Ratt tales, Factory girls, Holiday memories, business lessons, Plant clippings, deep pockets and more new additions to your reading list:
World Infestation: The Ratt Story
By Greg Prato
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “During the mid-’80s, Ratt was one of the biggest hard rock/heavy metal bands in the United States. Turn on MTV, and it was seemingly only a matter of time until a Ratt video was aired. Visit your local newsstand, and you were sure to detect a Ratt band member on the cover of one of the leading rock mags. Take a gander at the album charts, and one of their platinum (or platinum plus) LPs would have been easy to spot. And let’s not forget that from 1985 to the end of the decade, they were a featured attraction on mammoth festivals, and also, rocked arenas on bills that featured Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Poison, Warrant or Queensrÿche… with Ratt headlining over those bands. But, seemingly just as rapid as their rise to the top was the abrupt halt to their career in 1991 — with grunge and alt-rock replacing the party-hearty metal stylings of the previous decade, in addition to internal strife behind the scenes. World Infestation: The Ratt Story recounts the L.A. band’s tale — from their beginnings slugging it out on the Sunset Strip alongside Mötley Crüe and Metallica to scoring hit singles (Round and Round, Lay It Down, You’re In Love) and albums (Out Of The Cellar, Invasion Of Your Privacy, Dancing Undercover), creating their own unique look and sound, dealing with adversity, and how their music has reached a new audience in recent years. Comprised of quotes from interviews past and present (as well one of the last-ever interviews with guitarist Robbin Crosby), World Infestation: The Ratt Story will certainly take you round and round… and then lay it down.”
Bitter Crop: The Heartache and Triumph of Billie Holiday’s Last Year
By Paul Alexander
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In the first biography of Billie Holiday in more than two decades, Paul Alexander gives us an unconventional portrait of arguably America’s most eminent jazz singer. He shrewdly focuses on the last year of her life — with relevant flashbacks to provide context — to evoke and examine the persistent magnificence of Holiday’s artistry when it was supposed to have declined, in the wake of her drug abuse, relationships with violent men, and run-ins with the law. During her lifetime and after her death, Holiday was often depicted as a down-on-her-luck junkie severely lacking in self-esteem. Relying on interviews with people who knew her, and new material unearthed in private collections and institutional archives, Bitter Crop — a reference to the last two words of Strange Fruit, her moving song about lynching — limns Holiday as a powerful, ambitious woman who overcame her flaws to triumph as a vital figure of American popular music.”
I Thought I Heard You Speak: Women At Factory Records
By Audrey Golden
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Factory Records has become the stuff of legend. The histories of the label have been told from many perspectives, from visual catalogues and memoirs to exhibitions. Yet no in-depth history has ever been told from the perspectives of the women who were integral to Factory’s cultural significance. The untold history of Factory Records is one of women’s work at nearly every turn: Recording music, playing live gigs, running the label behind the scenes, managing and promoting bands, designing record sleeves, making films and music videos, pioneering sound technology, DJing, and running one of the most chaotic clubs on the planet, The Haçienda. Told entirely in their voices and featuring contributions from Gillian Gilbert, Gina Birch, Cath Carroll, Penny Henry and over 50 more interviewees, I Thought I Heard You Speak is an oral history that reveals the true cultural reach of the label and its staying power in the 21st century.”
Fade Away and Radiate: The Chrysalis Records Story
By Simon Fellowes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This is a story of a time in music history when everything changed. When maverick entrepreneurs could take on the major labels and beat them at their own game. When bands became global, communicating on vast stages, in front of enormous crowds, while beamed across the world live on TV. It was a time when fashion changed like the wind. When new scenes arrived as if out of nowhere. When misfits and outsiders could become instant superstars. Working to make this happen were a select group of individuals, passionate, determined, single-minded, and alert. Two of the most successful were Chris Wright and Terry Ellis. Their label, Chrysalis Records, was a British independent record company that built a global reputation thanks to its ability to discover and develop a ground-breaking roster of musical acts whose albums and singles became number one hits all over the world. From Jethro Tull to Blondie, Spandau Ballet to The Specials, Billy Idol to Sinead O’Connor, Pat Benatar to Huey Lewis and the News, the artists Chrysalis signed made a lasting impact on our culture.”
Backstage Pass: A Business Book That’s Far From Conventional
By Harvey Lee
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It started with sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll and finished in a well-cut suit. Ask anyone with a dream: The road to success can be akin to riding shotgun on the highway to Hell, as Harvey Lee, rebel-turned-VP of product marketing will testify… From modest beginnings in Northern England, to the promised land of the U.S.A., Harvey recalls how he was forced to grab life by the horns, and embarked on a 40-year white-knuckle ride through the business world, establishing himself as an MBA-level trained and renowned product marketer. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Harvey shares how he survived and thrived in the cut-throat music industry before joining the corporate world and launching the original Xbox. Part business book, part personal memoir, Backstage Pass is packed with hilarious tales spanning music, videogame, and technology industries.”
Icons of Rock: In Their Own Words
By Jenny Boyd
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A glimpse into the creative power of music. Ever since The Beatles and The British Invasion, bands and singers have created albums that have earned fans’ love and devotion today. Was it raw talent, or was there something below the surface that transformed these dreamers into Hollywood legends? Icons of Rock invites music lovers to discover the truth behind their favorite artists and how they created the best songs of all time. Investigating the psychology and chemistry behind artistic inspiration, you will find how much an unconscious influence can change not only one person’s life, but the entire world. Rock legends share their inspirational tips for music success. Having experienced a life full of rock ’n’ roll, author Jenny Boyd explores the psychology of rock stars not just from a scientific point, but also from the musicians themselves. Inside, you’ll find rock and roll biographies full of what drove your favorite singers and bands into stardom. Featuring interviews and inspiring stories from Stevie Nicks, Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and more, discover what makes a rock star and how you can find your own creative success by listening to your inner muse.”
Music Stories
By Wesley Stace
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Music may be a universal language that transcends words, but that hasn’t stopped our most accomplished writers from trying to capture its essence on the page, paying homage to one art form through another. The dazzling examples collected here range from Virginia Woolf’s The String Quartet to Langston Hughes’ The Blues I’m Playing and Donald Barthelme’s The King of Jazz, and from Ivan Turgenev’s The Song of Triumphant Love to Katherine Mansfield’s The Singing Lesson and Ian McEwan’s A Duet. Here are melodious scenes from E.M. Forster’s Howards End and Vikram Seth’s An Equal Music, and stories by James Joyce, Gustave Flaubert and Marcel Proust in harmony with pieces by Vladimir Nabokov, Maya Angelou, Kazuo Ishiguro and Philip K. Dick. Together these 24 musical tales make up a gorgeous symphony of literary delights.”
Pocket Guide to Glam Rock
By Mick O’Shea & Ilya Kaminsky
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Glam rock began in the U.K. in the early ’70s, performed by musicians with outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. The flamboyant clothing and visual styles of performers were often camp or androgynous, and have been described as playing with other gender roles. British glam rock artists include David Bowie, Mott the Hoople, Sweet, Slade and Roxy Music. Those not central to the genre, such as Elton John, Rod Stewart and Freddie Mercury of Queen, also adopted glam styles. U.S. glam artists included The New York Dolls, Sparks, Suzi Quatro and Iggy Pop.”
Pocket Guide to Punk
By Mick O’Shea
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The punk movement created a revolution in the music industry with its anarchic approach and DIY ethos. It was the antidote to a bloated record business that had become moribund and prog bands which had become hugely self indulgent. Punk grew out of the politics of the ’70s in the U.K. and from bands like Dr Feelgood. With The Sex Pistols as torch bearers the movement provoked strong reactions amongst music fans and industry alike. The first wave of punk was reasonably short-lived but many of the bands continued. But punk has never gone away and there is a whole new generation listening to the likes of The Damned, The Buzzcocks, X-Ray Spex, Siouxsie & The Banshees and The Clash as well as a continuing stream of punk bands.”
’79 The Metal Revival When Britain Rocked: Essays from the Frontline
By Garry Bushell
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The third in Garry Bushell’s series based around the year 1979. This is the amazing story of his eye witnessing the birth of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Featuring his writings ‘as it happened’ (mainly for the weekly Sounds). This is a unique insight into the birth of a genre! Unlike the other two volumes which were published previously, this is the first time these amazing writings have been collected together in book form. Bands featured Include Iron Maiden, Saxon, Def Leppard, UFO, Tank, Venom, Rainbow and Motörhead. Also included is Garry’s Top 10 New Wave of British Heavy Metal Albums.”
Pictures At Eleven
By Martin Popoff
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Author Martin Popoff assembles a panel of experts to roll through the records one by one, no stone unturned, no songs left unaddressed. There’s been little written about Robert Plant’s journey from solo icon of the ’80s through to his repeated deep-dives into Americana, world music, tributes to other writers, and the singular symphony of sounds that results when he mixes these parts. This book deconstructs each of Plant’s 11 thought-provoking albums. It’s hoped that the reader emerges with a new and nuanced appreciation for what Robert’s been trying to achieve over the decades.”
Nina Simone in Comics!
By Sophie Adriansen
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This is the story of an emancipation, that of a young black and poor woman living in an America marked by segregation. This is the story of a fierce battle, that of a musician involved in the civil rights movement. This is the story of a long career, that of a pianist and singer as talented as determined. This is the story of Nina Simone, a unique artist, role model, and inspiration for generations to come. Genius pianist, fabulous singer and committed artist, Simone remains an inspiration for generations.”
