W hether you love BlackPink or Black Sabbath — not to mention Harry Smith, Subhumans, The Velvet Underground and/or Gil Scott-Heron — the book gods have you covered next week. Read all about ’em:
Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith
By John Szwed
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “He was an anthropologist, filmmaker, painter, folklorist, mystic and walking encyclopedia. He taught Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe about the occult, swapped drugs with Timothy Leary, had a front-row seat to a young Thelonious Monk, lived with (and tortured) Allen Ginsberg, was admired by Susan Sontag, and was one of the first artists funded by the Guggenheim Foundation. He was always broke, generally intoxicated, compulsively irascible, and unimpeachably authentic. Harry Smith was, in the words of Robert Frank, “the only person I met in my life that transcended everything.” In Cosmic Scholar, the Grammy-winning music scholar and celebrated biographer John Szwed patches together, for the first time, the life of one of the 20th century’s most overlooked cultural figures. From his time recording the customs of Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest and Florida to his life in Greenwich Village in its heyday, Smith was consumed by an unceasing desire to create a unified theory of culture. He was an insatiable creator and collector, responsible for the influential Anthology of American Folk Music and several pioneering experimental films, but was also an insufferable and destructive eccentric who was unable to survive in regular society, or keep himself healthy or sober. Exhaustively researched, energetically told, and complete with a trove of images, Cosmic Scholar is a feat of biographical restoration and the long overdue canonization of an American icon.”
Silence Is No Reaction: Forty Years of Subhumans
By Ian Glasper
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Formed in Wiltshire, England, in 1980, Subhumans are rightly held in high regard as one of the best punk bands to hail from the U.K. Over the course of five timeless studio albums and just as many classic EPs, not to mention well over 1,000 gigs around the world, they have blended serious anarcho-punk with a demented sense of humour and genuinely memorable tunes to create something quite unique and utterly compelling. For the first time ever, their whole story is told, straight from the recollections of every band member past and present, as well as a dizzying array of their closest friends and peers, with not a single stone left unturned. Bolstered with hundreds of flyers and exclusive photos, it’s the definitive account of the much-loved band.”
BlackPink: Pretty Savage
By Carolyn McHugh
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Since their debut in South Korea in 2016, BlackPink’s meteoric rise to global fame has seen them storm the charts, sell out arenas and achieve multi-platinum sales all around the world. Their infectious dance/pop/rap tracks, including studio albums, BlackPink: The Album and Born Pink and hit singles Whistle, Ddu-Du Ddu-Du, How You Like That and Pink Venom, are among the most listened to on streaming platforms, while their intricately choreographed videos have billions of views. Although only a few years into their career, BlackPink have already clocked up an impressive list of collaborators including Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez and Cardi B. Alongside this global success the band keep the emphasis on their individual style and personalities as they continue to undertake successful solo projects and work as brand ambassadors for some of the top names in fashion. With their fame and success continuing to grow far beyond their South Korean homeland, Pure Savage gives the lowdown on K-pop’s most globally successful all-female group.”
All Tomorrow’s Parties: The Velvet Underground Story
By Koren Shadmi
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Many cultural critics would agree that Andy Warhol gave The Velvet Underground their break simply by bringing them under his wing. While they reached a certain level of notoriety and local celebrity in their time and have since acquired a lasting cult following, their success was in large part fostered by Warhol’s patronage. But at the time, this relationship was muddied by a certain level of codependence and an insatiable appetite for fame and irony, leaving Lou Reed to ponder quietly: Would we have succeeded without Warhol’s help? This doubt begins to spread like a malignant force, eventually leading to the band’s undoing as they break away from Warhol and, perhaps, give up their golden ticket to success. Explore the story behind the group dubbed “arguably the most influential American rock band of our time,” through good times and bad, as captured in emotive style by multi-award winning artist Koren Shadmi.”
In Search of Gil Scott-Heron
By Thomas Mauceri & Seb Piquet
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Gil Scott-Heron is one of the most important artists of the past 60 years, and is widely credited as laying the foundations for modern hip-hop as we know it. This gorgeous graphic novel follows the author as he attempts to track down the elusive godfather of rap for an interview that never seems to happen, while examining his target’s music, controversial life, and lasting political and cultural legacy. Also included is a bonus article extensively reviewing Scott-Heron’s career and influence on music history.”
Orbit: Black Sabbath
By Todd Matthy & Martin Gimenez
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “TidalWave Productions delves into the blazing origins of Black Sabbath, the groundbreaking heavy metal pioneers hailing from Birmingham, England. Through the band’s own words and stunning interpretations, their remarkable journey is chronicled, forever altering the course of music.”
