Next Week in Music | June 7-13 • New Books

Your new reading list has no shortage of big names. Let's meet them all, shall we?

The Lizard King and Old Blue Eyes, Tupac and Prince, Kid A and Queen Bey — next week’s reading list has no shortage of big names. Let’s meet them all, shall we?

 


The Collected Works Of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts & Lyrics
By Jim Morrison

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The definitive anthology of Doors frontman Jim Morrison’s writings, with rare photographs and handwritten excerpts of unpublished and published poetry and lyrics from his 28 privately held notebooks. Created in collaboration with Morrison’s estate and inspired by a posthumously discovered list entitled Plan For Book, The Collected Works of Jim Morrison is an almost 600-page anthology. It is the definitive opus of Morrison’s creative output. Throughout, a compelling mix of 160 visual components accompanies the text — all written in his own hand and published here for the first time — as well as an array of personal images and commentary on the work by Morrison himself. This oversized, beautifully produced collectible volume contains a wealth of new material — poetry, writings, lyrics, and audio transcripts of Morrison reading his work. Not only the most comprehensive book of Morrison’s work ever published, it is immersive, giving readers insight to the creative process of and offering access to the musings and observations of the artist.”


Sinatra And Me: In The Wee Small Hours
By Tony Oppedisano & Mary Jane Ross

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “An intimate, revealing portrait of Frank Sinatra, from the man closest to the famous singer during the last decade of his life. More than 100 books have been written about the legendary crooner. Every detail of his life seems to captivate: his career, his romantic relationships, his personality, his style. But a hard-to-pin-down quality has always clung to him — a certain elusiveness that emerges again and again in retrospective depictions. Until now. From Sinatra’s closest confidant, Tony Oppedisano, comes an extraordinarily intimate look at the singing idol. Deep into the night, for more than two thousand nights, Frank and Tony would converse — about music, family, friends, great loves, achievements and successes, failures and disappointments, the lives they’d led, the lives they wished they’d led. In these full-disclosure conversations, Sinatra spoke of his complex relationship with his father, his conflicts with record companies, his carousing in Vegas, his love affairs with some of the most beautiful women of his era, his triumphs on some of the world’s biggest stages, his complicated relationships with his talented children, and his dedication to his craft. Oppedisano kept his own rooms at the Sinatra residences for many years and held the superstar entertainer’s hand when he drew his last breath. With never-before-seen photos and new revelations about some of the most famous people of the past 50 years — including Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Sam Giancana, Madonna and BonoSinatra And Me pulls back the curtain to reveal a man whom history has, in many ways, gotten wrong.”


Changes: An Oral History of Tupac Shakur
By Sheldon Pearce

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This intimate, revealing account of Tupac Shakur’s life and legacy is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of his birth and 25th anniversary of his death. In the summer of 2020, Tupac Shakur’s single Changes became an anthem for the worldwide protests against the murder of George Floyd. The song became so popular, in fact, it was vaulted back onto the charts more than 20 years after its release — making it clear that Tupac’s music and the way it addresses systemic racism, police brutality, mass incarceration, income inequality, and a failing education system is just as important now as it was back then. In Changes, Sheldon Pearce offers one of the most thoughtful and comprehensive accounts yet of the artist’s life and legacy. Pearce interviews dozens who knew Tupac throughout various phases of his life. While there are plenty of bold-faced names, the book focuses on the individuals who are lesser known and offer fresh stories and rare insight. Among these are the actor who costarred with him in a Harlem production of A Raisin In The Sun when he was 12 years old, the high school drama teacher who recognized and nurtured his talent, the music industry veteran who helped him develop a nonprofit devoted to helping young artists, the Death Row Records executive who has never before spoken on the record, and dozens of others. Meticulously woven together by Pearce, their voices combine to portray Tupac in all his complexity and contradiction.”


By Steven Hyden

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 1999, as the end of an old century loomed, five musicians entered a recording studio in Paris without a deadline. Their band was widely recognized as the most forward-thinking in rock. But Radiohead didn’t want to make another rock record. Instead, they set out to create the future. For more than a year, they battled writer’s block, intra-band disagreements, and crippling self-doubt. In the end, however, they produced an album that was not only a complete departure from their prior guitar-based rock sound, it was the sound of a new era-and it embodied widespread changes catalyzed by emerging technologies just beginning to take hold of the culture. What they created was Kid A. Upon its release in 2000, Radiohead’s fourth album divided critics. Some called it an instant classic; others, such as the U.K. music magazine Melody Maker, deemed it “tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory… whiny old rubbish.” But two decades later, Kid A sounds like nothing less than an overture for the chaos and confusion of the 21st century. Steven Hyden digs deep into the songs, history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A, outlining the album’s pervasive influence and impact on culture. Deploying a mix of criticism, journalism, and personal memoir, Hyden skillfully revisits this enigmatic, alluring LP and investigates the many ways in which Kid A shaped and foreshadowed our world.”


Prince And The Parade & Sign O’ The Times Era Studio Sessions 1985 & 1986
By Duane Tudahl

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This second book in the award-winning Prince Studio Sessions series spotlights how Prince, the biggest rock star on the planet at the time, risked everything to create some of the most introspective music of his four-decade career. Author Duane Tudahl takes us on an emotional and intimate journey of love, loss, rivalry, and renewal revealed through unprecedented access to dozens of musicians, singers, studio engineers, and others who worked with Prince and knew him best — with never-before-published memories from The Revolution, The Time, The Family, and Apollonia 6. Also included is a heartfelt foreword by Elton John about his time and friendship with Prince.”


Beyoncé in the World: Making Meaning with Queen Bey in Troubled Times
By Christina Baade and Kristin A McGee

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From Destiny’s Child to Lemonade, Homecoming and The Gift, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has redefined global stardom, feminism, Black representation, and celebrity activism. This book of essays brings together new work from 16 scholars to explore her impact as an artist and public figure, from the perspectives of critical race studies, gender and women’s studies, queer and cultural studies, music, and fan studies. The authors explore Beyoncé’s musical persona as one that builds upon the lineages of Black female cool, Black southern culture, and Black feminist cultural production. They explore Beyoncé’s reception within and beyond North America, including how a range of performers have drawn inspiration from her. The authors show how Beyoncé’s music is a source of healing and kinship for many fans, particularly Black women and queer communities of colour.”


The Beatles Coloring Book
By IglooBooks

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bring your own creative twist to the story of The Fab Four. From iconic album covers to legendary concerts, from early days to the height of their success, you can recreate some of the most important moments in music history in this groovy colouring book.”

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