Best of
Rock-N-Roll

2019

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.

Wicked


Piper Lawson - 2019
    Instead, I fell for a legend... Jax and Haley’s addictive, emotional rockstar romance trilogy is in ONE PLACE for the first time! Books 1 and 2 contain cliffhangers that build to book 3’s explosive, unmissable HEA. Immerse yourself in more than 500 pages of smoldering tension and enthralling romance that promise to leave you “dazed and a little crazed.” GOOD GIRL (Wicked #1): I wanted to fall for a man. Instead, I fell for a legend... The month I wrote my first piece of code, Jax Jamieson launched his third platinum album. The week I drank my first beer, he spent in jail. The day I got under his skin, I wound up on his tour. And the night he gave me his hoodie… I fell in love forever. BAD GIRL (Wicked #2): Rockstars don't chase college students. But Jax Jamieson’s never followed the rules. I thought I knew Jax's secrets. I was wrong. When the fans go home and the lights fade to black, it's just me and him and the people we left behind. I want to escape, until I realize... We can do a lot in the dark. WICKED GIRL (Wicked #3): He was a legend, until he walked away. I was nobody, until I was dragged into the light. I was never supposed to be part of Wicked, but it was always part of me. Now it's my turn to do something that matters. Even if the man I love hates me for it. A Rockstar Romance Series

Dare


S.L. Scott - 2019
    Cocky.Devilish good looks.A voice that commands attention. A night with him and no strings attached is just what I need. But he makes it impossible to not want more when he runs his hand through his dark, wild hair and smiles. One he only shares with me. Weatherly Beck is an angel with a body made for sin. Whip-smart.Drop dead gorgeous.Too good for any guy from the east side. Her life is planned out, so I don’t have a right to step in and mess up her future. But when I look into her sapphire blue eyes and taste the innocence on her lips, I know we’re meant to be more than a one-night stand. I want her to take a chance on me, to take a chance on us. She may not be a damsel in distress, but I Dare her to let me be her Hero.

Forget the Stars


Kelsey Kingsley - 2019
    At thirty, he never thought he'd still be unmarried and living with his parents. And with the added stress of his poor health, he's convinced the only thing within his control is the success he's found as a rock star.After reconnecting with his childhood best friend, Chad sets into motion a new plan to regain control over his happiness, and things start looking up. But when he finds himself diagnosed with a potentially debilitating chronic illness, he begins to wonder...Is this as good as it's going to get? Or is it at all possible for a guy like him to get everything he's ever wished for?

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.

Reckless Encore


Eden Summers - 2019
     Reckless Beat are back for an encore! Memories will be shared. Secrets will be exposed. And teenage angst will be in abundance. Someone may have even lost the naming rights to their kid during a drunken bet. Yep. Reckless are back - more seductive, hilarious, and crazy than ever.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Promise You (Rebel Desire, #5)


Fabiola Francisco - 2019
    I want more.I’ve had my eyes set on her for months. The gorgeous brunette captured my attention when I first saw her and stole my heart when I met her. Making it in the music industry has taken its toll on me, chipping away at my confidence and patience. The one thing that keeps me going is having Reese by my side. I’m determined to show her how good we can be together, even if she continues to pretend there’s nothing between us. One night changes everything, risking the only thing I’d want more than a career in country music—her.A friends-to-lovers Rebel Desire series spin-off - can be read as a STANDALONE

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.

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.

Hell Is Round the Corner: The Unique No-Holds Barred Autobiography


Tricky - 2019
    His signature sound, coupled with deep, questioning lyrics, took the UK by storm in the early 1990s and was part of the soundtrack that defined the post-rave generation.This unique, no-holds barred autobiography is not only a portrait of an incredible artist - it is also a gripping slice of social history packed with extraordinary anecdotes and voices from the margins of society. Tricky examines how his creativity has helped him find a different path to that of his relatives, some of whom were bare-knuckle fighters and gangsters, and how his mother's suicide has had a lifelong effect on him, both creatively and psychologically. With his unique heritage and experience, his story will be one of the most talked-about music autobiographies of the decade.

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.

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.

Woodstock: 50 Years of Peace and Music


Daniel Bukszpan - 2019
    This nostalgic release features beautiful, full-color photographs that bring the event back to life, sharing insights on how the festival is still making an impact on pop culture.

The Hard Times: The First 40 Years


Matt Saincome - 2019
    From their scathing takedown of Kim Jong-un after he appointed himself the new singer of Black Flag to their incisive coverage of a healthy Lars Ulrich being replaced by a hologram, the site has become a trusted source for all things counterculture.  Now, in this zine-style “historical retrospective,” the writers behind the site reveal their humble roots, documenting The Hard Times’ ascension alongside the rise of punk. With original articles from their ‘archives’ commenting on ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s punk, as well as fan favorites from the aughts onward, this comprehensive examination of the scene will make readers dust off their Doc Martens and creepy crawl their way to the nearest pit.

Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll 6-Book Boxed Set


Michelle Hazen - 2019
    
Meet the fiery female drummer, the intense bassist with a sensual secret, and the charismatic lead singer with a dark side.From spit-out-your-coffee funny to so heart-wrenching you’ll be snatching up a napkin to dab at your eyes, this series will give you all the feels.**Brand new bonus content! Exclusive interviews between the author and each of the three band member characters to catch you up on all the gossip of what’s been going on since the series ended! These hilarious and heart-tugging interviews are available in this boxed set only.**6-piece boxed set includes:
Book 0.5 - Fill Me 
Meet the band…before they got famous, or found love.

Book 1 - A Cruel Kind of Beautiful
Gentle guy with a huge secret.
Girl with a drum kit and a dream.
If you can't get to the Big O, can you get to the happily ever after?

Book 2 – Playing the Pauses
She's a globe-trotting tour manager who can’t be tied down.
He's a Dominant rock star and tattoo artist who needs her help to explore his true kinks.

Book 2.5 – Tie Me Down
A wild-spirited tour manager & an inked-up bassist found love on a tour bus, but now their jet-setting jobs are tearing them apart. 

Book 3 – Insatiable
He’s a star
She’s a hard rock legend
He’s ruined by his past
But she can’t stay away…
It’s hard to resist a bad boy who’s a good man
Book 3.5 – Christmas with the Band
Tattoos, house fires, and house arrest: It’s Christmas with the Band! This comic romp of a holiday story wraps up the world of the Sex, Love and Rock and Roll series in a red lacy bow.

The History of Rock: For Big Fans and Little Punks


Rita Nabais - 2019
    Colorful, stylish illustrations bring to life artists like Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Joan Jett, and Madonna, plus bands such as The Beatles, The Clash, Beastie Boys, and Pearl Jam, all of whom have inspired countless boys and girls to become musicians over the past 70 years.

I Just Can't Stop It: My Life in the Beat


Ranking Roger - 2019
    Roger’s energetic style and Jamaican-influenced vocals, paired with Dave Wakeling's angelic pop vocals, immediately distinguished the band from the other ska bands making waves, The Specials, Selecter and Madness.Now back recording new albums, and playing sell-out international dates, The Beat – fronted by Ranking Roger – tell, for the first time, their extraordinary story with acclaimed music writer Daniel Rachel (‘Walls Come Tumbling Down’).