“All Known Metal Bands” (2008), published by McSweeney’s.

A list of all the heavy metal band names I could find, researched over a period of two years, 51,000 names total, 300 pages, 6 columns per page. Buy at www.mcsweeneys.net. This piece originated in the idea of trying to know something unknowable, and came from the same part of my brain as the idea to count the grains of one cup of sand (unrealized as of yet, though I’m still game). So I spent about two years researching existing band names on the internet, in publications, and by going to record stores.

I considered this piece of conceptual art finished when it had been printed out on plain white letter paper. But, lo and behold, through persistence (thanks partly to completing Tony Robbins’ series of “Personal Power” cassettes) I managed to have it published and it became a rather nice-looking coffee table book.