Since the beginning of the year, music-related books have been pretty few and far between. Looks like things are finally picking up — assuming you’re a fan of Weird Al, John Entwistle or The Association. Either way, keep reading:
Weird Al: Seriously
By Lily E. Hirsch
THE PRESS RELEASE: “From his love of accordions and Hawaiian print shirts to his popular puns and trademark dance moves, “Weird Al” Yankovic has made a career out of making us laugh. Funny music is often dismissed as light and irrelevant, but Yankovic’s fourteen successful studio albums prove there is more going on than comedic music’s reputation suggests. In this book, for the first time, the parodies, original compositions, and polka medleys of the Weird Al universe finally receive their due respect. Lily Hirsch weaves together original interviews with the prince of parody himself, creating a fresh take on comedy and music’s complicated romance. She reveals that Yankovic’s jests have always had a deeper meaning, addressing such topics as bullying, celebrity, and racial and gender stereotypes. Weird Al is undeterred by those who say funny music is nothing but a low-brow pastime. And thank goodness. With his good-guy grace still intact, Yankovic remains unapologetically and unmistakably himself. Reveling in the mischief and wisdom of Yankovic’s forty-year career, this book is an Al-expense-paid tour of a true comedic and musical genius.”
Along Comes The Association: Beyond Folk Rock and Three-Piece Suits
By Russ Giguere, Ashley Wren Collins
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Along Comes The Association is the story of how Russ Giguere and his fellow band members in the legendary and influential pop group The Association came together to create unparalleled music, with such chart toppers as Cherish, Windy, Never My Love, and Along Comes Mary, unique to the time and place, and never again to be repeated. Yes, there were drugs, and there were women, such as the lovely Linda Ronstadt and Helen Mirren, but it was the ’60s, after all. In reading Along Comes The Association, you are transported back in time to post-1963 America. Go on, try to resist the urge to roll one while floating on the musical cloud of melodic rock that Russ Giguere and his band of troubadours popularized and we still cherish to this day…”
The Ox: The Last of the Great Rock Stars: The Authorised Biography of The Who’s John Entwistle By Paul Rees
THE PRESS RELEASE: “It is an unequivocal fact that in terms of rock bands, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who represent Year Zero; the beginning of all things, ground-breakers all. To that end, John Entwistle — The Who’s beloved bassist — is also without question one of the most important and influential figures in the annals of rock. He is also among an even more rarefied few by virtue of his being such a fascinating, transfixing and gloriously oversized character. However, Entwistle has not been the subject of a major biography. Likely, this was due to no-one being able to gain close access to the subject himself: the still in many other respects enigmatic Entwistle’s enduring legacy has been carefully guarded by his surviving family. With the full co-operation of the Entwistle family, The Ox will correct this oversight and in doing so, shine a long overdue light on one of the single greatest, and most impactful figures in rock history.”
