Some weeks, the book gods giveth like a loose slot machine. Some weeks, the book gods withholdeth like little bitches. I’ll let you decide what kind of week it’s going to be. Readeth all about ’em:
Tearing Down The Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County To The World
By Nate Jackson & Daniel Kohn
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “When it comes to punk communities across the world, the Orange County scene stands out as an undeniable trendsetter that helped define the sound and style of the rapidly evolving genre. From hard-luck storytellers Social Distortion and multi-platinum sellers like The Offspring to cult heroes like The Adolescents and T.S.O.L., there’s much insight to gain from the story of this popular though often misunderstood music scene. In Tearing Down the Orange Curtain, journalists Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn explore the trajectory of punk and ska from their humble beginnings to their peak popularity years, when their cultural impact could be felt in music around the world. Delving deep into the personal and professional lives of the bands above, along with their ska counterparts No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris and more, this book gives readers a deeper look into the very human stories of these musicians, many of whom struggled with acceptance, addiction, and brutal teenage years in suburbia. Through exclusive first-hand interviews, Tearing Down the Orange Curtain brings the 20-year period of OC punk and third-wave ska (1978-2000) to life, focusing specifically on the historical and musical roots of this creative explosion. Thought-provoking, meticulously researched, and refreshingly candid, this book presents a compelling narrative of how a suburban wasteland turned into a hub for rock-n roll culture, just over 30 miles away from the bright lights of L.A.”
When Rock Met Hip-Hop: How Run-DMC, Aerosmith, Anthrax, The Beastie Boys, & More Crossed Cultural & Musical Boundaries
by Steven Blush
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One of the most important events in modern music remains the late ’80s cross-collision of rock and hip-hop. Aerosmith and Run-DMC, Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique, Public Enemy and Anthrax, Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, De La Soul and Third Bass, and the 318 hip-hop records that sampled Billy Squier’s The Big Beat exemplify the era. Rap records sampled rock bands, elevating sampling into an art form, while influencing all other forms of popular music. One of the themes this book will explore is the way the fusion of rap and rock gave hope to a sense of interracial harmony. In keeping with When Rock Met Disco and When Rock Met Reggae, this title relates the musical cross collision, and cultural fallout that changed music for the better, and remains an influence through today.”
Boyz II Men 40th Anniversary Celebration: Unofficial & Unauthorized
By John Morrison
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A must-have for every Boyz II Men fan, this unofficial and unauthorized handsome volume traces forty years of the groundbreaking group through stunning photography, fascinating facts, and interviews with fans and industry pros. Philly’s own Boyz II Men are an iconic boy band that jumped to the top of the charts (and into the hearts of millions of global fans) in the 1980s. Though the band came to prominence in a time when acts like New Kids On The Block, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC were surging in popularity, Boyz II Men were truly a transitional group, with a unique sound that took cues from both pop and R&B and brought together audiences across the world. Today, they are the bestselling R&B group of all time, having sold over 60 million albums, with a highly anticipated biopic in the works. In the Boyz II Men 40th Anniversary Celebration, John Morrison delves into the band’s origins — from their beginning in high school and their earliest influences — to their biggest successes in the ’80s and ’90s, to their continued achievements today and the lasting legacy they’ve left in the boy-band canon.”
Confessions Of A Rock Guitarist
By Steve Lynch
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In Confessions Of A Rock Guitarist, Steve Lynch recounts with humility and offbeat humor the struggles he endured growing up in the Pacific Northwest and, later, when he moved to L.A. to pursue his dream of becoming a professional musician. At the Guitar Institute, a fateful demonstration accelerates the course of Lynch’s musical development, transforming him from a student into a master who created a cutting-edge style of his own. Lynch and his band Autograph quickly rise to international prominence during the heyday of ’80s hair-metal bands. However, addiction, personnel changes, and the public’s changing musical tastes threaten to derail his career. Throughout this memoir, Lynch reveals an innate curiosity that takes him around the world as a musician, educator, and seeker of spiritual truth. Illustrated with photographs from Lynch’s long and illustrious career, Confessions Of A Rock Guitarist is a transcendent record of one man’s quest for artistic and personal fulfillment.”
501 Essential Albums Of The ’80s: The Music Fan’s Definitive Guide
By Gary Graff
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 501 Essential Albums Of The ’80s, Gary Graff leads a cast of fellow music journalists in presenting the music of one of the most pivotal decades in the history of recorded music — the decade that gave us some of the most monstrous-selling albums ever and introduced more and more listeners to emergent genres like indie rock and hip-hop. The journalists detail the circumstances of the releases, notable singles from each, their influence on contemporary and later artists — in short, why each is considered one of the best of the decade. Madonna or Michael Jackson, Prince or The Police, Bruce Springsteen or Black Flag, Men At Work or Mötley Crüe — whatever your tastes, you will relish this ultimate retrospective of the decade’s music.”
