{{Short description|1990s guerrilla artist}} {{Infobox person |name=Camden Joy |birth_name=Tom Adelman |birth_date=1964 |birth_place=United States |occupation=Writer, musician }}

'''Camden Joy''' is the pseudonym of American writer and musician Tom Adelman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bush|first=Benjamin|title=Like Trenton But Without the Thrills: The Writing of Camden Joy|url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/like-trenton-without-thrills-writing-camden-joy#|work=Los Angeles Review of Books|date=January 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Osenlund|first=R. Kurt|title=Local green guru Tom Adelman recycles music skills for concert series|url=http://www.buckslocalnews.com/articles/2012/01/19/pennington_post/news/doc4f0f4a401e95b640683767.txt|work=Pennington Post|publisher=Bucks Local News|date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> Joy is the author of six books—including ''The Last Rock Star Book or Liz Phair: A Rant '' and ''Lost Joy,'' a collection of stories, pamphlets, and posters.

In 1991, Adelman accompanied The David Lowery Band as they toured the country, first by Greyhound and later in the van as the band’s roadie. Adelman then spent several years researching David Lowery’s previous band, Camper Van Beethoven, interviewing band members, roadies, fans, producers, managers, videographers. Dissatisfied with the result,<ref name=dallas>{{cite web|last=Wilonsky|first=Robert|title=Stalker Fiction|url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/2000-06-01/culture/stalker-fiction/|work=Dallas Observer|date=June 1, 2000}}</ref> he started it over under the name Camden Joy. The result was a novel that included accounts of both The David Lowery Band’s road trip and Camper Van Beethoven’s break-up.<ref name=dallas /> Much later, in 2000, Harper Collins published the novel as ''Boy Island'' under its Quill imprint.<ref>[http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-688-17033-2 "Boy Island"]. ''Publishers Weekly''.</ref>

In 1994, Camden Joy wrote two tracts (“Lost Pamphlets”) entitled ''The Greatest Record Album Ever Told'' and ''The Greatest Record Album Singer That Ever Was''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Futrelle|first=David|title=Rock 'n' Roll Love Letters|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/rock-n-roll-love-letters/Content?oid=890933|work=Chicago Reader|date=July 4, 1996}}</ref>

Joy moved from Los Angeles to New York in 1995, and attained a brief notoriety for his New York City postering projects<ref name=metro>{{cite web|last=Pryzybylski|first=Jennifer|title=A Fan's Notes: Camden Joy's Pop Obsession|url=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sfmetro/01.18.99/camdenjoy-9902.html|work=MetroActive Books|date=January 18, 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Zeiger|first=Mimi|title=Signals and Static: Loud Paper Interviews Camden Joy|url=http://www.loudpapermag.com/articles/signals-and-static-loud-paper-interviews-camden-joy|work=Loud Paper}}</ref><ref name="LLC1996">{{cite book|author=SPIN Media LLC|title=SPIN|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SXQ6nPE3H9wC&pg=PA32|date=May 1996|publisher=SPIN Media LLC|pages=32–|issn=0886-3032}}</ref> and street manifestos.<ref>{{cite web|last=Staff|first=News|title=Local artist Camden Joy to perform at Hopewell Train Station Jan. 16, 19|url=http://cj.sunne.ws/2012/01/10/local-artist-camden-joy-to-perform-at-hopewell-train-station-jan-16-19/|work=The Central Jersey Sun|date=Jan 10, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''The Lost Manifestoes of Camden Joy'' were wheat-pasted around Manhattan and Brooklyn throughout the last months of 1995. ''This Poster Will Not Never Change Your Life'' <ref name=metro />{ was a multi-poster project in 1996, as was the collaborative ''Dear CMJ...'' <ref>{{cite web|last=Gladstone |first=Neil |title=Pissing on the Pantheon |url=http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/121296/article078.shtml?print=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140901015711/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/121296/article078.shtml?print=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 1, 2014 |work=Philadelphia City Paper |date=December 12, 1996 }}</ref> Joy’s final act of street postering occurred in the summer of 1997 when he unveiled the collaborative ''Fifty Posters About Souled American.''

Joy's essays, which were a combination of music criticism, memoir, and fiction,<ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Matt|title=Lost Joy by Camden Joy|url=http://www.wordriot.org/template.php?ID=198|work=Word Riot}}</ref> appeared in a number of periodicals, including the Village Voice, the Boston Phoenix, San Francisco Weekly, and McSweeney's and on This American Life.

After hearing Liz Phair’s ''Exile in Guyville'' in 1993, Joy wrote a novel, ''The Last Rock Star Book or Liz Phair: A Rant'', in response.<ref>{{cite web|last=Detweiler |first=Margit |title=The Greatest Rock Critic |url=http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/121798/mus.rock.shtml?print=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140901015658/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/121798/mus.rock.shtml?print=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 1, 2014 |work=Philadelphia City Paper |date=December 17, 1998 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/39996/5-obscure-music-novels-you-need-to-read "5 obscure music novels you need to read"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820051306/http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/39996/5-obscure-music-novels-you-need-to-read |date=2014-08-20 }}. ''FasterLouder''.</ref> Verse Chorus Press published the novel in 1998.

In 2001, three new novellas by Joy were published by Highwater Books: ''Palm Tree 13'', ''Pan'', and ''Hubcap Diamondstar Halo''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with Camden Joy|url=http://gloriousnoise.com/2001/the_glorious_noise_interview_w|last=Brown|first=Jake|work=Glorious Noise|date=November 19, 2001}}</ref><ref>[http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/camden-joy/Content?oid=26885 "Camden Joy Book Review"]. ''Portland Mercury'', By Katia Dunn </ref> An excerpt of the latter appeared in “Best American Nonrequired Reading 2002” edited by Dave Eggers.

In 2002, Joy’s self-published tracts were collected as ''Lost Joy,'' which also contains short stories, record reviews, essays, and all of his NYC street posters. The book was published by Seattle's TNI Books.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-oct-31-wk-books31-story.html "Of Joy and obsession"]. ''Los Angeles Times''.</ref>

==Retrospective==

On November 8, 2013, Joy appeared as the President's Keynote Speaker at the 55th Annual Convention of the Midwest Modern Language Association in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ode to joy – Various Occasions Dedicated to Revisiting the Great Lost Works of Camden Joy |url=https://foundjoy.mla.hcommons.org/2013/08/15/ode-to-joy/ |access-date=2022-08-10 |language=en-US}}</ref> A roundtable on Joy's work was held the next day, entitled "Ode to Joy: The Career of Camden Joy." Participants included Samuel Cohen, Trinie Dalton, Ben Bush, David N. Meyer, and Adam Wilson. Each spoke to the value of Joy's (by now) largely-forgotten works. Earlier the same week, a panel discussion entitled "Majesty of Impulse: On the Great Lost Works of Camden Joy" occurred at Housing Works Bookstore in New York. Justin Taylor joined the discussion along with many of the Milwaukee participants, each explaining how they first discovered Joy's works.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cohen|first=Samuel|title=Various Occasions Dedicated to Revisiting the Great Lost Works of Camden Joy|url=http://foundjoy.commons.mla.org/2013/08/15/ode-to-joy/|work=MLA Commons|date=August 15, 2013}}</ref>

==Reissues==

On July 14, 2015, Verse Chorus Press of Portland, Oregon, brought "Lost Joy" back into print. Featuring an introduction by Jonathan Lethem, a foreword by Dennis Cooper, and blurbs from Dave Eggers and Ira Glass, with a new cover designed by Mark Lerner at Rag & Bone Shop.<ref>[http://www.bookforum.com/interview/14903 "Bookforum talks with Camden Joy"]. ''Bookforum''.</ref>

==Recordings==

On October 28, 2013, Camden Joy appeared as a live guest on the Airborne Event radio show on WFMU.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-28 |title=Airborne Event: Playlist from October 28, 2013 |url=https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/52952/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=WFMU |language=en-US}}</ref> He spoke with host Dan Bodah and performed several songs in advance of his Housing Works and MLA retrospectives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Camden Joy biography - Free Music Archive|url=https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Camden_Joy/bio |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Free Music Archive |language=en-US}}</ref> The recordings of the session are available in the WFMU archives<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-28 |title=Airborne Event: Playlist from October 28, 2013 |url=https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/52952/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=WFMU |language=en-US}}</ref> and at the Free Music Archive<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-31 |title=Camden Joy, Live on WFMU's Airborne Event with Dan Bodah - October 28, 2013|url=https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Camden_Joy/Live_on_WFMUs_Airborne_Event_with_Dan_Bodah_-_October_28_2013 |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Free Music Archive |language=en-US}}</ref>

On October 1, 2015, Camden Joy released a dozen original songs called "Hasta La Bye Bye." Joy recorded these songs with his friends under the name The Oswalds, reviving a band that had not played together since the late eighties.<ref>{{cite web|last=Carroll|first=Tobias|title=When Pen Names Become People|url=http://lithub.com/when-pen-names-become-people/|work=Lit Hub|date=October 7, 2015}}</ref> Critic John Burdick called it, "noisy, skittish, comic and profoundly imaginative."<ref>{{cite web|last=Burdick|first=John|title=Oswalds unveil new LP at BSP in Kingston|url=http://www.hudsonvalleyalmanacweekly.com/2016/04/28/oswalds-unveil-new-lp-at-bsp-in-kingston/|work=Hudson Valley Almanac Weekly|date=April 28, 2016}}</ref>

Between January 1, 2020, and March 4, 2022, Camden Joy released forty-eight songs.<ref name="addisonindependent.com">{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=Weybridge songwriter releases new CDs |url=https://www.addisonindependent.com/2022/03/17/weybridge-songwriter-releases-new-cds/ |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Addison Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> He wrote and produced all.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gina |date=2020-03-09 |title=Fools Rush In : Everyone's a Love Story |url=https://foolsrushinredux.blogspot.com/2020/03/everyones-love-story.html |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Fools Rush In}}</ref> The first batch "Updated Just Now" was released on New Year’s Day, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Camden Joy - Updated Just Now |url=http://www.divideandconquermusic.com/1/post/2020/03/camden-joy-updated-just-now.html |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Insight & Critique |language=en}}</ref> The Addison Independent said, “[it] evokes a sort of revolution-inspired passion with an overlay of more experimental indie-rock. Think Bob Dylan meets Pavement.” <ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-09 |title=Tom Adelman's joy of music strikes a chord |url=https://www.addisonindependent.com/2020/01/09/tom-adelmans-joy-of-music-strikes-a-chord/ |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Addison Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> The songs elsewhere earned praise for their “poignant lyrics and powerful imagery.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravin |first=Kristen |title=Camden Joy, 'Updated Just Now' |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/camden-joy-updated-just-now/Content?oid=30469228 |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Seven Days |language=en}}</ref>

The second batch “American Love” was released on the Fourth of July, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joy |first=Camden |title=Songwriter Camden Joy Celebrates Independence Day with Unusual New Release, "American Love" |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/songwriter-camden-joy-celebrates-independence-day-with-unusual-new-release-american-love-301088064.html |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>

The third and fourth batches “rerouting…” and “roaming on” were released on the Fourth of March, 2022.<ref name="addisonindependent.com"/> A music journalist in Burlington, Vermont called “rerouting…” a "hot and tangled mess of lo-fi primitivism, joyfully juvenile catharsis and deep, abiding sorrow.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boland |first=Justin |title=Camden Joy, 'Rerouting' |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/camden-joy-rerouting/Content?oid=35648380 |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Seven Days |language=en}}</ref> A cultural critic in the weekly "Seven Days" described “roaming on” as “a record that plays out like a jumbled slice-of-life document, full of surprise and charm."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farnsworth |first=Chris |title=Six Quick-Hit Reviews of Local Albums |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/six-quick-hit-reviews-of-local-albums/Content?oid=35489418 |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=Seven Days |language=en}}</ref>

Joy has been licensed to perform in Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace and frequently busks there.

== Souled American == In 2023, Camden Joy became involved with Souled American as their manager. In the spring of 2025, he published a book about their debut Fe (Souled American album) entitled "35 Days of Fe."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Souled American |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/souled-american/id1441330825?i=1000703586043 |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Publications== *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=The greatest record album ever told|date=1995|publisher=Rag & Bone Shop|location=Phoenicia, New York|asin=B0006QZLZM}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=The last rock star book, or Liz Phair, a rant|date=1998|publisher=Verse Chorus Press|location=Portland, OR|isbn=978-1891241079|edition=1st }} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=Lost Joy|date=2002|publisher=TNI Books|location=Seattle, WA|isbn=978-0967870328}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=The Lost Manifestoes of Camden Joy|date=1995|publisher=C. Joy|location=New York}}<ref>[http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/rock-n-roll-love-letters/Content?oid=890933 "Rock 'n' Roll Love Letters An appreciation of the 'lost' manifestos and pamphlets of 'Camden Joy,' guerrilla critic.] By David Futrelle, ''Chicago Reader'', July 4, 1996.</ref> *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=Lost Joy|date=2002|publisher=TNI Books|location=Seattle, WA|isbn=978-0967870328}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=Palm Tree 13|date=2001|publisher=Highwater Books|location=Cambridge, MA|isbn=978-0970085887}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=Pan : a novella|date=2001|publisher=Highwater Books|location=Cambridge, MA|isbn=978-0970085870|author2=Morton, Colin B.}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=Hubcap Diamondstar Halo|date=2001|publisher=Highwater Books|location=Cambridge, MA|isbn=978-0970085894}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=Boy island : a novel|date=2000|publisher=Quill|location=New York|isbn=978-0688170332|edition=1st|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/boyisland00camd}} *{{cite book|last=Joy|first=Camden|title=MAKE ME LAUGH, MAKE ME CRY: 50 Posters About Souled American|date=1997|publisher=Rag & Bone Shop|location=Phoenicia, New York|display-authors=etal}} *Joy, Camden (2025) ''35 Days of Fe''. Seaside, CA: C. Joy. *Joy, Camden (2025) ''Unforgetting Flubber: The Making of an Unremembered Classic by an Unremembered Band''. Self-published.

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== Camden Joy ==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joy, Camden}} Category:Living people Category:1964 births Category:Pseudonymous writers