DLR gets the MVP treatment, one-hit wonders get a second look, Sub Pop get eyed and more titles to open the New Year. Read all about ’em:
DLR Book: How David Lee Roth Changed The World
By Darren Paltrowitz
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “What do you do after leaving one of the world’s biggest bands? If you’re David Lee Roth, you write a memoir, become a radio host, sell a screenplay to a major studio, get certified as an EMT, play Vegas, and put out bluegrass versions of your biggest hits. And then you rejoin Van Halen for a reunion tour. Encompassing the highs and lows of a truly unusual career, DLR Book is an intimate look at the force of nature that is Roth, from his start with Van Halen to his highly publicized departure from the band and his triumphant return. Drawing on nearly 100 exclusive interviews, author Darren Paltrowitz delves into Diamond Dave’s many extracurricular activities, including his unclassifiable video series The Roth Show, the rise and fall of his syndicated radio program, and his line of tattoo skincare products. Also included are conversations with some of Roth’s most popular collaborators (among them Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan, Travis Tritt, and Korn’s Ray Luzier) and contributions from figures influenced by Roth, including Jason Aldean, Billy Corgan, Butch Vig, and legendary sumo wrestler Konishiki. Filled with exclusive photographs and an introduction by Diamond Dallas Page, DLR Book is a front-row seat to one of the wildest and most unpredictable artists of all time.”
One Hit Wonders: Through the Decades
By Kevin Morris
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Every era has them — those tunes that catch fire, capturing hearts worldwide, only for their artists to vanish, leaving us wondering. In One Hit Wonders: Through the Decades, Kevin Morris sets out on a musical odyssey to decode this phenomenon. After extensive research and deep dives into the annals of music history, Morris offers us a captivating list, distinguishing the genuine from the almosts. From the rhythmic ballads of the swinging 60s to the electronic pulse of the millennial years, this comprehensive guide takes you on a journey through time. But it’s more than just a list. Mr. Morris pulls back the curtain to reveal the stories, the dramas, and the unique quirks that led these artists to their fleeting moments of global fame. Why did they burn so brightly, but just once? A blend of meticulous research and engaging storytelling, One Hit Wonders: Through the Decades isn’t just for the music lover, but for anyone fascinated by the unpredictable twists and turns of pop culture. Relive the moments, understand the mysteries, and indulge in the nostalgia of tunes that defined their times.”
Lamestains: Grunge, Sub Pop And The Music Of The Loser
By Nicholas Attfield
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This book is a critical history of Sub Pop Records, the Seattle independent rock label that launched the careers of countless influential grunge bands in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It focuses in particular on the languages and personas of the “loser,” a term that encompassed the label’s founders and personnel, its flagship bands (including Mudhoney, Tad and Nirvana), and the avid vinyl-collecting fans it rapidly amassed. The loser became (and remains) the key Sub Pop identity, but it also grounded the label in the overt masculinity, sexism, and transgression of rock history. Rather than the usual reading of grunge as an alternative to the mainstream, Lamestains reveals a more equivocal and complicated relationship that Sub Pop exploited with great success.”
Hired Guns: Portraits of Women in Alternative Music
By Amanda Kramer & Wayne Byrne
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hired Guns is a look across several decades of the music industry through the experiences and careers of a selection of professional female musicians. Those women profiled are members of influential, acclaimed bands and touring musicians with major acts; they each represent important music scenes and movements, having respectively emerged from and thrived in seminal moments of music such as the California hardcore punk scene, the Minneapolis alternative boom, and much more. This book presents a frank and unique female perspective on the music business, charting their professional challenges and triumphs, providing an insight into the machinations of the industry, and offering a glimpse into the education, work, and lifestyle required of such professionals. The authors conduct candid interviews with their subjects and compose an insightful cultural and historical discourse, drawing readers into the artistic, social, and industrial contexts of several seminal musical movements as they give voice to these female road warriors who have enthralled millions of fans across the world while remaining largely anonymous to the public. Kramer and Byrne now bring them center-stage to tell their story.”
