Irwin Chusid

{{Short description|American journalist (born 1951)}} '''Irwin Chusid''' (born April 22, 1951 in [[Newark, New Jersey]]) is a [[journalist]], music historian, radio personality, record producer, and self-described "landmark preservationist". His stated mission<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060831110805/http://www.citypaper.com/music/story.asp?id=8303 Gardner, Lee, "The Outsiders: Irwin Chusid Reveals What's So Good About Playing Badly,"] ''[[Baltimore City Paper]]'', February 7, 2001</ref> has been to "find things on the scrapheap of history that I know don't belong there and salvage them." Those "things" have included such previously overlooked but now-celebrated icons as composer/bandleader/electronic music pioneer [[Raymond Scott]], Space Age Pop avatar [[Juan García Esquivel|Esquivel]], illustrator/fine artist [[Jim Flora]],<ref>[http://www.aiga.org/saving-jim-flora-s-private-stash-an-interview-with-irwin-chusid/ Heller, Steven, "Saving Jim Flora's Private Stash: An Interview with Irwin Chusid,"] American Institute of Graphic Arts, November 16, 2005</ref> various [[outsider music]]ians (including [[Shooby Taylor|William "Shooby" Taylor]], a.k.a. "The Human Horn"),<ref>[http://keyofz.com/keyofz/shooby.htm Chusid, Irwin, "Shooby Taylor: Meetings With the Legendary Scatman"]</ref> and [[The Langley Schools Music Project]].<ref>[http://www.keyofz.com/keyofz/langley/story.html Chusid, Irwin, "The Discovery of the Langley Recordings"]</ref> Chusid calls himself "a connoisseur of marginalia," while admitting he's "a terrible barometer of popular taste."<ref>[http://www.bobthompsonmusic.com/blog/finding-rare-music-an-interview-with-irwin-chusid-of-wfmu Thompson, Spenser, "Finding Rare Music: An Interview with Irwin Chusid of WFMU,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208045330/http://www.bobthompsonmusic.com/blog/finding-rare-music-an-interview-with-irwin-chusid-of-wfmu |date=2015-12-08 }} BobThompsonMusic.com, November 30, 2015</ref>

Chusid oversees the catalog of the late [[Afrofuturist]] artist/composer/bandleader [[Sun Ra]] and administers Ra's music rights on behalf of the artist's heirs.<ref>[https://believermag.com/logger/angels-and-demons-at-play/ Knipfel, Jim, "Angels and Demons at Play: Reclaiming Sun Ra's Legacy"], ''[[The Believer (magazine)|The Believer]]'', July 19, 2017</ref> His book, ''Sun Ra: Art on Saturn — The Album Cover Art of Sun Ra's Saturn Label'', compiled with Chris Reisman, was published by [[Fantagraphics]] in November 2022.<ref>[https://www.fantagraphics.com/products/sun-ra-art-on-saturn-the-album-cover-art-of-sun-ras-saturn-label ''Sun Ra: Art on Saturn: The Album Cover Art of Sun Ra's Saturn Label''], Fantagraphics.com</ref>

His journalism has appeared in ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Film Comment]]'', ''[[Mix (magazine)|Mix]]'' magazine, ''[[New York Press]]'', ''[[Pulse! (magazine)|Pulse!]]'' and other publications. In 2021 he authored a biography of 19th century baseball legend [[Joe Start]] for the [[Society for American Baseball Research]]'s BioProject.<ref>[https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/joe-start/ Joe Start biography at SABR.org]</ref>

Chusid has lived in [[Hoboken, New Jersey]], since 1992.<ref>Burr, Ty. [http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2003/11/17/the_worst_of_irwin_chusid/ "The worst of Irwin Chusid; Intriguing or just awful? A champion of 'outsider music' lets it speak for itself"], ''[[The Boston Globe]]'', November 17, 2003. Accessed February 6, 2013. "The chief standard-bearer of outsider music, and the man who coined the term in a 1996 article, is Irwin Chusid, a Hoboken, N.J.-based record producer, radio personality, and music historian."</ref> He describes his political views as "leaning libertarian".<ref>Thompson, ''ibid.''</ref>

==Radio== Since 1975 Chusid has been a DJ on free-form [[radio station]] [[WFMU]], where he hosts an unpredictable and idiosyncratic weekly program whose content he calls "genre-surfing tokenism".<ref>[http://wfmu.org/playlists/IC Irwin Chusid program archives at WFMU.org]</ref> Prior to his involvement at WFMU, he worked briefly at [[WPKN]] radio from 1969-1971 while an undergrad at the [[University of Bridgeport]] (which he left after two years); in 1977, while living in New Orleans, he hosted a weekly program on [[WTUL]]. In 1988, he served as a comedy writer for author/humorist [[Tom Bodett]]'s syndicated radio series, ''The End of the Road''.

In the late 1970s, Chusid was one of the first DJs to regularly air recordings of [[Jandek]], [[The Shaggs]], [[Lucia Pamela]], and [[R. Stevie Moore]] on the radio. In the early 1980s he programmed a weekly segment entitled ''The Atrocious Music Hour'', which featured recordings from such non-musical celebrities as [[William Shatner]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]].<ref>[http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/chad-oliveiri-interviews-irwin-chusid-the-full-transcript/Content?oid=2129837 Oliveiri, Chad, Interview with Irwin Chusid], ''Rochester City Paper'', February 16, 2005</ref> This subgenre was eventually chronicled by [[Rhino Records]] on their ''[[Golden Throats]]'' series of albums, for which Chusid authored liner notes.<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/Various-Golden-Throats-The-Great-Celebrity-Sing-Off/release/2734365 Liner notes credit for ''Golden Throats'', at Discogs.com]</ref><ref>[https://www.discogs.com/Various-Golden-Throats-2-More-Celebrity-Rock-Oddities/release/1024317 Liner notes credit for ''Golden Throats, Vol. 2'', at Discogs.com]</ref> These compilations contributed to Shatner's revived celebrity, albeit with overtones of self-parody.

Between 1997 and 2002 Chusid was the co-host (with Michelle Boulé) of the ''Incorrect Music Hour'' on WFMU.<ref>[http://wfmu.org/playlists/IM Incorrect Music program archives] at WFMU.org</ref> From 2005 to 2007 he programmed vintage [[calypso music|Calypso]], [[soca music|Soca]], [[Goombay]], and [[Mento]] on a one-hour weekly program entitled ''Muriel's Treasure''.<ref>[http://wfmu.org/playlists/MZ Muriel's Treasure program archives] at WFMU.org</ref>

==Music projects== Chusid is credited with the rediscovery and popularization of the "Space Age Bachelor Pad" music of [[Juan García Esquivel]], which helped spark the 1990s resurgence of vintage [[exotica]] and [[lounge music]]. He compiled the first CD reissues of Esquivel and [[Raymond Scott]], and manages the musical estates of both deceased composers/bandleaders. He has produced landmark reissues by [[The Shaggs]], Sun Ra, [[Wendy and Bonnie]], [[Judson Fountain]], [[Lucia Pamela]], and Alabama folk-art ensemble [[The Clouds (Stuart Hyatt album)|The Clouds]],<ref>[http://www.innova.mu/albums/stuart-hyatt/clouds The Clouds at Innova Recordings]</ref> while penning liner notes for dozens of CD and LP releases on a multitude of labels.<ref>[http://irwin.wfmu.org/discography List of Chusid's liner notes] at his WFMU homepage</ref> He produced ''Raymond Scott Rewired'', an album of Scott [[remix]]es by [[The Bran Flakes]], [[The Evolution Control Committee]], and [[Go Home Productions]], which was released in February 2014 on the Basta label.<ref>[https://www.raymondscott.net/music/streaming-audio/rewired/ Raymond Scott Rewired at RaymondScott.net]</ref>

In 2000, Chusid discovered two privately pressed LPs of western Canadian schoolchildren, recorded in 1976-77 by music teacher Hans Fenger. After much legwork and ten label rejections, Chusid licensed the project to Netherlands-based Basta Audio-Visuals and (for North America) Hoboken-based [[Bar/None Records]], who in October 2001 released the recordings on a CD entitled ''[[The Langley Schools Music Project]]''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171212072354/http://talkradio.co.uk/funny/late-nights-iain-lee-bonus-podcast-irwin-chusid-wfmu-17062615657 Chusid discusses discovery of the Langley recordings] on ''Late Nights with [[Iain Lee]]'', May 26, 2017 (interview; audio not archived)</ref><ref>[https://www.stereogum.com/2164656/the-langley-schools-music-projects-innocence-despair-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/ Deusner, Stephen, "The Langley Schools Music Project’s ''Innocence & Despair'' Turns 20"], ''[[Stereogum]]'', October 21, 2021</ref> Within one week of its release, the album went to No. 1 in sales on Amazon.com. The critical acclaim and popular reception for the CD led to a [[VH1]] documentary in 2002, which sent the CD back to #2 on Amazon.com. [[Jack Black]]'s 2003 hit film [[School of Rock]] was admittedly inspired<ref>[http://www.jimdero.com/News2003/Sept28SchoolofRock.htm DeRogatis, Jim, "High Fidelity: Jack Black Stays True to His 'School',"] ''[[Chicago Sun Times]]'', September 28, 2003</ref> by the Langley CD. In 2005, the story rights to the project were acquired by an undisclosed Hollywood film writer/director, who hopes to bring the story to the big screen. In a dismissive review of the album, former ''[[Village Voice]]'' music critic [[Robert Christgau]] referred to Chusid as "a tedious ideologue with a hustle."<ref>[http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=4725&name=The+Langley+Schools+Music+Project Christgau, Robert, ''Consumer Guide'': ''The Langley Schools Music Project'']</ref>

In 2002, Chusid produced the sole album by the New York-based septet The [[Raymond Scott]] Orchestrette (a band he formed in 1999).<ref>[http://raymondscott.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-orchestrette.html Raymond Scott Orchestrette] at Raymond Scott blog</ref> That same year he produced the first solo sessions of former [[Suddenly, Tammy!]] singer/songwriter [[Beth Sorrentino]], released in 2006 as ''Nine Songs, One Story''.<ref>[https://www.bethsorrentino.com/bio/ Producer credit for ''Nine Songs, One Story'' at BethSorrentino.com]</ref> In 2011, he co-conceived and coordinated Sorrentino's album ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120331160517/http://www.bethsorrentino.com/boettcher-songbook.html Would You Like To Go: A Curt Boettcher Songbook]'', a collection of reinterpretations of songs written by and/or associated with [[sunshine pop]] progenitor [[Curt Boettcher]]. (The album, produced by [[Sean Slade]], was released in April 2013 on the Basta label. Chusid was credited as "Solicitor and Overseer.")<ref>[https://www.bethsorrentino.com/curt-boettcher-songbook/ ''Would You Like to Go'' chronicle and credits at BethSorrentino.com]</ref> In 2013, he undertook administration of Boettcher's publishing on behalf of the late songwriter's son, Varek Boettcher.

In 1997 Chusid co-produced (with [[Edie Adams]] and Josh Mills) the ''[[Ernie Kovacs]] Record Collection'' (Varese-Sarabande), a compilation of songs and themes used by the legendary TV comedian in his programs during the 1950s and early 1960s.<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/album/ernie-kovacs-record-collection-mw0000099979 ''The Ernie Kovacs Record Collection'' at AllMusic]</ref> The package was designed by noted illustrator [[Chris Ware]].<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Ernie-Kovacs-Record-Collection/release/1455532 ''The Ernie Kovacs Records Collection'' artwork credit at Discogs.com]</ref> In 2004 he curated ''Interesting Results: Music by a Committee of One'' for UK's [[Sonic Arts Network]], a CD-publication of [[DIY]] music with cut-out figures of the featured artists.<ref>[http://www.computermusicjournal.org/reviews/31-4/fletcher-chusid.html Fletcher, Andrew, review of ''Interesting Results''], ''Computer Music Journal'', Vol. 31, issue 4</ref>

In 2010 Chusid compiled for WFMU ''Don't Mess With the Power Child'', the first collection of late 1980s recordings by an uninhibited, hyperactive 10-year-old Alabama girl named Amanda (Whitt).<ref>[http://freemusicarchive.org/curator/WFMU/blog/AMANDA_Dont_Mess_With_the_Power_Child ''Don't Mess With the Power Child'']{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} at [[WFMU]]'s [[Free Music Archive]]</ref> These recordings aired frequently on WFMU and subsequently achieved widespread notoriety via the web. A follow-up, ''Let's Get Plastered and Raid Circus World'', was compiled for WFMU in 2011.

Besides administering the Raymond Scott, Esquivel, [[Bob Thompson (musician, born 1924)|Bob Thompson]], Sun Ra, Curt Boettcher, and Shooby Taylor musical estates, he oversees the business affairs and publishing of R. Stevie Moore, Beth Sorrentino, the [[Mighty Sparrow]],<ref>[https://newsday.co.tt/2024/06/21/rum-co-founders-hope-to-revive-mighty-sparrow-movie-idea/ Doughty, Melissa, "Rum co-founders hope to revive Mighty Sparrow movie idea"], ''Trinidad and Tobago Newsday'', June 21, 2024</ref> and Wendy & Bonnie.

In 2014 Chusid became administrator of [[Sun Ra]] LLC, the heirs who control the catalog of the late, eccentric [[Afrofuturism|Afrofuturist]] bandleader/composer.<ref>[http://sunraarkive.blogspot.com/2014/09/exclusive-complete-interview-with-irwin.html Interview with Irwin Chusid] by Christopher Eddy at the Sun Ra Arkive blog, September 1, 2014</ref> That year, he and Michael D. Anderson of the Sun Ra Music Archive co-produced a digital-only series of classic Sun Ra albums remastered for [[iTunes]] from original Sun Ra session tapes.<ref>[https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/21-sun-ra-albums-are-released-on-itunes Kozinn, Allan, "21 Sun Ra Albums Are Released on iTunes," ''New York Times'', May 21, 2014]</ref><ref>[http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/indies/6575897/new-sun-ra-recordings-to-be-released-this-fall-exclusive Gensler, Andy, "New Sun Ra Recordings To Be Released This Fall," ''Billboard'', May 22, 2015]</ref> Since then Chusid has produced, co-produced, or consulted on a series of remastered Sun Ra recordings, including previously unissued material, released on the Cosmic Myth, [[Sundazed Music|Modern Harmonic]], [[Strut Records|Strut]], and [[John Corbett (writer)|Corbett vs. Dempsey]] record labels.<ref>[http://www.philajazzproject.org/index.php?post=sun-ra-and-his-works-for-solo-piano Jackson, Homer, "Sun Ra And His Works for Solo Piano"], interview with Irwin Chusid, ''[[Philadelphia Jazz Project]]'', February 4, 2019</ref> As of late 2020, there have been over 100 Sun Ra titles digitally reissued on the catalog's Bandcamp site.<ref>[https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com Sun Ra Music on Bandcamp]</ref> Chusid has provided historical annotation for many of these releases. In 2019 he co-produced (with [[Brother Cleve]]) ''The [[Barrence Whitfield]] Soul Savage Arkestra: Songs from the Sun Ra Cosmos'' (Modern Harmonic), a collection of Sun Ra covers by rock vocalist Barrence Whitfield; Chusid played drums on several tracks.<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/The-Barrence-Whitfield-Soul-Savage-Arkestra-Songs-From-The-Sun-Ra-Cosmos/release/13343458 ''The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra – Songs From The Sun Ra Cosmos'' on Discogs]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.modernharmonic.com/whitfield-barrence-soul-savage-arkestra.aspx |title=''The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra'' at Modern Harmonic |access-date=2019-05-03 |archive-date=2019-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328182336/http://www.modernharmonic.com/whitfield-barrence-soul-savage-arkestra.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also in 2019 Chusid produced ''[[June Tyson]]: Saturnian Queen of the Sun Ra Arkestra'' (Modern Harmonic), the first compilation of recordings spotlighting singer-dancer-costume designer Tyson, the only female member of Sun Ra's Arkestra.<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/June-Tyson-Saturnian-Queen-Of-The-Sun-Ra-Arkestra/release/14453171 June Tyson compilation album info at Discogs.com]</ref>

In 2013, Chusid created the first website devoted to the late record producer [[Tom Wilson (producer)|Tom Wilson]],<ref>[http://producertomwilson.com Tom Wilson website]</ref><ref>[https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/tom-wilson-feature/ Allen, Jim, "Tom Wilson: The Producer Who Made the 60s Matter"], Udiscovermusic.com, July 27, 2022</ref> including a comprehensive [[discography]] of Wilson productions.<ref>[https://www.producertomwilson.com/discography/ Tom Wilson discography at ProducerTomWilson.com]</ref>

==Outsider music== In a July 1996 ''Pulse'' magazine article entitled "You Want Alternative?", Chusid coined the term "[[outsider music]]",<ref>[http://livingarchive.doncampau.com/interviews/irwin-chusid Campau, Don, The Living Archive of Underground Music], interview with Irwin Chusid, November 2, 2011</ref> which he defines as "crackpot and visionary music, where all trails lead essentially one place: over the edge". Chusid has drawn a distinction between the terms "incorrect music" (as used on his WFMU radio program) and "outsider music", which he insists are not synonymous and overlap only slightly. Chusid has explained that Incorrect Music was a radio concept, which included all manner of musical "wrongness", often by people who should have known better, or whose sincerity was questionable. Outsider musicians, on the other hand, he defines as "artists who are often termed 'bad' or 'inept' by listeners who judge them by the standards of mainstream popular music. Yet despite dodgy rhythms and a lack of conventional tunefulness, these often self-taught artists radiate an abundance of earnestness and passion. Most importantly, they betray an absence of pretense. And they're worth listening to, often outmatching all contenders for inventiveness and originality."

His book ''[[Songs in the Key of Z]]: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music'' (2000), published by A Cappella Books, covered musical oddballs and obscure visionaries. Reviewing this testament to twisted tunesmiths, [[Publishers Weekly]] commented: :He profiles 20 darlings of dissonance. Several of them -- including [[Tiny Tim (musician)|Tiny Tim]], [[Captain Beefheart]] and [[Pink Floyd]]'s former acid troubadour [[Syd Barrett]] -- have made a few compilation bangs, but the great majority have enjoyed mere dog-like whimpers of success. Take [[Eilert Pilarm]], the Swedish Elvis; [[Joe Meek]], who produced the 1962 instrumental hit 'Telstar' before committing [[suicide]]; and [[The Shaggs]], three sheltered sisters from Fremont, N.H., who recorded the 'aboriginal rock' masterpiece 'Philosophy of the World'. Careful not to ridicule his more eccentrically volatile subjects (e.g., [[Wesley Willis]] and [[Daniel Johnston]]), Chusid narrates each musician's vital statistics and career with rhythm and respectful compilation wit.<ref>[https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781556523724 ''Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music''] [review], ''Publishers Weekly'', April 3, 2000</ref>

The book also includes brief profiles of numerous lesser-known outsider musicians, including [[Arcesia]], [[Bingo Gazingo]], and [[Y. Bhekhirst]].

BJ Snowden, [[Shooby Taylor]] ("The Human Horn"), [[Wesley Willis]], and other musicians profiled in the book can be heard on two CDs produced and annotated by Chusid. In a 25th anniversary retrospective, Brad Shoup of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' wrote: :Released at the decadent height of the CD Age, when pop’s biggest stars were routinely moving a million albums a week, ''Songs in the Key of Z'' (simultaneously released as a book and album) was the first major attempt to define and survey “outsider music.” The album presents 20 songs from the late ’60s to the mid-’90s, all recorded by artists on the musical fringe. Some of them were artists Chusid had first shared on WFMU; others were [[Charity shop|thrift-store]] finds or esoterica passed around record-collector circles. In a departure from the way outsider music was generally conceived, several cuts were pulled from so-called “vanity” records: limited-run, self-released albums that were previously only of interest to hardcore [[Record collecting|cratediggers]].<ref>[https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/various-artists-songs-in-the-key-of-z/ Shoup, Brad, ''Songs in the Key of Z''] [review], Pitchfork, August 17, 2025</ref>

Volumes one and two of the digital audio releases of ''Songs in the Key of Z'' were reissued in expanded (25 tracks each) and remastered format in September 2013, along with all-new volumes three and four.

==Visual arts projects== Chusid chronicled the overlooked work of innovative record cover artist/commercial illustrator [[Jim Flora]] (1914–1998)<ref>[http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/jim-flora.html Jim Flora anthologies published by Fantagraphics Books] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719131730/https://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/jim-flora.html |date=2013-07-19 }}</ref> in his colorful 180-page trade paperback, ''The Mischievous Art of Jim Flora'' ([[Fantagraphics]], 2004). A follow-up, [http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=470&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1147&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62 ''The Curiously Sinister Art of Jim Flora''], co-authored with (former [[KFAI]] radio host) Barbara Economon, was published by [[Fantagraphics]] in February 2007. The latter book unveiled Flora's bizarre and rarely seen paintings, woodcuts, sketches, and early works. A third anthology, [http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=367&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1588&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62 ''The Sweetly Diabolic Art of Jim Flora''], was published in July 2009. A fourth book, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130709183946/https://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/the-high-fidelity-art-of-jim-flora.html ''The High Fidelity Art of Jim Flora''], focusing on Flora's illustrated album covers and music ephemera for [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] and [[RCA Victor Records]], was published in September 2013.<ref>[http://www.fantagraphics.com/highfidelityartofjimflora/ Fantagraphics website page] for ''The High Fidelity Art of Jim Flora''</ref> Chusid and Economon serve as co-archivists for the Flora collection, and produce a line of fine art prints of the artist's work.<ref>[http://jimflora.com Jim Flora official web site]</ref>

In May 2009, Chusid and Economon teamed up with artist [[Drew Friedman (cartoonist)|Drew Friedman]] to produce an exclusive line of [[limited edition]] [[Giclée|fine art prints]] of the noted [[illustration|illustrator]]'s works.<ref>[http://drewfriedman.net Drew Friedman official web site]</ref>

In 2020 Chusid curated the first website devoted to the artistic legacy of musician/painter [[Ayé Aton]], who had played with Sun Ra for a number of years.<ref>[https://www.ayeaton.com Aye Aton official website]</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://wfmu.org/playlists/IC Irwin Chusid's WFMU Radio Archives] * [http://irwin.wfmu.org/ WFMU: Irwin Chusid homepage] * [http://www.raymondscott.net/ RaymondScott.net] * [http://www.jimflora.com/ Jim Flora Gallery] * [http://www.keyofz.com/ ''Songs in the Key of Z''] - outsider music project * [http://www.mungbeing.com/issue_2.html?page=42#109 Interview with Irwin Chusid], "Psalms in the Key of Z," MungBeing.com * [https://web.archive.org/web/20051124040428/http://www.popcultmag.com/criticalmass/books/flora/chusid01.html Interview with Irwin Chusid] by Coury Turczyn, ''PopCult Magazine'', 2005 * {{YouTube|5AcPIi-U26w|Independent Film Channel feature on Irwin Chusid and Michelle Boulé's Incorrect Music radio program}} on [[WFMU]], Spring 1999

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chusid, Irwin}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American radio DJs]] [[Category:American music journalists]] [[Category:Writers from Hoboken, New Jersey]] [[Category:Writers from Newark, New Jersey]] [[Category:University of Bridgeport alumni]] [[Category:Outsider music]] [[Category:American male non-fiction writers]] [[Category:Jewish American journalists]] [[Category:American libertarians]] [[Category:Record producers from New Jersey]] [[Category:21st-century American Jews]]