The arts collide in this week’s See + Hear + Do.

JOEL SELVIN (3/31 @ 7PM, LA)
Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
For his latest book, Smartass: The Music Journalism of Joel Selvin: California Rock and Roll, famed San Francisco Chronicle pop music critic, Joel Selvin has collected his finest reporting on California rock and roll. Free.

ELLYN MAYBE’S POETRY RODEO (3/31@7:30PM, LA)
Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Bl. Venice, CA 90291
Ellyn Maybe and her band will be perfoming songs from Rodeo for the Sheepish, her poetry/music CD, as well as other works. Attendees can participate! Bring up to five minutes of poetry and the band will improvise behind you. General admission $8, students/seniors/children $5, Beyond Baroque members free.

AN AFTERNOON OF FAILURE (4/02@3PM, NYC)
MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101
Triple Canopy and Dalkey Archive Press present an afternoon of failure, celebrating the release of the Review of Contemporary Fiction‘s “Failure” issue. Selected readings from the issue will be attempted by Eileen Myles, Helen DeWitt, Sam Frank, Travis Jeppesen, and Keith Gessen. There will also be a botched tribute to the classics of American literature by John Collins and Scott Shepherd of the theater group Elevator Repair Service, a mangled covers of pop songs by US Girls, and an effort to resurrect William Gaddis.  Free with museum admission.  Museum admission: $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, free for MoMA members.

SHAKESPEARE AND FRIENDS, IBSEN AND ENEMIES WITH FIONA SHAW (4/03@4PM, LA)
Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Through reading and commentary on how language works in plays, Fiona Shaw, a regular on the London stage, will take us through Western theater. Free. Parking under museum, $3 for 3 hours.

JON GLASER MY DEAD DAD WAS IN ZZ TOP (4/05@7PM, NYC)
Strand Books, 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-4805
Comedian Jon Glaser delves into the highly secretive histories of rock and roll’s greatest bands in his book, My Dead Dad Was in ZZ Top: 100% Real,* Never Before Seen Documents from the World of Rock and Roll (*100% Fake). Bordering on blasphemous, Glaser’s book often spectacular, sometimes heartbreaking, and meant for those who love absurd, made-up stories about their favorite real bands. Strand says, “It’s also for everyone who doesn’t love absurd, made-up stories about their favorite real bands; they just might not enjoy it as much.” Free.