Music critic Byron Coley wrote for Forced Exposure magazine in the 1980s until the magazine ceased publication in 1993. Prior to Forced Exposure, he wrote for NY Rocker, Boston Rock, and Take It! . During 1980s and '90s, he was a contributing writer to Spin.

Byron has contributed liner notes to albums by The Flesh Eaters, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Yo La Tengo, John Fahey, and numerous others. He has also appeared in documentaries about artists Half Japanese, Minutemen, Jandek, and The Holy Modal Rounders. Byron is also a published poet and occasionally gives public readings of his work. He also wrote a biographies of Chuck Norris and the  Mötley Crüe.

In 2010, Byron became involved with Feeding Tube Records in Northampton, Massachusetts, a record store where he sells rare items from his personal collection.