The creation of No Alternative, the art of heavy metal, the lives of BSB and Dua Lipa, and the lysergic history of Detroit — there are only a handful of options hitting the racks next week, but it’s hard to imagine a more diverse lineup. Read all about ’em:
There Was No Alternative: Generation X, AIDS, and the Making of a Classic Nineties Record
By Jeff Gomez
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Grunge. Flannel. Generation X. In 1993, Seattle was the capital of the world, Nirvana were king, and slackers were everywhere. When the Red Hot organization, a group of activists dedicated to raising money and awareness of AIDS, released their third compilation CD featuring the biggest bands of the era — Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, The Breeders, Nirvana — and more it quickly became the touchstone of a generation. This book takes a look back at what happened to the bands involved with No Alternative. It includes new interviews with the musicians and others behind the record, and chronicles the downfall of an industry, the taming of a devastating illness, and the arrival of another global pandemic. It’s about growing up, saying goodbye, and proving once more that you can’t go home again (even if that’s where you left all of your CDs).”
The Art of Metal: Five Decades of Heavy Metal Album Covers, Posters, T-Shirts, and More
By Martin Popoff & Malcolm Dome
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Let’s face it, without the larger-than-life character and imagination of the art that complements it, metal just wouldn’t have had the same impact. From the colorful, outlandish, yet sophisticated use of visuals for album artwork and posters, to the immediately recognizable logos of such bands as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead, Metallica, Slayer and a host of others across many subgenres, there’s a close-knit relationship between the riffs that thunder from the guitar and the images that have come to represent the songs, anthems, and sheer nature of the beast. Does any other form of music immediately conjure up such evocative and distinctive images as the mere mention of the term “heavy metal” does? The answer is simple: no! From its inception in the 1960s through to today’s giants, the art has been closely connected to the music. Every classic album brings to mind a readily identifiable album cover. Each great band has an immediately identifiable logo. All of the landmark gigs have a poster that quintessentially depicts the time, place, and passion of the event. It’s all developed so far along the road that, today, the art that has been used to illustrate the music now stands on its own. There are exhibitions of the finest examples created by the truly outstanding artists. These works are collectible in their own right. What might have begun as a way of packaging metal has taken on a life of its own —moreover, it’s even possible to trace the way the genre itself has evolved, and changed, by looking at its art. This book explores the ways in which the art has helped define each of the crucial subgenres that make up the multifaceted and colorful centipede that is metal.”
Backstreet Boys 30th Anniversary Celebration: Keep the Backstreet Pride Alive
By Karah-Leigh Hancock & Emilia Filogamo
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Since breaking into the scene in 1993, Backstreet Boys have sold over 100 million records around the globe making them one of the world’s best-selling music artists, and giving them the title of best-selling boy band of all time. They are the only boy band to have their first 10 albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, and the first group since Led Zeppelin to do so. Celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band in April 2023, members AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough are still going strong and show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Featuring a powerhouse foreword by singer-songwriter, DJ, author, activist, and one-fifth of the megastar girl group the Spice Girls Melanie Chisholm (aka Melanie C / Sporty Spice), this loving homage is written by super fans and BSBFanGirls.com owners Karah-Leigh Hancock and Emilia Filogamo, and explores the band’s journey from relative unknowns to superstardom, including: Personal backstories and journeys for all five members, including a tribute to Nick’s brother Aaron; an exploration of every chart-topping single, best-selling album, and sold-out tour; fan stories and memories; quotes and testimonials from industry professionals; amazing tour photography; fan memorabilia and more! Whether occupying a place of honor on your coffee table or gifted as the supreme fan treasure, relive the ’90s through the amazing journey of the Backstreet Boys, one that is truly larger than life.”
Dua Lipa: The Unauthorized
By Caroline Sullivan
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “When Dua Lipa was 11, her music teacher told her she wasn’t good enough to join her school choir — her husky voice couldn’t reach the high notes. Now, she’s a global star. Her songs are pop anthems, streamed billions of times; she’s collaborated with everyone from Calvin Harris and Miley Cyrus to Madonna and Elton John; she’s won Grammys, BRITs and MTV Awards; and she’s the biggest homegrown talent to emerge from the U.K. music scene since Ed Sheeran and Adele. Dua’s rise has been all the more impressive given that her Kosovan parents arrived in London as refugees, but her determination, hard work and undeniable voice have seen her transcend these humble beginnings, all while remaining fiercely proud of her heritage. In this revealing biography, Caroline Sullivan charts Dua’s incredible journey to pop superstardom. Spanning everything from her mainstream breakthrough to her sold-out Future Nostalgia Tour, and exploring her influences, activism and high-profile personal life, it paints the most complete portrait yet of this icon in the making.”
Acid Detroit: A Psychedelic Story of Motor City Music
By Joe Molloy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Acid Detroit is an exhilarating, technicolour view of Detroit’s musical and social history from the 1960s to the present day. Redefining the counterculture as a time of Acid communism, Acid Detroit diverges from most books on the ’60s, which centre on California, to show that Detroit was an unequalled hotbed of radical activism, urban unrest and sonic innovation. Considering Detroit’s unique mix of people and cultures and enduring sonic legacies, it covers everything from incendiary garage rock, to European-influenced techno and experimental hip-hop crews, intertwining the artist’s lives and works with the city’s rise and decline, from its establishment as an industrial powerhouse to the high point of Motor City, into its decline and tentative rebirth. A mind-expanding tour through time and space that explores the lost possibilities, histories and hidden potentials of the city, Acid Detroit reveals a history of resilience and transformation hidden in the shadows of the abandoned factories and warehouses of the Motor City.”
