Light grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended Cincinnati Country Day School. His mother was a dance reviewer for the local newspaper. His father, Dr. Irwin Light, was a neotologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He graduated from Yale University in 1988, majoring in American Studies, and wrote his senior thesis on Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys.[5]
Career
Light had been an intern at Rolling Stone during their 20th anniversary year while still a student.[1] He later joined the staff as a fact checker in 1989, becoming a senior writer in 1990.[1][6] In 1993, he became the founding music editor of Vibe magazine, becoming editor-in-chief in 1994.[6] In 1999 he became editor-in-chief for Spin magazine.[7] He left Spin in March 2002[8] and founded the music magazine Tracks in 2003.[4] He then worked as music reviewer on radio station WFUV, and served as music correspondent on NPR show Weekend America.[8] He writes regularly for The New York Times.[9]
Light has worked as consultant for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.[8] He was a judge for the 4th Annual Independent Music Awards in 2005,[10] and subsequently for the 11th, 12th and 13th Annual Independent Music Awards.
Starting in October 2016 Light is one of the mainstay hosts of the newly created Volume music talk channel on Sirius XM on the afternoon show Debatable.
Light has also been involved in assisting homeless people with the Housing Works AIDS charity.[1][11]
Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain, 2014
References
^ abcdManiaci, Paul (August 27, 2006). "Alan Light Music Journalist". TheCareerCookbook.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^ abKaminer, Michael (August 15, 2012). "Gregg Allman's Ghost Writer". The Jewish Daily Forward. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^Inoue, Todd (April 18, 2002). "Licensed to Edit". Metroactive Arts. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^ ab"Light, Alan". Contemporary Authors. January 1, 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2014. During early career, worked as a freelancer, as a fact checker for periodicals Village Voice and 7 Days in New York, NY; Rolling Stone (music magazine), senior writer, 1990–93; Vibe (music magazine), founding music editor, 1993, editor in chief, 1994–97; Spin (music magazine), editor, beginning 1999; cofounder and editor in chief, Tracks Magazine.
