I have heard that something like 60,000 new songs are added to Spotify every day. Thankfully, life isn’t that crazy in the book department. Not yet, anyway. Even so, next week’s lineup of new tomes is more than anyone can get through in a week — unless you read a lot faster than I do. Here are your options:
The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present
By Paul McCartney
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Covering his early Liverpool days through the historic decade of The Beatles, Wings and his long solo career, The Lyrics pairs the definitive texts of 154 Paul McCartney songs with first-person commentaries on his life and music. Spanning two alphabetically arranged volumes, these commentaries reveal how the songs came to be and the people who inspired them: His devoted parents Mary and Jim; his songwriting partner John Lennon; his “Golden Earth Girl” Linda Eastman; his wife Nancy McCartney; and even Queen Elizabeth, among many others. Here are the origins of Let It Be, Lovely Rita, Yesterday and Mull of Kintyre, as well as McCartney’s literary influences, including Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll and Alan Durband, his high-school English teacher. With images from McCartney’s personal archives ― handwritten texts, paintings, and photographs, hundreds previously unseen ― The Lyrics, spanning 64 years, becomes the definitive literary and visual record of one of the greatest songwriters of all time.”
Wembley or Bust
By Jeff Lynne
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In his first official book, Jeff Lynne reveals the meticulous planning leading up to the epic Wembley or Bust concert, and shares the stories behind a career-spanning catalogue of songs. In an exclusive new text, Lynne reflects on his formative years growing up and his eventual success with ELO hits such as Mr. Blue Sky, Evil Woman and Livin’ Thing. From his memories of producing The Beatles’ last single Free As A Bird, to his anecdotes from inside one of the greatest supergroups, The Traveling Wilburys, Lynne also discusses his fascinating career outside of ELO. His narration guides the reader through hundreds of exclusive photographs taken specially for the making of this book. From backstage to front of house, Wembley or Bust is Jeff Lynne’s account of a once-in-a-lifetime concert, and its significance within the greater story of his career as one of the most popular recording artists, songwriters and producers of all-time.”
Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax
By Frank Bello & Joel McIver
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Frank Bello, bassist with the legendary New York thrash metal band Anthrax since 1984, has sold over 10 million albums, travelled the globe more times than he cares to count, and enthralled audiences from the world’s biggest stages. His long-awaited memoir would be a gripping read even if its pages only contained stories about his life as a recording and touring musician. While those stories are indeed included, Bello also focuses on deeper subjects in Fathers, Brothers, and Sons. Once you’ve heard his life story, you’ll understand why. Born into a family of five, Frank grew up in difficult circumstances. His father abandoned his wife and children, and Frank’s mother moved heaven and earth to keep them fed and educated. Left with no male role model, Frank found inspiration in heavy metal bass players, following their example and forging a career with Anthrax from his early teens ― first as a roadie, and then as the group’s bass player. International stardom came Frank’s way by the mid-to-late 1980s, when he was still in his early 20s, but tragedy struck in 1996 when his brother Anthony was murdered in New York. Although the case went to trial, the suspected killer was released without charge after a witness, intimidated by violent elements, withdrew his testimony. Two decades later, Frank is a father himself to a young son. Like many men who grew up without the guidance of a dad, he asks himself important questions about the meaning of fatherhood and how to do the job well. This is the wisdom which Fathers, Brothers, and Sons offers readers. Despite the emotive nature of these topics, it is a funny, entertaining read. A man with a keen sense of humor and the perspective to know how surreal his story has been, Frank doesn’t preach or seek sympathy in his book. Instead, he simply passes on the wisdom gained from a lifetime of turbulence, paying tribute to his loved ones in a way that will resonate with us all.”
Band of Gold
By Mark Bego & Freda Payne
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Band of Gold is the exciting story of singer and actress Freda Payne. While she is best known for her 1970 hit Band of Gold, and her 1971 Grammy-nominated album Contact, her story is an inspiring adventure, lived alongside the “who’s who” of the show business world including Duke Ellington, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey, Omar Sharif, Quincy Jones, Liza Minnelli and Sarah Vaughn. Freda’s compelling memoir is a celebration of a glamorous life well-lived.”
Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius
By Harry Freedman
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Leonard Cohen’s music is studded with allusions to Jewish and Christian tradition, as well as Kabbalah and Zen. This book is about the ethos, origins and traditions in Cohen’s lyrics. His grandfather was a Rabbi. He had grown up in an observant Jewish family; one with problems. His father died when he was nine, his mother suffered from depression and he himself underwent prolonged dark periods. His Irish catholic nanny took him to Church. He was as familiar with Christian traditions as he was Jewish. In his early works indeed he seemed more engaged with Christianity than with Judaism. But one of the notable features of his work is how he switches with ease from Judaism to Christianity. He is not concerned with confessional barriers, they simply impede access to the deep well of spiritual lore from which he draws. Kabbalah also features in his imagery. He became increasingly interested in Zen. In 1990 he moved into a Zen monastery as a permanent resident, apparently becoming a Buddhist monk. Here then is a book that looks deep into the soul and imagination of one of the greatest singers and lyricists of our time. Here is the landscape of his soul. This is not a biography but a biographical narrative into the treatment of each song or theme, so that by the end the reader will in fact have a good understanding of Cohen’s life story.”
Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: From This Broken Hill, Volume 2
By Michael Posner
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The second volume of the extraordinary life of the great music and literary icon Leonard Cohen, in the words of those who knew him best. Poet, novelist, singer-songwriter, artist, prophet, icon — there has never been a figure like Cohen. He was a true giant in contemporary western culture, entertaining and inspiring the world with his work. From his groundbreaking and bestselling novels The Favourite Game and Beautiful Losers to timeless songs such as Suzanne, Dance Me to the End of Love and Hallelujah, Cohen is one of the world’s most cherished artists. His death in 2016 was felt around the world by the many fans and followers who would miss his warmth, humour, intellect, and piercing insights. Untold Stories chronicles the full breadth of his extraordinary life. This second of three volumes follows him from the conclusion of his first international music tour in 1971 as he continued to compose poetry, record music, and search for meaning into the late 1980s. The book explores his decade-long relationships with Suzanne Elrod, with whom he had two children, and various other numerous romantic partners, including the beginning of his long relationship with French photographer Dominique Issermann and, simultaneously, a five-year relationship with a woman never previously identified. It is a challenging time for Cohen. His personal life is in chaos and his career stumbles, so much so that his 1984 album Various Positions is rejected by Columbia Records, while other artistic endeavours fail to find an audience. However, this period also marks the start of his 40-year immersion in Zen Buddhism, which would connect him to the legendary Zen master Joshu Sasaki Roshi and inspire some of his most profound and enduring art. In From This Broken Hill, bestselling author and biographer Michael Posner draws on hundreds of interviews to reach beyond the Cohen of myth and reveal the unique, complex, and compelling figure of the real man. Honest and entertaining, this is a must-have book for any Cohen fan.”
The Jazz Masters: Setting the Record Straight
By Peter C. Zimmerman
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Jazz Masters: Setting the Record Straight features 21 conversations with musicians who have had at least 50 years of professional experience, and several as many as 75. In all, these voices reflect some 1,700 years of paying dues. Appealing to casual fans and jazz aficionados alike, these interviews have been carefully, but minimally edited by Peter Zimmerman for sense and clarity, without changing any of the musicians’ actual words. Five of the interviewees — Dick Hyman, Jimmy Owens, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry and Yusef Lateef — have received the National Endowment for the Arts’ prestigious Jazz Masters Fellowship, attesting to their importance and ability. While not official masters, the rest are veteran performers willing to share their experiences and knowledge. The musicians interviewed for the book range in age from their early 70s to mid-90s. Older musicians started their careers during the segregation of the Jim Crow era, while the youngest came up during the struggle for civil rights. All grapple with issues of race, performance, and jazz’s rich legacies. In addition to performing, touring, and recording, many have composed and arranged, and others have contributed as teachers, historians, studio musicians, session players, producers, musicians’ advocates, authors, columnists, poets, and artists.”
Arcana X: Musicians on Music
By John Zorn
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Initiated in 1997 and now in its 10th and final installment, John Zorn’s acclaimed Arcana series is a major source of new music theory and practice in the 21st century. Illuminating directly via the personal vision and experience of the practitioners themselves, who experience music not from a cool, safe distance, but from the white-hot center of the creative crucible itself, Arcana elucidates through essays, manifestos, scores, interviews, notebooks and critical papers. Over 25 years, the 10 volumes have presented the writings of over 300 of the most extraordinary musical thinkers of our time, who address composing, performing, improvising, touring, collaborating, living and thinking about music from diverse, refreshing and often surprising perspectives. Technical, philosophical, political, artistic and mystical in nature, these writings provide direct connections to the creative processes and hidden stratagems of musicians from the worlds of classical, rock, jazz, film soundtrack, improvised music and more. Contributors include: Susan Alcorn, Oren Ambarchi, Ran Blake, Peter Blegvad, Tyondai Braxton, Patricia Brennan, John Butcher, Ben Coniguliaro, Amir Elsaffar, Kenny Grohowski, Tom Guralnick, Mark Helias, David Hertzberg, Stefan Jackiw, Dan Kaufman, Derek Keller, Richard Kessler, Pauline Kim, Ulrich Krieger, Hannah Lash, Dan Lippel, Annea Lockwood, Dave Lombardo, Charlie Looker, Thomas Morgan, Stephen O’Malley, Laura Ortman, Alex Paxton, Alexandria Smith, Conrad Tao, Pat Thomas, Henry Threadgill, Anna Webber, Fay Victor, Christian Wolff and Miguel Zenon.”
I Saw a Dozen Faces… And I Rocked Them All: The Diary of a Never Was
By Tim Lee
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tim Lee’s I Saw a Dozen Faces … and I Rocked Them All: The Diary of a Never Was chronicles the journey of a rock ’n’ roll lifer who was part of the national independent music scene of the 1980s. It’s a story of perseverance, belief, disappointment, rock and roll rebirth, and, most of all, fun. Lee, a new wave journeyman, toured with the likes of Let’s Active, Swimming Pool Qs and Marti Jones, and was a founding member of The Windbreakers, Bark, Beat Temptation and other projects. In 300 pages, with over 50 photographs, plus extensive discography and index, Tim tells the story of a “never was” who did it anyway: Climbed in the van, drove the miles, loaded the gear, slept on the floors, counted the pennies. All for that brief hour or so on stage that made it worth the effort.”
Does Anybody Remember Laughter?: Fifty Years of Stairway to Heaven
By Eric Danville
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nov. 8, 2021, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album, which contains one of the most well-known rock songs ever recorded, Stairway to Heaven. At just over eight minutes long, the composition by guitarist Jimmy Page and singer/lyricist Robert Plant didn’t fit the hit-making, ad-friendly, three-minute-song format of AM radio. It didn’t have to. Led Zeppelin were already huge stars by the time of the album’s release, despite, although some would argue because of, manager Peter Grant’s policy against releasing singles, the better to preserve the integrity of their longer-than-average album cuts — and drive album sales. Stairway to Heaven instead found a home on newly emerging underground FM radio stations. Unafraid to play longer songs or more experimental LP tracks, FM’s progressive format helped Stairway to Heaven become the most-requested song in radio history. In Does Anyone Remember Laughter?, author Eric Danville examines Stairway to Heaven by taking a close look at over 50 performances of the song, by Led Zeppelin and by others. In the first half of the book, he discusses the 25five most memorable performances by Led Zeppelin over the last half century, and includes commentary on rock culture in general, the commercialism of popular music, political and religious attempts to censor rock ‘n’ roll, and the legal process as it relates to the creative process. The second part of the book considers the song’s wide-ranging influence with critical examinations of 25 cover versions from styles such as classic rock, heavy metal, orchestral, rap, R&B, novelty songs, and even an endearingly unclassifiable performance by Tiny Tim.”
Somebody Else’s Dream: Dakota, the Buoys, & Timothy
By Maxim W. Furek
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the disturbing song Timothy. Banned by radio stations and called “the worst song ever recorded,” its lyrics about cannibalism in a Pennsylvania coal mine eerily parallel the real-life Sheppton disaster. Written by Rupert Holmes, the Billboard hit launched the career of The Buoys. They went on to perform at the legendary Whisky a Go Go, Stone Balloon, and the Satsop River Festival, which they kicked off in front of 150,000 fans. The Buoys toured the Netherlands, got hustled in a pool game with Sly Stone, hung out with Blue Öyster Cult, received a lecture on libertarianism from musical genius Frank Zappa, and were mentored by Delaney Bramlett. Morphing into Dakota, the band played on the same stage as The Beach Boys during the national Bicentennial celebration. They were invited to replace Pure Prairie League’s Vince Gill and joined Freddie Mercury and Queen on a sold-out 35-city tour ending in a three-day standing-room-only Madison Square Garden stint. Here is the story of an amazing American AOR band with more than 10 recorded albums who achieved acclaim in Europe, Korea, and Japan. Their story also depicts a cautionary tale of substance abuse, the pitfalls of fame, and the true price of the rock ’n’ roll fantasy.”
Like Some Forgotten Dream: What If The Beatles Hadn’t Split Up?
By Daniel Rachel
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This is the story of the great lost Beatles album. The end of The Beatles wasn’t inevitable. It came through miscommunication, misunderstandings and missed opportunities to reconcile. But what if it didn’t end? What if just one of those chances was taken, and The Beatles carried on? What if they made one last, great album? In Like Some Forgotten Dream, Daniel Rachel — winner of the prestigious Penderyn Music Book Prize — looks at what could have been. Drawing on impeccable research, Rachel examines The Fab Four’s untimely demise — and from the ashes compiles a track list for an imagined final album, pulling together unfinished demos, forgotten B-sides, hit solo songs, and arguing that together they form the basis of a lost Beatles masterpiece. Compelling and convincing, Like Some Forgotten Dream is a daring rewrite of Beatles history, and a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been.”
Alright!: Queen at Live Aid
By Glen Humphries
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On July 13, 1985, the world tuned in to watch Live Aid beamed in from Wembley in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. The massive event was spawned from Bob Geldof’s idea six months earlier to raise money for Ethiopian famine victims through the release of the charity single, Do They Know It’s Christmas? The iconic performance on that day came from Queen, a band that had been considering calling it quits just months earlier. Performing in front of an estimated audience of 1.9 billion people, they stole the show and revitalised their career. Alright takes a look back at Queen‘s performance on that day as well as revisiting the origins of the Band Aid single and the logistics behind getting Live Aid off the ground.”
Massey Hall
By David McPherson
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Known for its intimacy and sense of occasion, a night at Toronto’s Massey Hall is magical for both audiences and performers. For many musicians, playing the hall is the surest sign that they have made it. Looking out over the crowd, performers often comment that they feel they have joined history as they stand on the stage where Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, and so many other legends have stood. Based on scores of interviews and meticulous research, Massey Hall chronicles not only the historical and musical moments of the past 127 years, but also the community of artists and supporters that has built up around the hall. Covering both emerging artists such as Shakura S’Aida and William Prince and musical giants from Herbie Hancock to The Tragically Hip, this full-colour book is a celebration of music, community, and our shared cultural heritage.”
Straight No Chaser Sound Bites: A Cappella, Cocktails, and Cuisine
By Straight No Chaser
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With 15 years in the music business, eight albums, and more than 1.5 million concerts tickets sold, Straight No Chaser treasures two things: family and food. Straight No Chaser Sound Bites features a collection of their favorite food and drink recipes combined with behind-the-scenes stories as they welcome their fans into the family. Formed in 1996 at Indiana University, Straight No Chaser‘s story has been replete with twists and turns. Sound Bites deliciously recounts members’ memories of moments from an unlikely yet wonderful cascade of events that propelled forward their career of creating music, touring, and becoming part of countless family traditions. Steve, Jerome, Charlie, Randy, Walt, Mike, Jasper, Seggie and Tyler each offer their own (sometimes contradicting) stories of their adventures, as well as sensational recipes for cocktails, such as the Honey Lavender Greyhound, Grapefruit Jalapeño Cilantro Shrub, and SN-Tini and foods, including Choose Your Own Adventure Risotto, Great Grandma Erma’s Apple Crisp, SNC M&C, Momma C’s Fried Chicken and many more. Straight No Chaser Sound Bites invites the group’s many fans, old and new, to celebrate the harmony of music, food, and drink in their own homes. So settle in and enjoy.”
Can I Mix You A Drink?
by T-Pain & Maxwell Britten
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 2007, “rappa ternt sanga” T-Pain released his hit single Can I Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’), propelling the artist to mainstream royalty. Since then, the Tallahassee native has secured his position as one of the most successful and diverse hip-hop artists in the world. It all started, really, with a song about liquor. T-Pain’s extensive career has been punctuated by libations. It’s been a part of his music, his business acumen (having secured a number of ambassador deals with liquor brands like Jose Cuervo), and his overall persona. Now, T-Pain brings his love of mixology and music in book form, titled Can I Mix You A Drink? Working with mixologist Maxwell Britten, former bar director to Brooklyn’s James Beard Award-winning Maison Premiere, T-Pain sets cocktails to music. Each drink has been carefully curated to reflect a sentiment from one of his hit songs. Drink by drink, T-Pain explores levels of new flavors (and potencies) to create a work that can be used for parties, local bars, pre-gaming before the club, or even just a quiet night at home.”
Electric Frankenstein: Illustrated Lyrics
By Sal Canzonieri, Peter Bagge, Shawn Dickinson & Johnny Ace
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hard punk band Electric Frankenstein asked more than 100 artists to create short comics based on the lyrics of their songs. What was born was sometimes beautiful and poetic, but other times just downright disturbing and raw! Judgment will not be passed on what you gravitate towards! All lay between the covers of this book. Releasing over 100 records all over the world since 1992, Electric Frankenstein is where AC/DC meets The Dead Boys. EF’s high energy punk rock and roll combines the raw and energetic sounds of punk, rock and garage a la The Dead Boys, Ramones, Damned, Misfits and Black Sabbath with elements of hard rock played by bands like The MC5, Stooges, AC/DC, Kiss, Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper, and so on. Electric Frankenstein have proved to be highly influential, helping to spark a rock revival among the youth of the time throughout the world from the U.S. to Europe to Scandinavia to Japan.”
Rise Against Presents: Nowhere Generation
By Shaun Simon & Rise Against
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The world is a powder keg — a system that favors power, wealth, and status — and we are well past the tipping point. But Rise Against Presents: Nowhere Generation is more than just a tale of rebellion fueled by the band’s passionate politics and artistic inspiration. This is a glimpse into the lives of the abandoned, a collection of down and out individuals coming together for a revolution; these are the stories of the ones who fight back.”
Hip-Hop’s Greatest Producers Coloring Book: Vol. 1
By Riley Wallace
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It’s high time to recognize the artists who gave hip-hop its backbone — and colour them in! Written and illustrated by hip-hop journalist Riley Wallace, Hip-Hop’s Greatest Producers Coloring Book: Volume 1 not only allows you to take the crayons to icons like Pete Rock, RZA, Dr. Dre and DJ Premier, but also to influential beatmakers who have been slept on ― sometimes criminally (Easy Mo Bee, Large Professor, Missy Elliot and Larry Smith, for example.) A treat for new fans and hard-core hip-hop junkies alike, this coloring book will entertain and educate people of all ages for years to come!”
