If you don’t recognize the name James Calvin Wilsey, odds are you’ve heard him. His hypnotic guitar work on Chris Isaak’s top ten single from 1989 “Wicked Game” made Isaak an international star. But there is much more to his story than his guitar work on this iconic song.

Goldberg’s book is an incredibly in-depth look into the dark side of San Francisco in the 1970s & 80s, and the dark side of rock ‘n roll in general, through the wild life of one Jimmy Wilsey. Wilsey was the “heart and soul” of the San Francisco punk band the Avengers, and worked with Chris Isaak for over a decade before he crashed and burned. Wilsey’s story is the story of San Francisco punk rock, the story of one of the greatest punk bands, the Avengers, “the story of every working musician,” and the nightmare of drug addiction. It’s the story of the dark side of rock & roll.

“Wicked Game – The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey” includes over 100 photos and flyers by avant-garde artist Bruce Conner, Avengers singer/songwriter Penelope Houston, Blondie’s Chris Stein, Ruby Ray, Chester Simpson, Sue Brisk, Marcus Leatherdale, Amy Starks, Michael Zagaris, Hugh Brown, James Stark, Jimmy Wilsey and others.

Author Michael Goldberg is a journalist, novelist, and photographer. He’s been interviewing and photographing musicians since he was seventeen. He was a senior writer at Rolling Stone magazine for a decade. His writing also appeared in Esquire, New Musical Express, Creem, DownBeat, New York Rocker, Trouser Press, Musician, New West, Vibe, New Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other publications.

Purchase a copy of “Wicked Game: The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey" through Hozac Records: https://hozacrecords.com/product/wicked-game/

Listen to a playlist of the music discussed in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2UHY7zjdibwNjB8Wv0t7Py?si=7abfc172502e4627

Read Michael Goldberg’s article on James Wilsey’s passing for Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/king-of-slow-guitarist-james-calvin-wilsey-784335/

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