A Nice Pair: Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas

It’s Sunday and we’re back with A Nice Pair: our series of book and vinyl pairings. Today we’re featuring the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson with the movie soundtrack.

So what’s the book about? Basically drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. It’s a wild ride that pokes fun at American culture and the whole idea of chasing the American Dream. Raoul Duke (a fictionalized version of Thompson) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (based on activist Oscar Zeta Acosta) experience nonstop, drug‑fueled chaos on a road trip from LA to Las Vegas to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race. Along the way, Thompson shows both how satirical and unsettling excess can be. It ends up being a standout piece of gonzo journalism and a classic of countercultural literature.

Reissued in 2019, the soundtrack is a mix of psychedelic rock, soul and blues that match the chaotic energy of the book and movie. It features tracks such as Combination of the Two by Big Brother & The Holding Company and White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane.