Best of
Music

2019

Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest


Hanif Abdurraqib - 2019
    Seventeen years after their last album, they resurrected themselves with an intense, socially conscious record, We Got It from Here . . . Thank You 4 Your Service, which arrived when fans needed it most, in the aftermath of the 2016 election. Poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib digs into the group's history and draws from his own experience to reflect on how its distinctive sound resonated among fans like himself. The result is as ambitious and genre-bending as the rap group itself.Abdurraqib traces the Tribe's creative career, from their early days as part of the Afrocentric rap collective known as the Native Tongues, through their first three classic albums, to their eventual breakup and long hiatus. Their work is placed in the context of the broader rap landscape of the 1990s, one upended by sampling laws that forced a reinvention in production methods, the East Coast-West Coast rivalry that threatened to destroy the genre, and some record labels' shift from focusing on groups to individual MCs. Throughout the narrative Abdurraqib connects the music and cultural history to their street-level impact. Whether he's remembering The Source magazine cover announcing the Tribe's 1998 breakup or writing personal letters to the group after bandmate Phife Dawg's death, Abdurraqib seeks the deeper truths of A Tribe Called Quest; truths that--like the low end, the bass--are not simply heard in the head, but felt in the chest.

Me


Elton John - 2019
    By the age of twenty-three, he was on his first tour of America, facing an astonished audience in his tight silver hotpants, bare legs and a T-shirt with ROCK AND ROLL emblazoned across it in sequins. Elton John had arrived and the music world would never be the same again.His life has been full of drama, from the early rejection of his work with song-writing partner Bernie Taupin to spinning out of control as a chart-topping superstar; from half-heartedly trying to drown himself in his LA swimming pool to disco-dancing with the Queen; from friendships with John Lennon, Freddie Mercury and George Michael to setting up his AIDS Foundation. All the while, Elton was hiding a drug addiction that would grip him for over a decade.In Me Elton also writes about getting clean and changing his life, about finding love with David Furnish and becoming a father.

Because


Mo Willems - 2019
    Illustrator Amber Ren brings Willems' music to life, conducting a stunning picture-book debut.

Pokko and the Drum


Matthew Forsythe - 2019
    When Pokko takes the drum deep into the forest it is so quiet, so very quiet that Pokko decides to play. And before she knows it she is joined by a band of animals —first the raccoon, then the rabbit, then the wolf—and soon the entire forest is following her. Will Pokko hear her father’s voice when he calls her home? Pokko and the Drum is a story about art, persistence, and a family of frogs living in a mushroom.

A Silenced Gift (Unapologetically Me Book 2)


Danesha Little - 2019
    She is preparing for the release of her first book while also trying to plan her wedding to Hip-Hop superstar, Jaren "Jericho" Young. Her fairytale is turned upside down when her health forces her to question everything about her future. At the height of his career, Jaren Young is about to embark on his first solo headlining tour. When his label pushes an up-and-coming female artist as his opening act, he is faced with new pressures that could destroy everything he's worked so hard to build. From their unorthodox meeting up until their unexpected engagement, Jaren and Fatima have overcome many challenges as a couple. Now that they are ready to focus on their future together, nothing could've prepared them for the storms ahead.

Forever and Ever, Amen: A Memoir of Music, Faith, and Braving the Storms of Life


Randy Travis - 2019
    But in 2009, this seemingly charmed life began a downward spiral. His marriage dissolved, he discovered that his finances had unraveled, and his struggles with anger led to alcohol abuse, public embarrassment, and even police arrest in 2012.Then, just as he was putting his life back together, Randy suffered a devastating viral cardiomyopathy that led to a massive stroke which he was not expected to survive. Yet he not only survived but also learned to walk again and, in 2016, accepted his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame by singing the hymn that explains his life today: "Amazing Grace."Filled with never-before-told stories, Forever and Ever, Amen is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at dizzying success and the miraculous road to restoration.

Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of the Black Crowes--A Memoir


Steve Gorman - 2019
    With hits like "Hard to Handle," "She Talks to Angels," and "Remedy," their massive success launched them to stardom in the early '90s, earning them a place among rock royalty. They were on the cover of Rolling Stone, MTV played their videos 24/7, and Generation X rediscovered the power of classic rock and blues by digging into multi-platinum classics like Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.But stardom can be fleeting. For the Black Crowes, success slowly dwindled as the band members got caught up in the rock star world and lost sight of their musical ambition. Despite the drinking, drugs, and incessant fighting between Chris and Rich Robinson -- the angriest brothers in rock and roll, with all due respect to Oasis and the Kinks -- the band continued to tour until 2013. On any given night, they could be the best band you ever saw (or the most combative). Then, one last rift caused by Chris Robinson proved insurmountable for the band to survive. After that, the Black Crowes would fly no more.Founding member Steve Gorman was there for all of it -- the coke- and weed-fueled tours; the tumultuous recording sessions; the backstage hangs with legends like Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and the Rolling Stones. As the band's drummer and voice of reason, he tried to keep the Black Crowes together musically and emotionally. In Hard To Handle -- the first account of this great American rock band's beginning, middle, and end -- Gorman explains just how impossible that job was with great insight, candor, and humor. They don't make bands like the Black Crowes anymore: crazy, brilliant, self-destructive, inspiring, and, ultimately, not built to last. But, man, what a ride it was while it lasted.

Revel


Shey Stahl - 2019
    The princess of pop. Who will fall first? Everyone knows the name Revel Slade. They know to fear him. To never get too close because this guy, he’s so hot he commands the fires of hell, and he will burn you to cinders and enjoy watching the flames dance. He haunts my every move. So why am I going on tour with him? I’m an idiot. That’s why. Me, Taylan Ash, the princess of pop, falling for the king of rock. Falling for evil. When you’re young and being told all those fairy tales, the ones that tell you there’s a Prince Charming out there for you, they leave out the villains—the monsters lurking. They don’t warn you about the ones hidden behind a disguise with pretty eyes and smoke in their lungs. Blinded by passion, I refused to see what was really happening until it was too late, and there was no going back. When I emerge from the haze of him, I’m left empty and undefined, barely recognizable. He wouldn’t fall. Not at all. Not ever a chance. What a silly notion that would be. But, he did. He fell hard and this time, I couldn’t catch him.

The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped Rock 'n' Roll


Ian S. Port - 2019
    When Leo Fender’s tiny firm marketed the first solid-body electric guitar, the Esquire, musicians immediately saw its appeal. Not to be out-maneuvered, Gibson, the largest guitar manufacturer, raced to build a competitive product. The company designed an “axe” that would make Fender’s Esquire look cheap and convinced Les Paul—whose endorsement Leo Fender had sought—to put his name on it. Thus was born the guitar world’s most heated rivalry: Gibson versus Fender, Les versus Leo. While Fender was a quiet, half-blind, self-taught radio repairman, Paul was a brilliant but headstrong pop star and guitarist who spent years toying with new musical technologies. Their contest turned into an arms race as the most inventive musicians of the 1950s and 1960s—including bluesman Muddy Waters, rocker Buddy Holly, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton—adopted one maker’s guitar or another. By 1969 it was clear that these new electric instruments had launched music into a radical new age, empowering artists with a vibrancy and volume never before attainable. In “an excellent dual portrait” (The Wall Street Journal), Ian S. Port tells the full story in The Birth of Loud, offering “spot-on human characterizations, and erotic paeans to the bodies of guitars” (The Atlantic). “The story of these instruments is the story of America in the postwar era: loud, cocky, brash, aggressively new” (The Washington Post).

What's Best For Me : Unapologetically Me Series


Danesha Little - 2019
    That euphoria is challenged when her "friendship" with R&B singer, Darian Russell, exposes the cracks in their foundation. Darian Russell is known for his baby-making music and loyalty to remaining a bachelor. After suffering heartbreak early in his career, he vowed never to let another woman get that close to his heart again. Avoiding love had been easy until Chanel Henderson made it impossible. ***This story includes explicit language, strong sexual content, and violence. Please don't read this story if you feel that you will be triggered.***

This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else: Joy Division: The Oral History


Jon Savage - 2019
    It was then a city still labouring in the wake of the war and entering a phase of huge social and physical change, and something of this spirit made its way into the DNA of the band. Over the course of two albums, a handful of other seminal releases, and some legendary gigs, Joy Division became the most successful and exciting underground band of their generation. Then, on the brink of a tour to America, Ian Curtis took his own life.In This searing light, the sun and everything else, Jon Savage has assembled three decades worth of interviews with the principle players in the Joy Division story: Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Deborah Curtis, Peter Saville, Tony Wilson, Paul Morley, Alan Hempsall, Lesley Gilbert, Terry Mason, Anik Honor�, and many more. It is the story of how a band resurrected a city, how they came together in circumstances that are both accidental and extraordinary, and how their music galvanised a generation of fans, artists and musicians. It is a classic story of how young men armed with electric guitars and good taste in literature can change the world with four chords and three-and-a-half minutes of music. And it is the story of how illness and demons can rob the world of a shamanic lead singer and visionary lyricist.This searing light, the sun and everything else presents the history of Joy Division in an intimate and candid way, as orchestrated by the lodestar of British music writing, Jon Savage.

Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln


Margarita Engle - 2019
    If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too—the Civil War. Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata. So famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House! Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa’s music bring comfort to those who needed it most?

Record Play Pause


Stephen Morris - 2019
    After the death of Joy Division's singer, Ian Curtis, in 1980, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Morris and his wife Gillian formed New Order, one of the most critically acclaimed and influential bands of the late twentieth century. New Order became the flagship band for Tony Wilson's Factory Records and, alongside him, opened the infamous Hacienda nightclub, the centre of the acid house movement. In 2015, after a ten-year hiatus, New Order released Music Complete; which charted at #2 in its first week of release (the band's highest position in over twenty years).Stephen's book won't be that typical music autobiography, which tends to be high on mischief and low on the music. Part memoir, part aural history, it will be a hybrid memoir in Stephen's wry and witty voice. Stephen will weave a dual narrative of growing up in the North West during the 1970s with how the music actually works. It will also explore what it is to be part of a mythologised band and the idea of what you do becoming who you are.

Morning Glory on the Vine: Early Songs and Drawings


Joni Mitchell - 2019
    For this stunningly beautiful book, Joni hand-wrote an exquisite selection of her own lyrics and poems and illustrated them with more than thirty of her original pictures. Handcrafted, signed, and numbered in Los Angeles, the existing copies of this labor of love have rarely been seen in the past half-century.      Now, during Joni’s seventy-fifth birthday year, Morning Glory on the Vine: Early Songs and Drawings will be widely available for the first time. In this faithfully reproduced edition, Joni’s best-loved lyrics and poems spill across the pages in her own elegant script. The lively, full-color drawings depict a superb array of landscapes, still lifes, portraits of friends, self-portraits, innovative abstractions, and more. All the artwork from the original book is included, along with several additional pictures that Joni drew of her friends from the same period. Finally, the refreshed volume features an original introduction written by Joni. Morning Glory on the Vine is a gorgeous and intimate keepsake and an invitation to explore anew the dazzling, visionary world of Joni Mitchell.

BTS: The Review


Youngdae Kim - 2019
    What is the secret to BTS' exceptional worldwide popularity, referred as the "BTS Phenomenon"? Is it because of the seven members' X-factor, their amazing talent and explosive energy on stage? How can they be understood within and without the context of K-pop? What do the ARMYs, their loyal brigade of worldwide fans, mean by "BTS-Pop?"Youngdae Kim, a seasoned critic of Korean popular music, boldly tackles an unprecedented task: an in-depth review of BTS' entire discography. After all, the proper approach to give musicians their due respect is by listening to their music--it's the heart of their message and their route to the top.

Bring on the Night


S.J. McCoy - 2019
    She's worked hard to get where she is. She demands the best of herself—and of everyone around her.He's the label's biggest star—and the biggest pain in the a** she ever met. It's not that he's one of those arrogant musicians; to be fair, he's not a bad guy. In fact, he's a great guy. It's just that he irritates the life out of her.Why?Because, although she can see his charms, she's not one of those women who's going to fall for them.Sure, he's hot. Sure, he's sweet. What woman wouldn't fall for him? She's managed to avoid it for all the years they’ve worked together, but something is changing.What she doesn't know is that he's finally decided he doesn't want to wait any longer to make her his girl.Matt will melt your heart as he makes his play for tough girl, Autumn.Pick up your copy of this sweet and steamy first book in the new “Love in Nashville” series from SJ McCoy.

Try This At Home: Adventures in songwriting


Frank Turner - 2019
    

David Bowie


Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara - 2019
    As a child, young David had a head full of songs and ideas. He was inspired by the pop and mod scenes in Britain to pick up the saxophone. After earning his stripes in some of the coolest bands in London, David splashed onto the solo scene. His songwriting talent and musical skill made him one of rock and roll's all-time greatest artists. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the musician's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop


Carole Boston Weatherford - 2019
    And to be hip-hop-to truly be it-we must remember that we are also funk, jazz, soul, folktale, and poetry. We must remember that . . . we are who we are!" ―Jason Reynolds, New York Times best-selling author"Starting with its attention-getting cover, this picture book does an excellent job of capturing the essence of rap . . . This tribute to hip hop culture will appeal to a wide audience, and practically demands multiple readings." ―Booklist, STARRED REVIEW"No way around it, this book is supa-dupa fly, with lush illustrations anchored in signature hip-hop iconography for the future of the global hip-hop nation." ―Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW"With short, rhyming lines and dramatic portraits of performers, the creative team behind How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace offers a dynamic introduction to hip-hop. . . . This artful introduction to one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20th century pulses with the energy and rhythm of its subject." ―Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEWExplore the roots of rap in this stunning, rhyming, triple-timing picture book!A generation voicing stories, hopes, and fearsfounds a hip-hop nation.Say holler if you hear.The roots of rap and the history of hip-hop have origins that precede DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Kids will learn about how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, to the showmanship of James Brown, to the culture of graffiti art and break dancing that formed around the art form and gave birth to the musical artists we know today. Written in lyrical rhythm by award-winning author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford and complete with flowing, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book beautifully illustrates how hip-hop is a language spoken the whole world 'round, and it features a foreword by Swizz Beatz, a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop rapper, DJ, and record producer.

Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly


Jim DeRogatis - 2019
    Kelly’s actions and their consequences, a reckoning two decades in the makingIn November 2000, Chicago journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis received an anonymous fax that alleged R. Kelly had a problem with “young girls.” Weeks later, DeRogatis broke the shocking story, publishing allegations that the R&B superstar and local hero had groomed girls, sexually abused them, and paid them off. DeRogatis thought his work would have an impact. Instead, Kelly’s career flourished.No one seemed to care: not the music industry, not the culture at large, not the parents of numerous other young girls. But for more than eighteen years, DeRogatis stayed on the story. He was the one who was given the disturbing videotape that led to Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial, the one whose window was shot out, and the one whom women trusted to tell their stories—of a meeting with the superstar at a classroom, a mall, a concert, or a McDonald’s that forever warped the course of their lives.Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly is DeRogatis’s masterpiece, a work of tenacious journalism and powerful cultural criticism. It tells the story of Kelly’s career, DeRogatis’s investigations, and the world in which the two crossed paths, and brings the story up to the moment when things finally seem to have changed. Decades in the making, this is an outrageous, darkly riveting account of the life and actions of R. Kelly, and their horrible impact on dozens of girls, by the only person to tell it.

Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan


Alan Paul - 2019
    His last album was his most critically lauded and commercially successful. He had fulfilled a lifelong dream by collaborating with his first and greatest musical hero, his brother Jimmie. His tumultuous marriage was over and he was in a new and healthy romantic relationship. Vaughan seemed poised for a new, limitless chapter of his life and career.Instead, it all came to a shocking and sudden end on August 27, 1990, when he was killed in a helicopter crash following a dynamic performance with Eric Clapton. Just 35 years old, he left behind a powerful musical legacy and an endless stream of What Ifs. In the ensuing 29 years, Vaughan’s legend and acclaim have only grown and he is now an undisputed international musical icon. Despite the cinematic scope of Vaughan’s life and death, there has never been a truly proper accounting of his story. Until now.Texas Flood provides the unadulterated truth about Stevie Ray Vaughan from those who knew him best: his brother Jimmie, his Double Trouble bandmates Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton and Reese Wynans, and many other close friends, family members, girlfriends, fellow musicians, managers and crew members.

Glastonbury 50: The Official Story of Glastonbury Festival


Emily Eavis - 2019
    the perfect festival experience' THE SUNDAY TIMESGlastonbury 50 is the authorised, behind-the-scenes, inside story of the music festival that has become a true global phenomenon.The story begins in 1970. The day after Jimi Hendrix's death... dairy farmer Michael Eavis invites revellers to his field in Somerset to attend a 'Pop, Folk & Blues' festival. Tickets are £1 each, enticing more than a thousand customers with the promise of music, dance, poetry, theatre, lights and spontaneous entertainment - as well as free milk from his own Worthy Farm cows.Fast forward through five tumultuous decades and the Eavis's vision now encompasses a gigantic 'city in the fields', with a total annual population nearing a quarter of a million. Tickets sell out within minutes, the show is beamed live to more than 40 countries around the globe, and over 3 million people are registered to attend. Meanwhile, the bill has expanded to include big name performers, artists and designers from every branch of the creative arts. Glastonbury Festival is now the largest outdoor green fields event in the world.In their own words, Michael and Emily Eavis reveal the stories behind the headlines, and celebrate 50 years of history in the Vale of Avalon. They're joined by a host of big-name contributors from the world of music - among them Adele, JAY-Z, Dolly Parton, Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher, Lars Ulrich and Guy Garvey. They're joined by artists - Stanley Donwood, Kurt Jackson and many more. Writers - Caitlin Moran, Lauren Laverne, Billy Bragg - and by a host of photographers, from Seventies icon Brian Walker to rock and roll legends Jill Furmanovsky and Greg Williams.Together they bring you the magic that makes Glastonbury, Glastonbury.

A is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z


John Robert Allman - 2019
    From Audra McDonald to Liza with a "Z," this is a rythmic alphabet book featuring your favorite leading ladies of the Broadway stage!Start with "A" for six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, then sing and dance your way through the alphabet with entertainers like Carol Channing, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Lea Salonga, and Liza Minnelli!

Country Music: An Illustrated History


Dayton Duncan - 2019
    With the birth of radio in the 1920s, the songs moved from small towns, mountain hollers, and the wide-open West to become the music of an entire nation--a diverse range of sounds and styles from honky tonk to gospel to bluegrass to rockabilly, leading up through the decades to the music's massive commercial success today.But above all, Country Music is the story of the musicians. Here is Hank Williams's tragic honky tonk life, Dolly Parton rising to fame from a dirt-poor childhood, and Loretta Lynn turning her experiences into songs that spoke to women everywhere. Here too are interviews with the genre's biggest stars, including the likes of Merle Haggard to Garth Brooks to Rosanne Cash. Rife with rare photographs and endlessly fascinating anecdotes, the stories in this sweeping yet intimate history will captivate longtime country fans and introduce new listeners to an extraordinary body of music that lies at the very center of the American experience.

Sing a Song: How "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Inspired Generations


Kelly Starling Lyons - 2019
    From that moment on, the song has provided inspiration and solace for generations of Black families. Mothers and fathers passed it on to their children who sang it to their children and grandchildren. It has been sung during major moments of the Civil Rights Movement and at family gatherings and college graduations. Inspired by this song's enduring significance, Kelly Starling Lyons and Keith Mallett tell a story about the generations of families who gained hope and strength from the song's inspiring words.

Losing My Voice to Find It: How a Rockstar Discovered His Greatest Purpose


Mark Stuart - 2019
    Advancing from garage band to global success, the group sold out stadiums all over the world, won Grammy Awards, and even celebrated an album going certified Gold. But after almost twenty years, Mark's voice began to give out. When doctors diagnosed him with a debilitating disease, the career with the band he'd founded and dedicated his life to building was gone. Then to his shock, his wife ended their marriage, and Mark believed he'd lost everything.Unsure of his future, Mark traveled to Haiti to help with the band's ministry, the Hands and Feet Project. When the devastating 2010 earthquake hit, media learned he was present and sought him out for interviews. Ironically, Mark became the scratchy voice for the struggling Haitians, drawing the world's attention to their dire circumstances. In the process, Mark found a greater purpose than he'd ever known before. In this gripping, compelling new book, Mark Stuart overlays his story with passages from the gospel of John, urging his readers to listen for God's voice and to embrace his big love that calls us into a big life.

I Talk Too Much: My Autobiography


Francis Rossi - 2019
    . . This is Francis Rossi as you have never seen him before. Status Quo have sold over 100 million records worldwide, including 65 hit singles and 32 hit albums. The legendary band's career has mirrored the evolution of rock music. From the struggles of the flower-power '60s, the highs of the denim-clad '70s, the coke- and tequila-induced blur of the '80s, to fighting for musical integrity in the '90s and '00s and a fresh lease of life from new band members in recent years, Rossi has been there for the entirety of Quo's turbulent history.In I Talk Too Much, Rossi will reveal the truth behind one of the biggest rock bands of all time, as well as the personal highs and lows of a career spanning over 50 years. He lifts the lid on the man behind the music - from humble beginnings in Forest Hill and being labelled a has-been by the press in his twenties to opening Live Aid in 1985 - and why he's still going strong at seventy. Along the way he has fathered eight children with three mothers and beaten both alcoholism and cocaine addiction. Rossi comes clean about the time he almost left the band, what he really thinks about the music industry today and the complexities of his fifty-year friendship with Rick Parfitt.Painfully honest, riotously funny and frequently outrageous, I Talk Too Much covers the glory years, the dark days and the real stories behind the creation of some of the greatest rock music of all time.

Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World


Kim Tomsic - 2019
    

Janis: Her Life and Music


Holly George-Warren - 2019
    But even before that, she stood out in her conservative oil town. She was a tomboy who was also intellectually curious and artistic. By the time she reached high school, she had drawn the scorn of her peers for her embrace of the Beats and her racially progressive views. Her parents doted on her in many ways, but were ultimately put off by her repeated acts of defiance. Janis Joplin has passed into legend as a brash, impassioned soul doomed by the pain that produced one of the most extraordinary voices in rock history. But in these pages, Holly George-Warren provides a revelatory and deeply satisfying portrait of a woman who wasn’t all about suffering. Janis was a perfectionist: a passionate, erudite musician who was born with talent but also worked exceptionally hard to develop it. She was a woman who pushed the boundaries of gender and sexuality long before it was socially acceptable. She was a sensitive seeker who wanted to marry and settle down—but couldn’t, or wouldn’t. She was a Texan who yearned to flee Texas but could never quite get away—even after becoming a countercultural icon in San Francisco. Written by one of the most highly regarded chroniclers of American music history, and based on unprecedented access to Janis Joplin’s family, friends, band mates, archives, and long-lost interviews, Janis is a complex, rewarding portrait of a remarkable artist finally getting her due.

More Fun In The New World: The Unmaking And Legacy Of L.A. Punk


John Doe - 2019
    punk scene—and includes fifty rare photos.Picking up where Under the Big Black Sun left off, More Fun in the New World explores the years 1982 to 1987, covering the dizzying pinnacle of L.A.'s punk rock movement as its stars took to the national—and often international—stage. Detailing the eventual splintering of punk into various sub-genres, the second volume of John Doe and Tom DeSavia's west coast punk history portrays the rich cultural diversity of the movement and its characters, the legacy of the scene, how it affected other art forms, and ultimately influenced mainstream pop culture. The book also pays tribute to many of the fallen soldiers of punk rock, the pioneers who left the world much too early but whose influence hasn't faded.As with Under the Big Black Sun, the book features stories of triumph, failure, stardom, addiction, recovery, and loss as told by the people who were influential in the scene, with a cohesive narrative from authors Doe and DeSavia. Along with many returning voices, More Fun in the New World weaves in the perspectives of musicians Henry Rollins, Fishbone, Billy Zoom, Mike Ness, Jane Weidlin, Keith Morris, Dave Alvin, Louis Pérez, Charlotte Caffey, Peter Case, Chip Kinman, Maria McKee, and Jack Grisham, among others. And renowned artist/illustrator Shepard Fairey, filmmaker Allison Anders, actor Tim Robbins, and pro-skater Tony Hawk each contribute chapters on punk's indelible influence on the artistic spirit.In addition to stories of success, the book also offers a cautionary tale of an art movement that directly inspired commercially diverse acts such as Green Day, Rancid, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco, and Neko Case. Readers will find themselves rooting for the purists of punk juxtaposed with the MTV-dominating rock superstars of the time who flaunted a "born to do this, it couldn't be easier" attitude that continued to fuel the flames of new music. More Fun in the New World follows the progression of the first decade of L.A. punk, its conclusion, and its cultural rebirth.

Stanley Donwood: There Will Be No Quiet


Stanley Donwood - 2019
    His influential work spans many practices over a 23-year period, from music packaging to installation work to printmaking. Here, he reveals his personal notebooks, photographs, sketches, and abandoned routes to iconic Radiohead artworks. Arranged chronologically, each chapter is dedicated to a major work—whether an album cover, promotional piece, or a personal project—and is presented as a step-by-step working case study. Featuring commentary by Thom Yorke and never-before-seen archival material, this is the first deep dive into Donwood’s creative practice and the artistic freedom afforded to him by working for a major music act. It is a must-have for fans of the band and anyone interested in graphic design and popular culture.

Have a Bleedin Guess - the story of Hex Enduction Hour


Paul Hanley - 2019
    Even the circumstances of its recording, purportedly in an abandoned cinema and a cave formed from Icelandic lava, have achieved legendary status among their ever-loyal fanbase. Have a Bleedin Guess tells the story of the album, including how each song was written, performed and recorded. It also includes new interviews with key players. Author Paul Hanley, who was one of The Fall's two drummers when Hex was created, is uniquely placed to discuss the album's impact, both when it was released and in the ensuing years.

Before We Was We: Madness by Madness


Mike Barson - 2019
    A story of seven originals, whose collective graft, energy and talent took them from the sweaty depths of the Hope and Anchor's basement to the Top of the Pops studio.In their own words they each look back on shared adventures. Playing music together, riding freight trains, spraying graffiti and stealing records. Walking in one another's footsteps by day and rising up through the city's exploding pub music scene by night. Before We Was We is irreverent, funny and full of character. Just like them.

Acid for the Children


Flea - 2019
    His more famous stage name, Flea, and his wild ride as the renowned bass player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers was in a far and distant future. Little Michael from Oz moved with his very conservative, very normal family to Westchester, New York, where life as he knew it was soon turned upside down. His parents split up and he and his sister moved into the home of his mother's free-wheeling, jazz musician boyfriend, Walt--trading in rules, stability, and barbecues for bohemian values, wildness, and Sunday afternoon jazz parties where booze, weed, and music flowed in equal measure. Michael was frightened by the lack of order in his new reality and his volatile new stepfather, but found his salvation in the world of passionate musicians the Walt exposed him to. There began his life-long journey to channel all the frustration, loneliness, love, and joy he felt into incredible rhythm.When Michael's family moved to Los Angeles in 1972, his home situation was rockier than ever. He sought out a sense of belonging elsewhere, spending most of his days partying, playing basketball, and committing petty crimes. At Fairfax High School, he met another social outcast, Anthony Kiedis, who quickly became his soul brother, the yin to his yang, his partner in mischief. Michael joined some bands, fell in love with performing, and honed his skills. But it wasn't until the night when Anthony, excited after catching a Grandmaster Flash concert, suggested they start their own band that he is handed the magic key to the cosmic kingdom.Acid for the Children is as raw, entertaining and wildly unpredictable as its author. It's both a tenderly evocative coming of age story and a raucous love letter to the power of music and creativity.

King's X: The Oral History


Greg Prato - 2019
    But their story is one of many ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and periods of good and bad luck. This authorized biography examines and explores all aspects of their history, both personally and professionally. Comprised of extensive interviews conducted by author and longtime King’s X fan Greg Prato, King’s X: The Oral History allows the band’s three members - singer/bassist Doug Pinnick, guitarist Ty Tabor, and drummer Jerry Gaskill - to tell their full story for the first time. It also opens the floor to friends and collaborators, plus some of the many top rock names who are also fans of the band, including Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, The Police’s Andy Summers, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, Pantera’s Rex Brown, Mötley Crüe’s Mick Mars, and many more. In addition, King’s X explores the stories behind every single song the band has recorded over the years, while also detailing the creation of each of their twelve albums and offering insight into the influence of religion on their work. It also features memories of the band’s tours with some of rock’s biggest names - including AC/DC, Pearl Jam, and Mötley Crüe - and the events that led to their show-stopping performance at the mammoth Woodstock ’94 festival. Packed full of rare and never-before-seen photographs from throughout their career, King’s X is the definitive companion to the band and their music.

Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson


Bruce Conforth - 2019
    This single notion can be recited by everyone who has ever heard of him, but the actual story of his life remains unknown save for a few inaccurate anecdotes. Up Jumped the Devil is the result of over 50 years of research. Gayle Dean Wardlow has been interviewing people who knew Robert Johnson since the early 1960s, and he was the person who discovered Johnson's death certificate in 1967. Bruce Conforth began his study of Johnson's life and music in 1970 and made it his personal mission to try to fill in the gaps in what was still unknown about him. In this definitive biography, the two authors relied on every possible interview, resource and document, most of it material that no one has ever seen before. As a result, this book not only destroys every myth that ever surrounded Johnson, but also tells a very human and tragic story of a real person. It is the first book about Johnson that documents his years in Memphis, details his trip to New York, uncovers where and when his wife Virginia died and the impact this had on him, fully portrays the other women Johnson was involved with, and tells exactly how and why he died and who gave him the poison that killed him. Up Jumped the Devil will astonish blues fans who thought they knew something about Johnson—most of those things are wrong—and will be a great read for anyone interested in blues, black culture and American music.

Rocketman: The Official Movie Companion


Malcolm Croft - 2019
    

Fangirls: Scenes from Modern Music Culture


Hannah Ewens - 2019
    But marginalized fan groups are never given appropriate credit. Frequently derided, their worlds and communities are self-contained and rarely investigated by cultural historians and commentators. Yet without these people, in the past, records would have gathered dust on shelves, unsold and forgotten. Now, concerts wouldn't sell out and revenue streams from merchandising would disappear, changing the face of the music industry as we know it. In Fangirls: Scenes From Modern Music Culture, journalist Hannah Ewens is on a mission to give these individuals their rightful due. A dedicated music lover herself, she has spoken to hundreds of fans from the UK to Japan to trace their path through recent pop and rock history. She's found the untold stories behind important events and uncovered the ups, the downs and the lengths fans go to, celebrating the camaraderie and lifelines their fandoms can provide.

Playlist: The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound


James Rhodes - 2019
    Mozart. Beethoven. Old guys with curly wigs, right? But trust me: those composers were the original rock stars.Open your mind to some of the most breathtaking and magnificent pieces of music ever created, and find out why the rebels and revolutionaries who wrote them are responsible for every track on your phone today. Discover their backstories and how each one shaped and defined classical music. Learn about the structure of an orchestra, the language of music, and the history of musical periods. With jaw-dropping artwork and avant-garde design, this visually exquisite celebration of classical music is a surefire hit for both first-time listeners and longtime fans. Budding aficionados will appreciate the online playlist featuring James Rhodes's favorite selections.

Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie, 1976-2016


Chris O'Leary - 2019
    From the ultimate David Bowie expert comes an exploration of the final four decades of his musical career, covering every song he wrote, performed or produced.From the ultimate David Bowie expert comes this exploration of the final four decades of the popstar's musical career, covering every song he wrote, performed or produced from 1976 to 2016.Starting with Low, the first of Bowie's Berlin albums, and finishing with Blackstar, his final masterpiece released just days before his death in 2016, each song is annotated in depth and explored in essays that touch upon the song's creation, production, influences and impact.

Jim Bob from Carter: In the Shadow of My Former Self


Jim Bob - 2019
    Whether performing solo acoustic ballads, writing novels or acting in a musical, he will always be – Jim Bob from Carter. At first Jim views his past as a burden, but gradually he comes to accept, and eventually to celebrate it. This is the story of Jim’s extended gap year between the end of Carter in 1997, to their reformation in 2007 and break-up again in 2014.Find out how bands choose their names, what it’s like to be sworn at by Ian Dury, how it feels to discover yourself on a pub trivia machine under the category: ‘Where are they now?’ And why there isn’t a prime time Saturday night TV show called Britain’s Got Authors.

Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth: The Official Touring History


Skip Daly - 2019
    Forty years later, their last tour sold over 442,000 tickets. This is the story of everything in between. This is the story of Rush. Fondly known as the Holy Triumvirate, Rush is one of the top bands to shine through rock-and-roll history. Wandering the Face of the Earth covers Rush’s storied touring career, from their humble beginnings as a Toronto-area bar band playing middle school gymnasiums to their rise as one of the world’s most sought-after live acts, selling out massive arenas around the globe. This book includes every setlist, every opening act, and every noteworthy moment meticulously researched and vetted by the band themselves. Along with spectacular, never-before-seen imagery, this is THE must-have tour compendium for Rush fans. —In Loving Memory, Neil Ellwood Peart 1952-2020

Dear Future Historians: Lyrics and Exegesis of Rou Reynolds for the Music of Enter Shikari 2006--2019


Enter Shikari and Rou Reynolds - 2019
    Dear Future Historians: Lyrics and Exegesis of Rou Reynolds for the Music of Enter Shikari 2006--2019 charts the lyrical creativity of the hardcore rock-metal band, through their five hugely successful albums.Bringing together the popular 2017 limited hardback edition Dear Future Historians and 2018 limited paperback The Spark, this updated and expanded edition is essential for any Enter Shikari fan.

Trap 3 Little Pigs : Lyrically Accurate Version


Kyle Exum - 2019
    Complimented by the “Trap 3 Little Pigs” song, the story involves a hungry wolf who just needs an entree for his dinner date, as well as three intelligent and athletic pigs. Although the story is structured as a children’s book, the mixture of modern pop culture references and relatable humor is meant to be enjoyed by all ages. The words in this version of the story are accurate to the lyrics in the “Trap 3 Little Pigs” song.

The Story of Rap


Lindsey Sagar - 2019
    Bop along with the greats in this adorable baby book that introduces little ones to the rappers that started it all!Parental Advisory: May cause toddlers to develop excessive amounts of swagger.

Scream With Me: The Enduring Legacy of the Misfits


Tom Bejgrowicz - 2019
    This is their visual story as told through the original ephemera that helped define their legacy. Scream With Me spotlights the band’s iconic and influential album and single art, fan club merchandise, original posters, show flyers, and one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen rarities, culled primarily from the extensive collection of archivist Umberto D’Urso.  Additionally, the book prominently features insightful contributions on the band’s legacy from members of Metallica, Pearl Jam, Avenged Sevenfold, Dropkick Murphys, and more. For more than 40 years, the band has had an inescapable influence on popular culture and Scream With Me is the ultimate tribute to the original, beloved Misfits era.

Bruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs


Brian Hiatt - 2019
    And for all the muscle and magic of his life-shaking concerts with the E Street Band, his legendary status comes down to the songs. He is an acknowledged master of music and lyrics, with decades of hits, from “Blinded by the Light” and “Born to Run” to “Hungry Heart,” “Dancing in the Dark,” and “The Rising.”   In Bruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs, longtime Rolling Stone writer Brian Hiatt digs into the writing and recording of these songs and all the others on Springsteen’s studio albums, from 1973’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. to 2014’s High Hopes (plus all the released outtakes), and offers a unique look at the legendary rocker’s methods, along with historical context, scores of colorful anecdotes, and more than 180 photographs. Hiatt has interviewed Springsteen five times in the past and has conducted numerous new interviews with his collaborators, from longtime producers to the E Street Band, to create an authoritative and lushly illustrated journey through Springsteen’s entire songbook and career.

My Name Is Prince


Randee St. Nicholas - 2019
    “A 5' 3? Mastermind . . . satiated with virtuosity, controversy, stubbornness, and poise . . . His influence on Music transcended any and every category given titles by industry wizards and musicologists. Pop, Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Classical, Funk, Jazz, Soul, and Rap . . . He did it all and he did it well . . . and in his time . . . He did it first,” writes Randee St. Nicholas.For twenty-five years, this legendary photographer, with a storied career of her own, worked closely with Prince, capturing some of his most intimate and revealing moments both on and off stage.Now, the fruits of their numerous collaborations are on full display in My Name Is Prince, the largest collection of the most iconic photographs that will ever exist of one of the world’s greatest superstars.In this dazzling collector’s edition, readers are treated to a front-row seat to their innovative and awe-inspiring projects, from his music videos Gett Off and My Name Is Prince; to their impromptu photo shoots…just because; their adventures around the world from London to Tokyo to Prague, and his breathtaking, showstopping live concert appearances from great stages at Coachella and the 02 Arena to intimate nightclubs.Many of the trips, we will discover, are either unplanned or hastily arranged. And yet you will marvel at the results—as Prince expected nothing less than the best.When they met, Prince was ready for a change. The quixotic performer was known for seizing a moment and then on to the next.After their initial 1991 photo shoot in her Los Angeles studio, Prince assured St. Nicholas, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back.”Over the next twenty-five years he would return again and again, challenging himself and St. Nicholas to reach higher and to go further with every original pursuit.My Name Is Prince is the story of that unique working relationship and artistic evolution that produced many stunning images and lasted from their first meeting until the end:He had incredible timing, not just musically but spiritually, emotionally, and creatively . . . that Prince rhythm fueled a spontaneity that was contagious, enabling you to be more fearless and flexible than you thought you ever could be. When he would call . . . you had to be ready for anything . . . to jump on a plane with an hour or two notice, to put together a crew in a city you had never worked in before without any preparation time . . . or to simply just go outside your house at four in the morning where he was parked in his car, waiting for you to get in and listen to new music he had just recorded. One never knew what to expect . . . but it was always an inspired adventure.Told through 384 pages of striking visuals and poignant, intimate stories, the insights revealed in My Name Is Prince show a side of the enigmatic megastar that few have ever seen.We go beyond the genius and meet the man—playful, moody, disciplined, sensual, serious, and soulful.            And in hundreds of photographs, we see that incandescent light behind his hypnotic eyes; that sly smile, strong hands, and transformative and transcendent presence that connected people from every part of the globe through his music.             As his sound lives on, My Name Is Prince is a visual testimony to his greatness and a space that can never be filled.

Shotgun Angels: My Story of Broken Roads and Unshakeable Hope


Jay Demarcus - 2019
    You'll follow his intensely personal journey through big breaks and broken dreams, desperate dashboard prayers, and limelight glories. Along the way, you'll find the same constant source of strength that he has--hope that is powerful enough to hold you up through whatever trials come your way.

Girl To City: A Memoir


Amy Rigby - 2019
    For anyone who ever imagined trying to make a life out of what they love.

A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons


Ben Folds - 2019
    But Folds will be the first to tell you he's an unconventional icon, more normcore than hardcore. Now, in his first book, Folds looks back at his life so far in a charming and wise chronicle of his artistic coming of age, infused with the wry observations of a natural storyteller.In the title chapter, "A Dream About Lightning Bugs," Folds recalls his earliest childhood dream--and realizes how much it influenced his understanding of what it means to be an artist. In "Measure Twice, Cut Once" he learns to resist the urge to skip steps during the creative process. In "Hall Pass" he recounts his 1970s North Carolina working-class childhood, and in "Cheap Lessons" he returns to the painful life lessons he learned the hard way--but that luckily didn't kill him.In his inimitable voice, both relatable and thought-provoking, Folds digs deep into the life experiences that shaped him, imparting hard-earned wisdom about both art and life. Collectively, these stories embody the message Folds has been singing about for years: Smile like you've got nothing to prove, because it hurts to grow up, and life flies by in seconds.

Dayglo: The Poly Styrene Story


Celeste Bell - 2019
    But this rebel queen with the cheeky grin was also a latter-day pop artist with a wickedly perceptive gift for satirizing the world around her—her playful aesthetic sharply at odds with the stark monochrome style and nihilism of punk. Here, for the first time, the jigsaw of Poly's inspiring and often moving story has been lovingly pieced together by her daughter, singer-songwriter Celeste Bell, and writer-artist Zoë Howe. From growing up mixed-race in Brixton in the 1960s to being at the forefront of the emerging punk scene with X-Ray Spex in the 1970s, from finding faith with the Hare Krishna movement to balancing single motherhood with a solo music career and often debilitating mental health issues, the book openly explores Poly's exceptional life, up until her untimely passing in 2011. Based on interviews with those who knew and loved Poly whether personally or through music, this oral history book includes testimonies from Vivienne Westwood, Don Letts, Glen Matlock, Jonathan Ross, Neneh Cherry, The Slits' Tessa Pollitt, Thurston Moore, Jon Savage, and many others.

Irving Berlin: New York Genius


James Kaplan - 2019
    “Berlin has no place in American music,” legendary composer Jerome Kern wrote; “he is American music.” In a career that spanned an astonishing nine decades, Berlin wrote some fifteen hundred tunes, including “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas.” From ragtime to the rock era, Berlin’s work has endured in the very fiber of American national identity. Exploring the interplay of Berlin’s life with the life of New York City, noted biographer James Kaplan offers a visceral narrative of Berlin as self-made man and witty, wily, tough Jewish immigrant. This fast-paced, musically opinionated biography uncovers Berlin’s unique brilliance as a composer of music and lyrics. Masterfully written and psychologically penetrating, Kaplan’s book underscores Berlin’s continued relevance in American popular culture.

There Will Be No Intermission


Amanda Palmer - 2019
    This thick, beautifully-printed 12" (vinyl-sized!) 90-page coffee-table artbook contains a treasure trove of narrative photography (mostly directed by the celebrated art team Kahn & Selesnick, with additional photos by Allan Amato and Stephanie Zakas) and a long series of thoughtfully-written AFP essays about the songs and the stories behind them. Includes all the lyrics from the record, and prints that can be detached/cut-out and framed

Deep in the Heart


Alexa Padgett - 2019
    He's trying to forget the war with music. Will one broken instrument make their love a smash hit? Jenna Olsen isn't sure she'll ever escape her terrible choices in love. Becoming a skilled guitar craftsperson helped with the anxiety, but she dreams of the day when she can trust someone again. When an up-and-coming country star asks for a custom guitar in an impossible time-frame, Jenna falls for the challenge… and the man. Camden Grace loves his music and adores his fans. His passions help him cope with the physical wounds he sustained in Iraq, but he remains haunted by his fractured family history. After his latest angry outburst leaves an expensive guitar shattered, he doesn't expect to find a strong-willed woman whose struggle echoes his own. As the instrument and their feelings start to come together, an old would-be flame attempts to sabotage their relationship with increasingly aggressive behavior. Will a jealous rival kill more than their careers or will Jenna and Camden rise above the rage to heal their hearts forever? Deep in the Heart is a new adult contemporary romance with a melody of music. If you like sizzling chemistry, raw emotions, and wounded heroes, then you'll love Alexa Padgett's compelling novel.

Dead People I Have Known


Shayne Carter - 2019
    He traces an intimate history of the Dunedin Sound—that distinctive jangly indie sound that emerged in the seventies, heavily influenced by punk—and the record label Flying Nun.As well as the pop culture of the seventies, eighties and nineties, Carter writes candidly of the bleak and violent aspects of Dunedin, the city where he grew up and would later return. His childhood was shaped by violence and addiction, as well as love and music. Alongside the fellow musicians, friends and family who appear so vividly here, this book is peopled by neighbours, kids at school, people on the street, and the other passing characters who have stayed on in his memory.We also learn of the other major force in Carter’s life: sport. Harness racing, wrestling, basketball and football have provided him with a similar solace, even escape, as music.Dead People I Have Known is a frank, moving, often incredibly funny autobiography; the story of making a life as a musician over the last forty years in New Zealand, and a work of art in its own right.

The Big Book of BTS: The Deluxe Unofficial Bangtan Book


Katy Sprinkel - 2019
    Including more than 100 fullcolor photographs, you’ll get an in-depth look at the lives of RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, V, Jin, and Jungkook. It also explores their meteoric rise, musical influences, unbeatable style, far-reaching activism, and bond with fans.The Big Book of BTS is a must-have for ARMYs as well as new K-pop fans everywhere!

And in the End: The Last Days of The Beatles


Ken McNab - 2019
    Ken McNab's And in the End: The Last Days of The Beatles is an in-depth look at the Fab Four's acrimonious final year...

Sweat the Technique: Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius


Rakim - 2019
    More than anyone, Rakim has changed the way MCs rhyme. Calm on the mic, his words combine in a frenzy of sound, using complicated patterns based on multisyllabic rhymes and internal rhythms. Rakim can tell a story about a down-on-his-luck man looking for a job and turn it into an epic tale and an unforgettable rhyme. He is not just a great songwriter--he's a great modern writer.Part memoir, part writing guide, Sweat the Technique offers insight into how Rakim thinks about words, music, writing, and rhyming as it teaches writers of all levels how to hone their craft. It is also a rare glimpse into Rakim's private life, full of entertaining personal stories from his youth on Long Island growing up in a home and community filled with musiciansto the clubs of New York and the studios of Los Angeles during his rise to the top of popular music. Rakim celebrates the influences that shaped his development, including the jazz music of John Coltrane and the spirituality of the streets, and shares anecdotes spotlighting personalities such as L. L. Cool J. and Dr. Dre, among others.Filled with valuable lessons for every writer, Sweat the Technique reveals the heart and mind of an artist and his love for great storytelling, and always, the words.

NSB Box Set: The Complete Hold Me Series


Alyson Santos - 2019
    It ended in legend. Experience all five books of the bestselling NSB Rocker series including Night Shifts Black, Tracing Holland, Viper, Limelight, and An NSB Wedding. NIGHT SHIFTS BLACK (NSB #1) The powerful story no one saw coming. TRACING HOLLAND (NSB #2) **An RT Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee Second chances are hard enough when you deserve them. Then there are the ones you don’t. VIPER (NSB #3) It’s not easy being the bad guy. LIMELIGHT (NSB #4) Sometimes it takes a fire to ignite a spark And slay the darkness. AN NSB WEDDING (NSB #5) Sometimes epic happiness requires an epic fail. The sweet and hilarious conclusion to the bestselling NSB Series.

It Gets Me Home, This Curving Track: Objects & Essays 2012-2018


Ian Penman - 2019
    With It Gets Me Home, This Curving Track, his first book in twenty years, legendary music critic Ian Penman takes on the black musicians who innovated and the white musicians who followed them - with a cast of characters including James Brown, Charlie Parker, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan and Prince.

Supreme Glamour


Mary Wilson - 2019
    Supreme Glamour presents founding member Mary Wilson’s unparalleled collection, showcasing thirty-two of the group’s most eye-catching gowns, meticulously reassembled and photographed on the Grammy Museum stage. Detailed captions accompany each photograph, providing information about the design, fabric, and embellishments of each ensemble, as well as the occasion on which each was first worn.In addition to the fashion history of The Supremes, the book chronicles the evolution of the group and celebrates the cultural icons they became. Engaging and insightful narrative text by Mary Wilson and close personal friend Mark Bego is interspersed among hundreds of archival photos. Packed with anecdotes and insights, Mary Wilson tells the complete story of The Supremes, both on- and off- stage, from their founding in Detroit in 1959 as The Primettes to their 1964 breakthrough hit, “Where Did Our Love Go,” and from the departure of Diana Ross to The Supremes’ disco hits of the 1970s. Supreme Glamour builds a complete picture of the charm, sophistication, and magic of The Supremes.

Jeff Buckley: His Own Voice


Mary Guibert - 2019
    Hailed by the likes of Bono, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant, Grace showcased Buckley's voice, passion, and influences and pointed to an inordinately promising future. Three short years later, at the age of thirty, he tragically drowned in Memphis. But his legend and stature have only grown since; in recent years, everyone from Adele to Coldplay to Radiohead has spoken of the impact Buckley's music had on them.For much of his life, Buckley diligently kept journals recording his goals, inspirations, aspirations, and creative struggles. These diaries amount to one of the most insightful life chronicles any musical artist has left behind. Jeff Buckley: His Own Voice marks the first-ever publication of Buckley's handwritten account of his journey from his days in Los Angeles in the late '80s through shortly before his passing. Combined with reproductions of other memorabilia--including letters, notes, and unpublished lyrics--this book takes readers and fans deep into Buckley's mind and life.

Blackpink: Pretty Isn’t Everything (The Ultimate Unofficial Guide)


Cara J. Stevens - 2019
    

All You Need to Know about the Music Business: 10th Edition


Donald S. Passman - 2019
    Now in its ninth edition, this latest edition leads novices and experts alike through the crucial, up-to-the-minute information on the industry's major changes in response to today's rapid technological advances and uncertain economy. Whether you are--or aspire to be--a performer, writer, or executive, veteran music lawyer Donald Passman's comprehensive guide is an indispensable tool. He offers timely, authoritative information from how to select and hire a winning team of advisors and structure their commissions and fees; navigate the ins and outs of record deals, songwriting, publishing, and copyrights; maximize concert, touring, and merchandising deals; understand the digital streaming services; and how to take a comprehensive look at the rapidly transforming landscape of the music business as a whole. The music industry is in the eye of the storm, when everyone in the business is scrambling to figure out what's going to happen to the major labels and what it will mean for the careers of artists and business professionals. No musician, songwriter, entertainment lawyer, agent, promoter, publisher, manager, or record company executive--anyone who makes their living from music--can afford to be without All You Need to Know About the Music Business. As Adam Levine, lead singer and guitarist of Maroon 5, says, "If you want to be in music, you have to read this book.

Nothing's Bad Luck: The Lives of Warren Zevon


C.M. Kushins - 2019
    Raised mostly by his mother with an occasional cameo from his gangster father, Warren had an affinity and talent for music at an early age. Taking to the piano and guitar almost instantly, he began imitating and soon creating songs at every opportunity. After an impromptu performance in the right place at the right time, a record deal landed on the lap of a teenager who was eager to set out on his own and make a name for himself. But of course, where fame is concerned, things are never quite so simple.Drawing on original interviews with those closest to Zevon, including Crystal Zevon, Jackson Browne, Mitch Albom, Danny Goldberg, Barney Hoskyns, and Merle Ginsberg, Nothing's Bad Luck tells the story of one of rock's greatest talents. Journalist C.M. Kushins not only examines Zevon's troubled personal life and sophisticated, ever-changing musical style, but emphasizes the moments in which the two are inseparable, and ultimately paints Zevon as a hot-headed, literary, compelling, musical genius worthy of the same tier as that of Bob Dylan and Neil Young.In Nothing's Bad Luck, Kushins at last gives Warren Zevon the serious, in-depth biographical treatment he deserves, making the life of this complex subject accessible to fans old and new for the very first time.

Phoenix: Liberté, Égalité, Phoenix!


Thomas Mars - 2019
    Accompanying this is an oral history of the Phoenix's journey in their own words. The book is a superfan's chronicle of the evolution of a band.Published to coincide with a series of anniversaries for the band -- thirty years since their formation as teenagers in 1989; twenty since the release of their debut record in 1999; and ten since Grammy Award-winning Best Alternative Album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, in 2009 -- and with original interviews conducted with the band throughout, this book is an intimate celebration of a group whose particular brand of indie rock has struck a chord on both sides of the Atlantic.

Salad Daze


Wayne Hussey - 2019
    As he began making his name in music with The Invisible Girls, Dead Or Alive, and The Sisters Of Mercy, Wayne was at first seduced and then ultimately corrupted, swapping the repression of his religious upbringing for its polar opposite: a lifestyle of total hedonism. From his early days raised as a Mormon to being schooled in gender bending by Pete Burns, from his move to Liverpool in the late 1970s to his remaining fanaticism with Liverpool FC, Salad Daze is an all-encompassing account of Wayne's personal and musical journey up until the formation of The Mission.

Bass, Mids, Tops: An Oral History of Sound System Culture


Joe Muggs - 2019
    Pumped through towering, home-built speakers, often directly onto the thronged streets of events like the Notting Hill Carnival, the pulsating bass lines of reggae, dub, rave, jungle, trip hop, dubstep, and grime have shaped the worlds of several generations of British youth culture but have often been overlooked by historians obsessed with swinging London, punk, and Britpop.This oral history, consisting of new interviews conducted by respected dance music writer Joe Muggs, and accompanied by dramatic portraits by Brian David Stevens, presents the story of the bassline of Britain, in the words of those who lived and shaped it. Features interviews with Dubmaster Dennis Bovell, Norman Jay MPE, Youth, Adrian Sherwood, Skream, Rinse FM's Sarah Lockhart and many others.

Make Some Space: Tuning Into Total Refreshment Centre


Emma Warren - 2019
    'Make Some Space' invites us through the front door of London's Total Refreshment Centre to meet a revolving cast of characters who created an accidental incubator of London’s new jazz renaissance.The book combines Johnny Rotten’s politics teacher, new London jazz icons Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia and members of Ezra Collective, alongside Bob Marley, The Comet Is Coming, the Thompson Twins’ delay pedal, Wiley, and the 1912 Hackney mayor.Emma Warren invites us to remember the venues and community centres that generated culture, and asks us to protect the few that remain.

Wayfaring Stranger: A Musical Journey in the American South


Emma John - 2019
    Classically trained, highly strung and wedded to London life, Emma was about as country as a gin martini. So why did it feel like a homecoming?Answering that question takes Emma deep into the Appalachian mountains, where she uncovers a hidden culture that confounds every expectation - and learns some emotional truths of her own.

MY LIFE, MY WAY


John Schneider - 2019
    Schneider’s "My Life, My Way" includes such stories as: performing magic for parties in his hometown of Mt. Kisco, New York, sneaking on set to make his film debut in "Smokey and the Bandit", starring as Bo Duke on one of the most beloved shows in TV history, "The Dukes of Hazzard", co-founding Children’s Miracle Network with Marie Osmond, playing Superman’s dad for The CW’s "Smallville", finding chart-topping success as a country singer and moving in with Johnny Cash, competing on "Dancing with the Stars", the messy divorce that resulted in jail time and floods that destroyed his home and film studio – twice, his current role on Tyler Perry’s top-rated cable hit, "The Haves and the Have-Nots", controversy around the Rebel flag and his first-ever jump in the world’s most famous car, The General Lee. How did a lonely, overweight boy from New York transform himself into modern-day cowboy, American heartthrob, and the South's favorite son? It's all in John Schneider's first inspirational memoir, "My Life, My Way." Get ready for the ride of your life!

No Bull Music Theory for Guitarists: Master the Essential Knowledge all Guitarists Need to Know (with downloadable audio lessons)


James Shipway - 2019
     This book is for you if: Not understanding music theory is holding up your progress, affecting your confidence as a musician and stopping you from becoming the guitar player you want to be You’re a singer songwriter who needs to learn about chords, keys and chord progressions in order to write great songs (like you hear on recordings!) You want to learn music theory but don’t know where to start You’re a student who needs a crash course in music theory essentials to prepare for college auditions, entrance exams etc You’re a beginner who wants to easily learn how music works as you take your first steps in learning to play guitar so you can avoid confusion, improve faster and learn more easily You feel confused and intimidated by the ‘jargon’ you hear other musicians or YouTube teachers use You ‘kind of’ understand theory… but you’re not really sure how well! What will this book teach you about? In the 12 lessons you’ll find super clear explanations, practical examples and quiz questions on: The Musical Alphabet (the only 12 notes used in all music!) Tones and Semitones The Major Scale (learn what it actually is…) Major and Minor Triads (as used in most pop, country, rock and folk music) Major Scale Intervals (major 3rds, perfect 4ths...what are they?) Chromatic Intervals (discover what weird names like diminished and augmented really mean) Major Keys (Parts 1 & 2) Chord Progressions (start writing pro sounding chord sequences and songs of your own) Pentatonic Scales (the most common guitar scales ever…) The Natural Minor Scale (essential for minor key soloing in rock, pop and other styles) Minor Key Basics (learn the secrets of awesome minor key songs and chord sequences)How will you learn and remember all this? Easy!Each chapter introduces a new element of guitar theory. You get a clear but detailed explanation of the concept and multiple examples/practical exercises, FAQs and more to drive your understanding home.Test yourself using the quiz questions at the end of each chapter (answers supplied).To help you play certain practical examples there is also an appendix of common open chord shapes and barre chords at the back of the book.

Freak Like Me: Confessions of a 90s pop groupie


Malcolm McLean - 2019
    until a phone call from a pop star changed his life forever. Before long, he was getting compliments from Beyoncé, hanging out at award ceremonies with Posh Spice's mum and sneaking onto All Saints' tour bus. Freak Like Me is the true story of one teenage pop fan who, with a group of like-minded outcasts, witnesses the disposable music industry of the late nineties and early noughties first-hand. Tracking down A-lister itineraries, he gets to meet the real personalities behind the Smash Hits posters adorning his bedroom walls.This hilarious memoir is packed with scandalous gossip and poignant memories from the era of Nokia 3310s and dial-up Internet, when chart positions meant everything and, if you wanted to know what your idols were up to off-screen, you had to track them down yourself in real life!"A hilarious, nostalgic memoir packed full of scandalous gossip. We couldn't put it down!" Closer magazine"Pop fans, this one is for you." GQ magazine"Malcolm’s memoir of his time as a teenage superfan around the turn of the millennium offers a fascinating, funny and often unexpected journey through several shifts in pop, as he views the changing world through a life of pop fandom." Complete Music Update"I love this book." Jamie East, talkRADIO"Devoured it...so, so fun. Brought back so many memories of pop music as an escape as a lonely gay teen. Loved all the insight into how late 90s/00s popstars were with fans." Conor Behan, DJ RTÉ 2FM and Popsessed podcast

Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn


Brett Anderson - 2019
    Suede began by treading the familiar jobbing route of London's emerging new 1990s indie bands - gigs at ULU, the Camden Powerhaus and the Old Trout in Windsor - and the dispiriting experience of playing a set to an audience of one. But in these halcyon days, their potential was undeniable. Anderson's creative partnership with guitarist Bernard Butler exposed a unique and brilliant hybrid of lyric and sound; together they were a luminescent team - burning brightly and creating some of the era's most revered songs and albums.In Afternoons with the Blinds drawn, Anderson unflinchingly explores his relationship with addiction, heartfelt in the regret that early musical bonds were severed, and clear-eyed on his youthful persona. 'As a young man . . . I oscillated between morbid self-reflection and vainglorious narcissism' he writes. His honesty, sharply self-aware and articulate, makes this a compelling autobiography, and a brilliant insight into one of the most significant bands of the last quarter century.

Trains, Jesus, and Murder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash


Richard Beck - 2019
    He famously played concerts in prisons, where he sang both murder ballads and gospel tunes in the same set. It's this juxtaposition between light and dark, writes Richard Beck, that makes Cash one of the most authentic theologians in memory.In Trains, Jesus, and Murder, Beck explores the theology of Johnny Cash by investigating a dozen of Cash's songs. In reflecting on Cash's lyrics, and the passion with which he sang them, we gain a deeper understanding of the enduring faith of the Man in Black.

Back to Us (Phillips Family Book 1)


Honesty Price - 2019
    That is, until she tells a secret that threatens to ruin their marriage and future.

A Fabulous Creation: How the LP Saved Our Lives


David Hepworth - 2019
    Henceforth, everybody else wanted to Make An Album. The end came only fifteen years later, coinciding with the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. By then the Walkman had taken music out of the home and into the streets and the record business had begun trying to reverse-engineer the creative process in order to make big money. Nobody would play music or listen to it in quite the same way ever again.It was a short but transformative time. Musicians became ‘artists’ and we, the people, patrons of the arts. The LP itself had been a mark of sophistication, a measure of wealth, an instrument of education, a poster saying things you dare not say yourself, a means of attracting the opposite sex, and, for many, the single most desirable object in their lives.This is the story of that time; it takes us from recording studios where musicians were doing things that had never been done before to the sparsely furnished apartments where their efforts would be received like visitations from a higher power. This is the story of how LPs saved our lives.

A Seat at the Table: Interviews with Women on the Frontline of Music


Amy Raphael - 2019
    

Can I Kick It?


Idris Goodwin - 2019
    Combining the tongue-in-cheek and the irreverent with the melancholy and incisive, Goodwin’s poetry samples and re-purposes pop-culture—from Back to the Future to Prince, Missy Elliot to Dominique Wilkins—in order to reflect and remix the stories we tell ourselves and each other in order to live.

Welcome to Jazz: A Swing-Along Celebration of America’s Music, Featuring “When the Saints Go Marching In”


Carolyn Sloan - 2019
      In this interactive swing-along picture book with 12 sound chips, you’ll hear the instruments of jazz—the rhythm section with its banjo, drums, and tuba, and the leads, like the clarinet, trumpet, and trombone. And you’ll hear singers scat, improvising melodies with nonsense syllables like be-bop and doo-we-ah!   Along the way, you’ll learn how this unique African American art form started in New Orleans, and how jazz changed over time as innovative musicians like King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday added their own ideas to it.    Press the buttons to hear the band, the rhythms, and the singer calling out: “OH WHEN THE SAINTS—oh when the saints…”

Birth of the Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound


Kathleen Cornell Berman - 2019
    This biography explores the childhood and early career of a jazz legend as he finds his voice and shapes a new musical sound. Follow his progression from East St. Louis to rural Arkansas, from Julliard and NYC jazz clubs to the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. Rhythmic free verse imbues his story with musicality and gets readers in the groove. Music teachers and jazz fans will appreciate the beats and details throughout, and Miles’ drive to constantly listen, learn, and create will inspire kids to develop their own voice.With evocative illustrations, this glimpse into Miles Davis’ life is sure to captivate music lovers young and old.

Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within a Creative Life


Dale Trumbore - 2019
    What are yours? Managing procrastination, anxiety, and creative blocks? Knowing how to trust your work? Dealing with other people? Balancing the need to push through to the end of a work while keeping your health and sanity? Handling rejection . . . and your own success? Dale Trumbore has faced each of these issues as a composer who achieved her own definition of success by age 30. Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within a Creative Life is her answer. With humor and understanding, Dale breaks down each obstacle to a creative career and presents workable strategies for a long-range, manageable, and meaningful life in the arts.

INTEMPERANCE III: Different Circles


Alan Steiner - 2019
    Celia, Jake, Nerdly, and Pauline form KVA Records to independently record and release solo albums. They are hampered, however, by a lack of backing musicians for their efforts, have no recording studio to work in, and, even if this can be overcome, will still have to deal with the record companies in order for their final efforts to be heard. Follow them through their progress, their struggles, their new romances and old demons as they find unconventional ways to keep moving along. Meanwhile, the other members of Intemperance have gone their own way and are doing their own things as well. The most character-driven installment of the series yet, full of the signature dialogue and raunchy exploits that are the mark of the series.

Tom Waits by Matt Mahurin


Matt Mahurin - 2019
      Having shot magazine portraits, album covers, and music videos of Waits, Mahurin was inspired to resurrect 100 dormant film negatives as a jumping off point to explore his own surreal, poetic, and occasion­ally dark vision. The images vary from traditional por­traits to ones that capture Waits in concert—but the majority are richly imagined scenes in which Waits is more muse than musician. In addition to the diverse images, the book includes a foreword by Waits, an essay by Mahurin on their longtime collaboration, and 20 original paintings, drawings, photographs, and digital images inspired by Waits’s song titles.

Waiting For Another War - A History of The Sisters Of Mercy - Volume 1 - 1980-1985


Trevor Ristow - 2019
    The mechanized anxiety of Suicide. The poignancy of Leonard Cohen. The arrogance of Bowie. The Sisters Of Mercy combined it all to create an unforgettable noise. From 1980 to 1985 lead singer and master strategist Andrew Eldritch maneuvered The Sisters Of Mercy from the grimy pubs and student unions of Northern England to London’s storied Royal Albert Hall. Then the whole thing fell apart. Based on original research and a thorough reading and synthesis of hundreds of interviews, articles and reviews, Waiting For Another War is a chronicle of The Sisters Of Mercy’s brilliant and tumultuous years from ‘The Damage Done’ to First And Last And Always.The first printing is hardcover and strictly limited to 200 signed copies. 250 pages.50 black and white illustrations.6 x 9 inches.ISBN 781734 479324.

Tori Amos' Boys for Pele


Amy Gentry - 2019
    Amy Gentry argues that these violent aesthetic responses to Amos's performance, both positive and negative, are organized around disgust-the disgust that women are taught to feel, not only for their own bodies, but for their taste in music. Released in 1996, Amos's third album, Boys for Pele, represents the height of Amos's willingness to explore the ugly qualities that make all of her music, even her more conventionally beautiful albums, so uncomfortably, and so wonderfully, strange. Using a blend of memoir, criticism, and aesthetic theory, Gentry argues that the aesthetics of disgust are useful for thinking in a broader way about women's experience of all art forms.

Terrible Things


Beth Bolden - 2019
     Some things, no matter what the cause, are unforgivable. But Leo never expected Caleb to show up again, clean and sober and wanting to get their band, Star Shadow, back together. He definitely never expected to agree to Caleb’s plan. He never expected to confront the love of his life again—or the disaster of his past, the hopelessness of his future, and every terrible thing he’s been carrying inside him. But maybe some things aren’t so terrible after all.An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

Dear Evan Hansen: The Complete Book and Lyrics (West End Edition)


Steven Levenson - 2019
    

Humbly Yours


T. Key - 2019
    It almost cost him his deal. Coming from two parents who were addicts...the generational curse plagued him...he was an alcoholic seeking acceptance from the parents of his ex Lola since his treated him like he didn't exist...until they needed money. After he woke up from the coma from a car accident that almost took him out, he changed his life thanks to Josh and Haven of Christ Rehab Facility. He found his way...then found Kalista, His Majesty Records new lyriccal princess. Fighting demons of her own, she clung to him because their broken pieces cried out to each other. Is she the one? If she is, that makes the second woman to step on Victoria's toes. She was the one for...why couldn't see that?

Sleevenotes


Joe Thompson - 2019
    DIY by instinct, sonic and ethical influences from all who have pressed their own records, from Sun Ra to Wiley via Minor Threat are detailed. With funny, self-deprecating honesty Thompson nails a sometimes thankless, but always rewarding life making music in a community of friends; ageing gratefully and very, very noisily. Multiple voices tell the story and, refreshingly, fellow travellers are fully credited and valued.“To this day I genuinely think these moments are worth the fight.”Want to be in a band? Read this first.

Adventures of a Metalhead Librarian: A Rock N' Roll Memoir


Anna-Marie O'Brien - 2019
     *** " Anna-Marie is a true-lifer metalhead. She was around at a critical time for the music, and tells a fascinating story of those times. Take a ride with her in this great book! -- Brian Slagel, founder and CEO, Metal Blade Records. In 1990, Anna-Marie left her disappointing Midwestern childhood behind and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to pursue her heavy metal dreams on the Sunset Strip. Bands like Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, and Guns N’ Roses were at the height of their popularity, and she landed right in the middle of the heavy-metal music scene. Welcomed by sunshine and possibilities, her California adventure began the very first day she arrived in magical Laurel Canyon. Soon, she was working in the music industry, and then for Metal Blade Records. Working with her favorite bands and witnessing music history was a dream come true. But - things were not all as they seemed. Grunge music had arrived from Seattle, and it was taking over the metal scene. Los Angeles turned into a dark force, forcing her to make tough choices in order to survive. This is a story of big magic, following your heart, and starting over. Anna-Marie is a real-life librarian, and a lifelong fan of heavy metal and rock music. This is Adventures of a Metalhead Librarian.

Why Lhasa de Sela Matters


Fred Goodman - 2019
    In Canada, her album La Llorona won the Juno Award and went gold, and its follow-up, The Living Road, won a BBC World Music Award. Tragically, de Sela succumbed to breast cancer in 2010 at the age of thirty-seven after recording her final album, Lhasa.Tracing de Sela's unconventional life and introducing her to a new generation, Why Lhasa de Sela Matters is the first biography of this sophisticated creative icon. Raised in a hippie family traveling between the United States and Mexico in a converted school bus, de Sela developed an unquenchable curiosity, with equal affinities for the romantic, mystic, and cerebral. Becoming a sensation in Montreal and Europe, the trilingual singer rejected a conventional path to fame, joining her sisters' circus troupe in France. Revealing the details of these and other experiences that inspired de Sela to write such vibrant, otherworldly music, Why Lhasa de Sela Matters sings with the spirit of this gifted firebrand.

Stay Fanatic!!! Hectic Expectorations For The Music Obsessive (Vol. 1)


Henry Rollins - 2019
    

The Happiness Playlist: The True Story Of Healing My Heart With Feel-Good Music


Mark Mallman - 2019
    with a crushing panic attack that wouldn't end. He responded by pouring songs into a happiness playlist and leaning on the wisdom of friends. This is the true story of a man beset by grief, healed by music, and learning to laugh through it all.Praise: “Mark Mallman is legitimately original, exclusively motivated by a desire to conquer the strange obstructions he builds inside his mind." — Chuck Klosterman, author of Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota. “This brave and masterfully written book is a testament to the power of love and art. Read it and become obsessed." — Diablo Cody, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Juno and creator of United States of Tara. “The Happiness Playlist is funny, thought-provoking, and just plain helpful. It's the best book on grief that I've ever picked up. This examination of music-listening as a method to combat heartbreak is a joy to read. You need it." — Craig Finn, leader of the critically acclaimed American indie rock band The Hold Steady. “You're going to love this book. It's beautiful, hopeful and personal. It will help you process grief with music that helps you through." — Sean Tillmann, singer-songwriter and actor, best known as Har Mar Superstar. “I highly recommend Mallman's book about music, anxiety and happiness. It's wise, funny, raw, and heartfelt." — Jim Walsh, author of The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting and Gold Experience: Following Prince In The '90s. "At its best, Mallman's style is reminiscent of Kerouac and Hemingway. He uses music to heal his wounds, but that summation is only part of it, and doesn't do the book the justice to which it's entitled. Mallman also leans on his 'tribe'—friends and fellow artists, girlfriends and colleagues, his father—as well as his own creativity and his tremendous ability to look with humor and detachment on his frozen environment and the healing possibilities in his own head. The result is an uplifting memoir that earns its wings honestly, with humor and perception." — Dave Eisenstark in IndieReader "Observing Mallman fighting grief feels like watching a fishing bobber battling a strong current. This book should offer solace to anyone grappling with a similar situation." — Kirkus Reviews

Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Works, and Why It Matters


Nate Sloan - 2019
    Through close studies of sixteen modern classics, musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding shift pop from the background to the foreground, illuminating the essential musical concepts behind two decades of chart-topping songs.In 1939, Aaron Copland published What to Listen for in Music, the bestseller that made classical music approachable for generations of listeners. Eighty years later, Nate and Charlie update Copland's idea for a new audience and repertoire: 21st century pop, from Britney to Beyonc�, Outkast to Kendrick Lamar. Despite the importance of pop music in contemporary culture, most discourse only revolves around lyrics and celebrity. Switched on Pop gives readers the tools they need to interpret our modern soundtrack. Each chapter investigates a different song and artist, revealing musical insights such as how a single melodic motif follows Taylor Swift through every genre that she samples, Andr� 3000 uses metric manipulation to get listeners to "shake it like a Polaroid picture," or Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee create harmonic ambiguity in "Despacito" that mirrors the patterns of global migration.Replete with engaging discussions and eye-catching illustrations, Switched on Pop brings to life the musical qualities that catapult songs into the pop pantheon. Readers will find themselves listening to familiar tracks in new waysand not just those from the Top 40. The timeless concepts that Nate and Charlie define can be applied to any musical style. From fanatics to skeptics, teenagers to octogenarians, non-musicians to professional composers, every music lover will discover something ear-opening in Switched on Pop.

Hawkwind: Days of the Underground: Radical Escapism in the Age Of Paranoia


Joe Banks - 2019
    Their influence reaches across the spectrum of alternative music, from psychedelia, prog, and punk, through industrial, electronica, and stoner rock. Hawkwind has been variously, if erroneously, positioned as the heir to both Pink Floyd and the Velvet Underground, and as Britain's answer to the Grateful Dead and Krautrock. They have defined a genre—space rock—while operating on a frequency that's uniquely their own.Hawkwind offered a form of radical escapism and an alternative account of a strange new world for a generation of young people growing up on a planet that seemed to be teetering on the brink of destruction, under threat from economic meltdown, industrial unrest, and political polarization. While other commentators confidently asserted that the countercultural experiment of the 1960s was over, Hawkwind took the underground to the provinces and beyond.In Days of the Underground, Joe Banks repositions Hawkwind as one of the most innovative and culturally significant bands of the 1970s. It's not an easy task. As with many bands of this era, a lazy narrative has built up around Hawkwind that doesn't do justice to the breadth of its ambition and achievements. Banks gives the lie to the popular perception of Hawkwind as one long lysergic soap opera; with Days of the Underground, he shows us just how revolutionary Hawkwind were, and their ongoing legacy's incendiary potential.

Crossover the Edge: Where Hardcore, Punk And Metal Collide


Alexandros Anesiadis - 2019
    Blending the musical and visual elements of all three, this scene within several scenes came to be known as Crossover. Pulling together bands from diverse subcultural backgrounds (including the Skinhead, Oi and Anarcho scenes) to create a unique fusion whose appeal reached out to a large proportion of each of their fans, the movement was nevertheless overlooked by purists from each side. But inarguably, Crossover (or "Speedcore" as some came to call it), lent a fresh air to a metal scene at risk of stagnation, and brought a welcome atmosphere of experimentation to punk rock. Crossover The Edge contains in-depth features on over 100 key bands from the scene’s 1980s heyday, including Agnostic Front, Cro Mags, Crumbsuckers, Leeway, Gang Green, Nuclear Assault, Lethal Aggression, D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Impulse Manslaughter, Verbal Abuse, Attitude Adjustment, Suicidal Tendencies, Excel, Beowulf, Dr. Know, Septic Death, Cryptic Slaughter, Accused, Dayglo Abortions, Discharge, Broken Bones, English Dogs, Sacrilege, Warfare, Raw Power, Rumble Militia, Lobotomia, Overkill L.A., Mentors, Void and Amebix. Another 500 bands are also featured briefly.

Defying Gravity: Jordan's Story


Jordan Mooney - 2019
    But nobody knows what was really going on behind those watchful eyes when Anarchy hit the UK. How did a ballet-mad girl from sleepy Sussex make her way, via the clandestine gay clubs of Brighton and London, to 430 King's Road and the eye of punk's storm? How could she share hair-raising adventures with McLaren and Westwood, The Sex Pistols, Adam and his Ants, Derek Jarman and Andy Warhol, and then just disappear? With commentary from key players including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Cook, Marco Pirroni, Holly Johnson, and her partner behind the SEX/Seditionaries counter, Michael Collins, plus a wealth of never-before-seen images from Simon Barker, Sheila Rock, and Harri Peccinotti, Jordan finally reveals her outrageous life story.

Vaideology: Basic Music Theory for Guitar Players


Steve Vai - 2019
    Named Guardians of Guitar 2019 NAMM top pick! Experience must-know music knowledge and wisdom through the highly focused lens of legendary guitar virtuoso Steve Vai. This full-color instructional book written by Vai himself features in-depth discussions of the music theory fundamentals that every aspiring (and veteran) guitar player should know, packed with practical exercises, diagrams, tips, inspiring ideas and concepts, practice methods, and ways of looking at music that you may have never considered. Topics covered include: academic vs. experiential learning * reading and writing music * key signatures * chord scales * rhythm basics * guitar harmonics * modes * and much more. This beautiful book is full-color throughout and features artwork on every page by Vai!