The Doors open up, Peter Green / The Jam / Riders In The Sky get some star time, albums by AC/DC, Elton, Fela and Crowded House go under the microscope … and those are just a handful of the new titles for your to-do list. Read all about ’em:
Night Divides The Day: The Doors
By The Doors
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Night Divides The Day is the definitive chronicle of The Doors, offering an intimate and richly illustrated exploration of the band’s legendary journey. Featuring interviews with Robby Krieger and John Densmore and meticulously sourced archival text from Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek, their 50,000-word manuscript comes to life with a treasure trove of rare, unpublished photographs, original recording and production notes and exclusive memorabilia — all drawn from The Doors’ private archives. In this first-hand account, The Doors narrate the band’s story from their early days playing local clubs on the Sunset Strip to the iconic, and sometimes infamous, moments that defined their career. From the electrifying release of anthems like Light My Fire, The End and Riders On The Storm to their notorious performance in Miami, Night Divides The Day captures the essence of The Doors’ meteoric rise and the reverberations they left in their wake. Featuring new and insightful contributions from Van Morrison, Nile Rodgers, Slash, Nancy Sinatra and more, the book is anchored by a foreword from Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic. The book also showcases a stunning collection of historical artifacts — childhood photographs, handwritten lyrics, poster art, movie stills and previously unseen album cover outtakes. Images of the band in the studio, along with work from celebrated photographers and trusted insiders, transport readers behind the scenes and on the road. In addition, rare and invaluable items from the band’s history, including vintage instruments and recording equipment, are specially photographed to enrich this kaleidoscopic portrait of one of rock music’s most legendary bands. Night Divides The Day is the ultimate account of The Doors, capturing their incredible story and enduring legacy in a way that has never been seen before.”
Peter Green: Founder Of Fleetwood Mac
By Martin Celmins
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Blues guitar great and Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green was an enigma throughout his career. His innovative songwriting and unmistakeable voice shot Fleetwood Mac into the mainstream in 1969 with Albatross, Man Of The World and Oh Well. But in May 1970, he turned his back on stardom and quit the band. Written by Green’s associate and friend, this biography — first published in 1995, now fully revised and updated — challenges the accepted narrative about why he left the band, and what happened next. It tracks every stage of Green’s career, from his semi-pro years playing bass to his rise to fame in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Fleetwood Mac. It also takes a closer look at Green’s solo material and the personal trauma that saw him hit the headlines. This edition covers his return to the stage in 1996 with Peter Green Splinter Group and how his final band, Peter Green & Friends, was formed. It also covers the last years of his life and includes new, unseen photographs.”
Riders In The Sky: Romancing The West With Music & Humor
By Bobbie Malone & Bill C Malone
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For almost five decades, Riders In The Sky (“America’s Favorite Cowboys”) have entertained and delighted audiences throughout the United States with their mixture of quirky sendups of the silver-screen Western and their “faultless, evocative instrumentation, perfect harmony, fantasy, and humor.” Remarkably, the original Riders — Ranger Doug Green (“The Idol of American Youth”), Too Slim (or alternately, Side Meat), Fred LaBour and Woody Paul Chrisman (“The King of Cowboy Fiddlers”) — have continued to perform together since their first gig on a cold, rainy night in November 1978. Occasionally described as “the most educated band in country music” because of Woody Paul’s PhD in plasma physics from MIT, Doug’s MA in literature from Vanderbilt, and Slim’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Michigan, they have been a popular fixture at the Grand Ole Opry since 1982. Master accordionist Joey Miskulin, a “road scholar” since age 13, joined the band during their second decade and was with them when they won Grammys for their work on albums for Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc. Riders In The Sky: Romancing The West With Music And Humor will entertain and inform both the group’s legions of dedicated fans and aficionados of country and western music.
Solid Bond In Your Heart: A People’s History Of The Jam
By Malcolm Wyatt
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Jam exploded onto the British music scene with the single In The City in 1977 and departed just six years later with the No.1 single Beat Surrender, clocking up 13 Top 20 hits including Going Underground, The Eton Rifles, Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, Start! and Town Called Malice. Breaking through as part of the British punk scene and topping both the UK singles and album charts four times, The Jam’s commercial success is matched only by the affection in which the band are still held. Solid Bond In Your Heart celebrates that affection, as over 500 fans and associates of The Jam share memories of more than 200 concerts. The book includes a foreword by Paul Weller and contributions from Bruce Foxton, Rick Buckler, Ray Gange (Rude Boy), Dave Fenton and Ed Bazalgette (Vapors), John Robb (Membranes), Brett Ascott (The Chords), Billy Doherty and Mickey Bradley (Undertones), Dave Hemingway (Housemartins / Beautiful South) and many more. The Jam remain an iconic band for thousands of fans. This is their story.”
What Selena Says: The Unofficial Collection
By Hardie Grant Books
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Featuring words of wisdom on love, friendship, self-confidence and creativity, What Selena Says is an inspiring collection of the actress and pop queen’s best quotes. “The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve learned that I have to open myself up to all opportunities. Maybe I’ll get burned and not meet the right people, but I won’t know until I do it.” “I believe in second chances, but I don’t believe in third or fourth chances.” “Always be yourself, there’s no one better!”
Sabrina Carpenter: No Nonsense
By Katy Sprinkel
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sabrina Carpenter is making her mark as a modern icon of pop music, celebrating three simultaneous Billboard Top 10 hits, touring in support of her latest album, Short n’ Sweet, and claiming the first No. 1 song of her recording career with the summer single Please Please Please. But her stardom is anything but sudden. Sabrina is a Hollywood veteran who’s been professionally entertaining since the age of 10. Through illuminating writing and full-color photographs, readers will explore those early years and her big break as a principal in Girl Meets World, Carpenter’s film and stage career, her current status as a red carpet and social media darling, an extensive record of charitable work, and her evolution as a musical artist.”
Dancing With Muddy: Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, & My Lucky Life In & Out Of The Blues
By Jerry Portnoy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jerry Portnoy grew up in Chicago hearing the blues being played outside his father’s rug store on famed Maxwell Street during the late 1940s and early ’50s. After dropping out of college, he became immersed in the colorful world of pool hustlers like Cornbread Red and Minnesota Fats as he managed the largest pool hall in Chicago. During a stint as a paratrooper early in the Vietnam war, he applied for discharge as a conscientious objector, and lived in San Francisco during 1967’s “summer of love.” While bumming around Europe the following year, Portnoy heard the blues again on a record by Sonny Boy Williamson and instantly became obsessed with mastering blues harmonica. He returned to Chicago and in 1974 he was playing in small Black clubs at night when Muddy Waters plucked him from his day job at Cook County Jail to fill the historic harmonica chair in his fabled band. Eric Clapton followed suit in 1991. In a career that took him from ghetto taverns to the White House and the Royal Albert Hall, he went from the raggedy vans and cheap roadside motels of the blues world to the private jets and five-star hotels of the rock world. Between those two very different gigs was a struggle to survive the vagaries of the music business and the pressures of life on the road.”
The Aviator: The Life And Music Of Steve Morse
By Adrian Jarvis
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Steve Morse, guitar virtuoso (and pilot), may have broken out of relative obscurity courtesy of the classic British band Deep Purple, but he never went, so to speak, native. A full-blooded American, he was pancakes and maple syrup, not black pudding and fried egg. Morse first came to the attention of the music world through his band Dixie Dregs. He possibly entered the consciousness of those based in the U..K courtesy of the BBC Radio 1 Friday Rock Show that kicked off every week with his Dixie Dregs composition Take It Off The Top. The mid-’80s saw Morse driving along arena band Kansas — then a staple of U.S. FM radio. By the mid-’90s he was in Deep Purple, helping rebuild their career. His contributions to eight of their studio albums were immense. After nearly three decades, Morse’s time with the band came to a sad end has he took the difficult decision to care for his ailing wife. In a career spanning half a century, his music has touched on European classical traditions, as well as blues, jazz, country and rock ’n’ roll… genres that are unashamedly American. Consistently voted No. 1 by guitar magazines, Morse is both a musician’s musician as well as a fan’s favourite. The conductor Paul Mann, who worked extensively with Deep Purple, said of Morse, ‘He was born with that instrument in his hands. I know a lot of classical musicians who envy that kind of relationship with an instrument.’ ”
Blues Before Sunrise 3: Guitar Slingers and Backbeaters
By Steve Cushing
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Steve Cushing’s third volume of interviews from Blues Before Sunrise puts fans face-to-face with music legends and industry figures. The volume kicks off with a roundtable featuring drumming all-stars Earl Phillips, S.P. Leary, Odie Payne, Clifton James and Fred Below discussing their lives and craft. Cushing segues to one-on-one interviews with Howlin’ Wolf sideman Phillips; Leary, a fellow Wolf alum and player with Sonny Boy Williamson II; Payne, known for his kick drum technique; longtime Muddy Waters drummer Willie “Big Eyes” Smith; next-generation standard bearer Casey Jones; and King Records house drummer Phillip Paul. Interviews with guitarists include talks with Honeyboy Edwards, whose friendships with innumerable Chicago legends (and Robert Johnson) predated the Great Migration; jazz player-turned-bluesman Guitar Shorty; and figures like Texas native Roy Gaines, Johnny Heartsman of Oakland, and Memphis-born Floyd Murphy. A final section offers interviews with vocalists, record label founders, and other figures.”
AC/DC: Song By Song
By Bill Voccia
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “AC/DC define rock music. From their early beginnings playing on Australia’s pub circuit to the platinum-selling albums and stadium tours of today, they have never strayed from their unique, instantly recognizable formula. In 50 years of albums and performances, through the tragic deaths of singer Bon Scott and, more recently, rhythm guitarist and founder Malcolm Young, AC/DC have defied the odds to become one of the world’s most successful rock bands, surpassing 200 million album sales globally. Illustrated with rarities, collectibles, and other highlights from their discography, this book explores every album, song by song, from the first Australia-only single to their latest No. 1 platinum album Power Up. So come on a journey to celebrate the classics, to uncover the lesser-known gems, and to explore in magnificent detail the small beginnings, the emphatic career, and the world-conquering legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time.”
Iconic Albums – Elton John: Tumbleweed Connection
By Richard Ward
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Long before the stadium tours, diamond-studded sunglasses, and global superstardom, Elton John and Bernie Taupin crafted an album that quietly became one of the most beloved and enduring works of the 1970s: Tumbleweed Connection. This immersive and meticulously researched book takes you deep into the heart of that landmark album — from its roots in a young lyricist’s obsession with the American West to the studio sessions that produced its cinematic sound. Packed with insider details, rare insights, and passionate critical reassessment, Iconic Albums – Elton John: Tumbleweed Connection is more than just a music book — it’s a journey into an album that continues to inspire artists and enchant listeners half a century later. Whether you’re a lifelong Elton fan or discovering this masterpiece for the first time, this book will change the way you hear Tumbleweed Connection — and deepen your appreciation for one of the most poetic, daring, and emotionally resonant albums of all time.”
33 1/3 Africa: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s Sorrow Tears and Blood
By Stephanie Shonekan
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Though Nigeria is the most populous African country, and sometimes called the “Giant of Africa,” Fela Kuti’s album Sorrow Tears And Blood sheds a sharp light on the reasons why Nigeria has not lived up to its potential. While the text primarily hovers over 1977 (the year of the album’s release) as a critical cultural moment in Nigerian history, it also explores the album in the context of a wider look at how colonialism and its aftermath impacted the social, political, and economic environment in Nigeria, and how Western imperialism continues to affect Nigerian identity and life. As we reflect on Nigeria’s turbulent post-independent political and social history, Sorrow Tears And Blood offers a rich sonic and lyrical landscape in which to interrogate the potency of Fela’s message for generations to come.”
33 1/3 Oceania: Crowded House’s Together Alone
By Barnaby Smith
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Fusing pop music with place and landscape, Crowded House’s Together Alone (1993) was unprecedented in its Australasian context, and in the process of making this album, the group’s sound transformed profoundly. Crowded House’s Together Alone examines why Neil Finn took the daring decision to record amid the wilds of Karekare Beach, West Auckland, considers how British producer Youth impacted the band’s dynamics, and places the album within a wider artistic context, expanding beyond pop. The book also recounts author Barnaby Smith’s visit to Karekare on the trail of Together Alone’s atmospheric melancholy — a psychogeographic adventure exploring what it means to visit a landscape under the spell of the music it has inspired. A song-by-song analysis further explores the fragile alchemy that produced the most poetic statement in the Crowded House catalogue.”
Independent As F***: Underground Hip-Hop from 1995-2005
By Ben Pedroche
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For a glorious 10-year period from 1995 to 2005, hip-hop music received a much-needed shot in the arm from a generation of determined and wildly creative rappers and producers. They rallied against the increasingly formulaic and shallow world of mainstream rap, as well as a music industry unwilling to listen. By releasing music on their own terms as independent artists ― many adopting the mantra of being “independent as fuck” as a mission statement ― these hungry creatives reclaimed their artistic freedom and wore it as a badge of honour. Most importantly, they also made a lot of excellent hip-hop. What emerged was a vibrant underground music scene that stretched from New York to Los Angeles, with influence reaching across the world.”
Fucked Up + Photocopied: Instant Art Of The Punk Rock Movement: 20th Anniversary Edition
By Bryan Ray Turcotte & Christopher T. Miller
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Raw, brazen and totally intense, Fucked Up + Photocopied is a collection of frenetic flyers produced for the American punk scene between 1977 and 1985. Many were created by the musicians themselves and demonstrate the emphasis within the punk scene on individuality and the manic urge of its members to create things new. Images were compiled out of whatever material could be found, often photocopied and, still warm, stapled to the nearest telephone pole to warn the world about next week’s gig. One glance and you can sense the fury of live performances by bands such as Black Flag, Dead Kennedys and The Minutemen, and, through the subtext the reader is exposed to the psyche of a generation of musicians stripped bare: The Germs, JFA, NOFX, X, The Circle Jerks, Devo, The Exploited, The Screamers, The Cramps, The Dils, The Avengers and more.”
