The punks meet the Modfather, the jazz singer hangs out with a jam band icon, and you can always count on the rockers. These are your musical reads of the week:
Paul: Photographs by Andy Crofts
By Andy Crofts
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Music and photography have always gone hand in hand for Andy Crofts. In his teens he discovered a passion for taking pictures and described it as a life changing feeling. With a few brief encounters through playing live and sending demos of his music he first met Paul Weller in 2006 which subsequently led to Andy being asked to join Paul’s band in 2008, and has been a permanent member ever since. This book showcases a collection of photographs from his fast paced travels with Paul. Since joining the band he noticed that slowly and unintentionally he had gathered a collection of photographs of Paul that the world has never seen and for the first time from the perspective of a band member. This book is a series of natural observations, from over the years of travelling and being part of the Paul Weller band.”
Rock: 101 Iconic Rock, Heavy Metal & Hard Rock Albums
By Paul Elliot
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The 1970s was the era when the great heavy metal pioneers laid down the blueprint for everything that was to come after, forefathers like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple dominated. But as metal began to take hold in the mainstream — and then began to diversify — bands such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica and Mötley Crüe made their presence felt among new fans, and it continues to evolve today with bands like Clutch and Ghost. Providing an extensive overview of the music and the stories behind each album, this inclusive reference chronicles the history and development of heavy metal, including sub-movements such as death metal, rap-rock, grunge, industrial rock, grindcore, nu metal, and stoner rock, illustrated with iconic album covers and archive photographs.”
Spitting and Screaming: The True Story of British Punk
By Neil Saint
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Spitting & Screaming: The True Story of British Punk is rather a grand title. Does it overpromise? If you think that folks, you’re wrong… The book represents a thorough investigation of the London pub rock and British punk scene in the ’70s from over 50 interviews with the participants themselves. Sally Jane Delaney, daughter of Tally Ho publican Lillian Delaney, shares memories of listening to the birth of London pub rock as Eggs Over Easy play a residency at her home; Steve Conolly, known as Roadent, conveys his direct knowledge of the early punk scene roadying for The Sex Pistols and The Clash; Charlie Harper, founding member of The UK Subs, recounts the very earliest days of The Roxy as punk goes overground in ’77 after the Grundy interview; and Andrew Lauder, a player in the music scene, informs you how much he disliked The Stranglers before falling in love with them and signing them to UA. Spanning that early to late ’70s, the book is a must-read for the music lover!”
The Music and Mythocracy of Col. Bruce Hampton: A Basically True Biography
By Jerry Grillo
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Col. Bruce Hampton was a charismatic musical figure who launched and continued to influence the jam band genre over his 50-plus years performing. Part bandleader, soul singer, storyteller, conjuror, poet, preacher, comedian, philosopher, and trickster, Col. Bruce actively sought out and dealt in the weird, wild underbelly of the American South. The Music and Mythocracy of Col. Bruce Hampton is neither a true biography in the Boswellian sense nor a work of cultural studies, although it combines elements of both. Even as biographer Jerry Grillo has investigated and pursued the facts, this life history of Col. Bruce reads like a novel — one full of amazing tales of a musical life lived on and off the road. Grillo’s interviews with Hampton and his bandmates, family, friends, and fans paint a fascinating portrait of an artist who fostered some of the best music ever played in America. Grillo aims not so much to document and demystify the self-mythologizing performer as to explain why his fans and friends loved him so dearly. Hampton’s family history, his place in Atlanta and southeastern musical history, his significant friendships and musical relationships, and the controversies over personnel in his Hampton Grease Band over the years are all discussed. What emerges is a portrait of a P. T. Barnum of the musical world, but one who included his audience and invited them through the tent door to share his inside joke, with plenty of joy to go around.”
Texas Jazz Singer: Louise Tobin in the Golden Age of Swing and Beyond
By Kevin Mooney
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “At 102 years of age, Louise Tobin is one of the last surviving musicians of the Swing Era. Born in Aubrey, Tex., in 1918, she grew up in a large family that played music together. She once said that she fell out of the cradle singing and all she ever wanted to do was to sing. And sing she did. She sang with Benny Goodman and also performed vocals for such notables as Will Bradley, Bobby Hackett, Harry James (her first husband), Johnny Mercer, Lionel Hampton, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Peanuts Hucko (her second husband), and Fletcher Henderson. Based on extensive oral history interviews and archival research, Texas Jazz Singer recalls both the glamour and the challenges of life on the road and onstage during the golden age of swing and beyond. As it traces American music through the twentieth century, Louise Tobin&;s story provides insight into the challenges musicians faced to sustain their careers during the cultural revolution and ever-changing styles and tastes in music. In this absorbing biography, music historian Kevin Edward Mooney offers readers a view of a remarkable life in music, told from the vantage point of the woman who lived it. Rather than simply making Tobin an emblem for women in jazz of the big band era, Mooney concentrates instead on Tobin&;s life, her struggles and successes, and in doing so captures the particular sense of grace that resonates throughout each phase of Tobin’s notable career.”
