.

A lot of people were in love with John at some point and for some reason. Such infatuations can be fleeting, but John's pointed, and often poignant, writing provides a compelling case that our love was not in vain. Though he would write about music, art, science, culture, baseball, and many other things during his too-short life and career, John always returned from whence he came, bearing witness to the aspirations and anxieties of his own lost generation. Like Eve Babitz before him, the Venn Diagram of John's interests and associations is where his best writing and much of the fodder for this collection can be found. Similarly, I hope this book can also provide some reference points and context for those who continue to come here in pursuit of their SoCal dreams, however haunted the endless summer idyll may be.