The Greatest Albums You'll Never Hear


Book Description

A Pink Floyd album with no instruments. A Sex Pistols record more incendiary than 'Never Mind The Bollocks'. A sci-fi rock opera by Weezer. Rock 'n' roll history is littered with intriguing albums that never saw the light of day, let alone the charts. Self-destructive ambition, intra-band turmoil, record-company politics and even death have all played their part in creating a fascinating sub-genre of mythic masterpieces. Now, 'The Greatest Albums You'll Never Hear' untangles the twists of fate, the fights and the sheer bad luck that prevented these sonic gems from being pressed. Spanning more than half a century of music from all genres, these tales take in legends such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, cult heroes like Brian Eno and Frank Zappa, and contemporary artists, including Green Day and Dr Dre.







Dust & Grooves


Book Description

A photographic look into the world of vinyl record collectors—including Questlove—in the most intimate of environments—their record rooms. Compelling photographic essays from photographer Eilon Paz are paired with in-depth and insightful interviews to illustrate what motivates these collectors to keep digging for more records. The reader gets an up close and personal look at a variety of well-known vinyl champions, including Gilles Peterson and King Britt, as well as a glimpse into the collections of known and unknown DJs, producers, record dealers, and everyday enthusiasts. Driven by his love for vinyl records, Paz takes us on a five-year journey unearthing the very soul of the vinyl community.







1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die


Book Description

A guide to music provides recommendations on one thousand recordings that represent the best in such genres as classical, jazz, rock, pop, blues, country, folk, musicals, hip-hop, and opera, with listening notes, commentary, and anecdotes about performers.




Never a Dull Moment


Book Description

The basis for the new hit documentary 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything, now streaming on Apple TV+. A rollicking look at 1971 - the busiest, most innovative and resonant year of the 70s, defined by the musical arrival of such stars as David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Joni Mitchell On New Year's Eve, 1970, Paul McCartney told his lawyers to issue the writ at the High Court in London, effectively ending The Beatles. You might say this was the last day of the pop era. The following day, which was a Friday, was 1971. You might say this was the first day of the rock era. And within the remaining 364 days of this monumental year, the world would hear Don McLean's "American Pie," The Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar," The Who's "Baba O'Riley," Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," Rod Stewart's "Maggie May," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and more. David Hepworth, an ardent music fan and well regarded critic, was twenty-one in '71, the same age as many of the legendary artists who arrived on the scene. Taking us on a tour of the major moments, the events and songs of this remarkable year, he shows how musicians came together to form the perfect storm of rock and roll greatness, starting a musical era that would last longer than anyone predicted. Those who joined bands to escape things that lasted found themselves in a new age, its colossal start being part of the genre's staying power. Never a Dull Moment is more than a love song to the music of 1971. It's also an homage to the things that inspired art and artists alike. From Soul Train to The Godfather, hot pants to table tennis, Hepworth explores both the music and its landscapes, culminating in an epic story of rock and roll's best year.




Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - One Size Fits All (Songbook)


Book Description

(Recorded Version (Guitar)). Note-for-note transcriptions with tab for all nine tracks from Zappa's classic 1975 release: Andy * Can't Afford No Shoes * Evelyn, A Modified Dog * Florentine Pogen * Inca Roads * Po-Jama People * San Ber'dino * Sofa No. 1 * Sofa No. 2. Includes an introduction by Steve Vai.




The Mojo Collection


Book Description

Thoroughly revised and expanded, this entertaining musical companion provides original reviews of more than seven hundred albums, along with deailed information on recording and production details, release dates, artists and musicians, cross references, and more. Original.




Torment Saint


Book Description

Elliott Smith was one of the most gifted songwriters of the '90s, adored by fans for his subtly melancholic words and melodies.The sadness had its sources in the life.There was trauma from an early age, years of drug abuse, and a chronic sense of disconnection that sometimes seemed self-engineered.Smith died violently in LA in 2003, under what some believe to be questionable circumstances, of stab wounds to the chest.By this time fame had found him, and record-buyers who shared the listening experience felt he spoke directly to them from beyond:astute, damaged, lovelorn, fighting, until he could fight no more. And yet, although his intimate lyrics carried the weight of truth, Smith remained unknowable. In Torment Saint, William Todd Schultz gives us the first proper biography of the rock star, a decade after his death, imbued with affection, authority, sensitivity, and long-awaited clarity. Torment Saint draws on Schultz's careful, deeply knowledgeable readings and insights, as well as on more than 150 hours of interviews with close friends from Texas to Los Angeles, lovers, bandmates, music peers, managers, label owners, and recording engineers and producers. This book unravels the remaining mysteries of Smith's life and his shocking, too early end.It will be, for Smith's legions of fans and readers still discovering his songbook, an indispensable examination of his life and legacy.




Twilight of the Gods


Book Description

National Bestseller * Named one of Rolling Stone's Best Music Books of 2018 * One of Newsweek's 50 Best Books of 2018 * A Billboard Best of 2018 * A New York Times Book Review "New and Noteworthy" selection The author of the critically acclaimed Your Favorite Band is Killing Me offers an eye-opening exploration of the state of classic rock, its past and future, the impact it has had, and what its loss would mean to an industry, a culture, and a way of life. Since the late 1960s, a legendary cadre of artists—including the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Black Sabbath, and the Who—has revolutionized popular culture and the sounds of our lives. While their songs still get airtime and some of these bands continue to tour, its idols are leaving the stage permanently. Can classic rock remain relevant as these legends die off, or will this major musical subculture fade away as many have before, Steven Hyden asks. In this mix of personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden stands witness as classic rock reaches the precipice. Traveling to the eclectic places where geriatric rockers are still making music, he talks to the artists and fans who have aged with them, explores the ways that classic rock has changed the culture, investigates the rise and fall of classic rock radio, and turns to live bootlegs, tell-all rock biographies, and even the liner notes of rock’s greatest masterpieces to tell the story of what this music meant, and how it will be remembered, for fans like himself. Twilight of the Gods is also Hyden’s story. Celebrating his love of this incredible music that has taken him from adolescence to fatherhood, he ponders two essential questions: Is it time to give up on his childhood heroes, or can this music teach him about growing old with his hopes and dreams intact? And what can we all learn from rock gods and their music—are they ephemeral or eternal?