06
Dec
2005
· Fresh from his acceptance of the Century Award at this past week's Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Tom Petty's personal memoirs are collected in a new book by Paul Zallo, spun like stories best told around a card table or campfire - crazy funny, wickedly insightful, and often tearfully poignant.
Entitled Conversations With Tom Petty, the 448-page interview follows Petty from his meeting Elvis as a young child and playing in his first professional bands at age 14, through his superstar, top-hat-wearing status in the lively MTV era, and the deep love and affection between his band mates in the Traveling Wilburys. Can you imagine - in the same afternoon you meet Roy Orbison, he gets under the hood of your new car, and later, along with Jeff Lynne, the three of you sit around and write, "You Got It?" Or having Bob Dylan and George Harrison want to join your band? "Wow" is an understatement. With sober advice for young musicians, surprising anecdotes, and secret song craft discussion, this a terrific page-turner packed with over 100 photos. And I had forgotten what a fair-play hero Petty was back in the 1980's, when he took on MCA Records in a retail price dispute over his Hard Promises LP. Thumbs up, to you, Mr. Petty, as I feel the love. Look for it on the Omnibus Press imprint.
· More love is shared openly in another new book, Neil Young Nation, as Canadian writer Kevin Chong faces his personal midlife crisis by rounding up a few slacker buddies for a soul-searching road trip across North America, as they trace the same path Neil Young took in the mid 1960's, leaving his native northern homeland for the happening Los Angeles scene. Listening for traces of the energy he left along the way, Chong tracks down Young's childhood home and other significant addresses that dot the map, and finds a few old friends who shared the original, fateful journey in that glorious 1953 Pontiac hearse. Issued by Vancouver's Greystone Books, this very funny highway diary proves that even if you don't get to meet your hero, often the journey itself is all that really matters.
· The early history of Led Zeppelin gets a fresh telling in a glossy new opus by Keith Shadwick and the Backbeat Book press, gorgeously illustrated with stunning black and white photography. From the Yardbirds split to the death of drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin: The Story of a Band and Their Music 1968-1980 provides a fly-on-the-wall gaze at what created their epic legacy over nine albums and eleven American tours. Featuring one of the most dangerous and unpredictable band managers in rock history, Peter Grant, the story paints a creative "perfect storm" of talent, and as some feel, destiny. Featuring highly analyzed discussion of song arrangements and studio craft, the reader is taken deep into the haze of this rock royalty.
· Seattle native and Northwest music historian Peter Blecha shares his true-life adventures as an Indiana Jones in search of pop culture antiquities in his new book, Rock & Roll Archaeologist, from Sasquatch Books. As the former curator of the Experience Music Project museum, Blecha took his teenage record-collecting interests to stratospheric new heights as he scoured basements and loose leads on the hunt for rock 'n roll treasures, from Bob Dylan's first guitar to Janis Joplin's paisley pants and pink feather boa. Highlights include the auction chase for Eric Clapton's "Layla" guitar and gaining Kurt Cobain items from a difficult Courtney Love. Got grunge? How about the original, chipped and crusty Superfuzz stompbox that defined Mark Arm's signature tone in Mudhoney? From the wild report of a tree that naturally casts an eerie shadow of Jimi Hendrix, to Hendrix's own personal record collection, Blecha donned his pith helmet and charged fearlessly after the scent of a rare artifact. If you're lucky enough to visit the Seattle house of rock worship that holds these items today, you'll get to enjoy them without even breaking a sweat.
· And small enough to count as stocking stuffers, Continuum Books has released another heavy nugget in their 33 and 1/3 series of pocket books that give an in-depth analysis of a single, seminal album, with John Niven's new love letter to The Band's Music From Big Pink. Up next for early next year is musician Ric Menck's critical look at The Byrds' Notorious Byrd Brothers and Antioch University professor David Ulin's thesis on The Clash's London Calling.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Sinéad O'Connor this Monday; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Fall Out Boy on Friday and Coldplay on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts John Fogerty on Friday overnight, The New Pornographers on Monday overnight, and the blistering Hendrix-inspired ukulele mastery of Jake Shimabukuro on Tuesday overnight, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson presents Franz Ferdinand on Thursday overnight and Nada Surf on Monday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly features Citizen Cope this evening overnight, The Sound on Thursday overnight, and Spoon on Tuesday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live shucks Korn on Monday overnight and offers up Death Cab For Cutie on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Shakira.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, December 13:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Beck- Guerolito (Interscope) remix treatment of his Guero album, with contributions by Air, Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys, John King of the Dust Brothers, and more
Bo Bice- The Real Thing (RCA) debut from the recent American Idol runner-up, available as a standard CD or an enhanced DualDisc with acoustic versions, featuring songwriting assistance from Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, and Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan- "Ramblin' Man" (V2) CD EP featuring the pair's take on the Hank Williams classic
Caural- Remembering Today (Mush) collection of electronic hip-hop from Zachary Mastoon
Cream- Royal Hall London: May 2-3, 5-6 (Reprise) special triple album vinyl LP set
Howie Day- Live From... (Epic) six-song CD EP recorded in Boston and Salt Lake City
DJ Muggs vs. The GZA- "Advance Pawns" (Up Above) new 12" single with guests RZA, Raekwon and Sen-Dog
Earsure- The Erasure Show: Live in Cologne (Mute) DVD
Robert Fripp- Love Cannot Bear(Discipline Global) new soundscapes recorded live
Jackie-O MF- Flags of the Sacred Harp (All Tomorrow's Parties) with guitarist Adam Forkner
Simon Joyner- Room Temperature (One Hour Records) CD reissue of these primitive 1993 sessions
KISS- Rock the Nation Live! (Image) two-DVD set with behind the scenes footage
Liars- "It Fit When I Was a Kid" (Mute) new 7" and enhanced CD single available in both censored and controversial cover art printed on edible paper
The Strokes- "Juicebox" (RCA) enhanced CD single
various artists - Live From the Morning Alternative: A Benefit for the Vera Project Volume II (Vera Project) live in the radio studio collection supporting the Seattle all-ages arts space, with contributions from The Posies, The Cops, Harvey Danger, Minus the Bear, the Supersuckers, and more
· More love is shared openly in another new book, Neil Young Nation, as Canadian writer Kevin Chong faces his personal midlife crisis by rounding up a few slacker buddies for a soul-searching road trip across North America, as they trace the same path Neil Young took in the mid 1960's, leaving his native northern homeland for the happening Los Angeles scene. Listening for traces of the energy he left along the way, Chong tracks down Young's childhood home and other significant addresses that dot the map, and finds a few old friends who shared the original, fateful journey in that glorious 1953 Pontiac hearse. Issued by Vancouver's Greystone Books, this very funny highway diary proves that even if you don't get to meet your hero, often the journey itself is all that really matters.
· The early history of Led Zeppelin gets a fresh telling in a glossy new opus by Keith Shadwick and the Backbeat Book press, gorgeously illustrated with stunning black and white photography. From the Yardbirds split to the death of drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin: The Story of a Band and Their Music 1968-1980 provides a fly-on-the-wall gaze at what created their epic legacy over nine albums and eleven American tours. Featuring one of the most dangerous and unpredictable band managers in rock history, Peter Grant, the story paints a creative "perfect storm" of talent, and as some feel, destiny. Featuring highly analyzed discussion of song arrangements and studio craft, the reader is taken deep into the haze of this rock royalty.
· Seattle native and Northwest music historian Peter Blecha shares his true-life adventures as an Indiana Jones in search of pop culture antiquities in his new book, Rock & Roll Archaeologist, from Sasquatch Books. As the former curator of the Experience Music Project museum, Blecha took his teenage record-collecting interests to stratospheric new heights as he scoured basements and loose leads on the hunt for rock 'n roll treasures, from Bob Dylan's first guitar to Janis Joplin's paisley pants and pink feather boa. Highlights include the auction chase for Eric Clapton's "Layla" guitar and gaining Kurt Cobain items from a difficult Courtney Love. Got grunge? How about the original, chipped and crusty Superfuzz stompbox that defined Mark Arm's signature tone in Mudhoney? From the wild report of a tree that naturally casts an eerie shadow of Jimi Hendrix, to Hendrix's own personal record collection, Blecha donned his pith helmet and charged fearlessly after the scent of a rare artifact. If you're lucky enough to visit the Seattle house of rock worship that holds these items today, you'll get to enjoy them without even breaking a sweat.
· And small enough to count as stocking stuffers, Continuum Books has released another heavy nugget in their 33 and 1/3 series of pocket books that give an in-depth analysis of a single, seminal album, with John Niven's new love letter to The Band's Music From Big Pink. Up next for early next year is musician Ric Menck's critical look at The Byrds' Notorious Byrd Brothers and Antioch University professor David Ulin's thesis on The Clash's London Calling.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Sinéad O'Connor this Monday; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Fall Out Boy on Friday and Coldplay on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts John Fogerty on Friday overnight, The New Pornographers on Monday overnight, and the blistering Hendrix-inspired ukulele mastery of Jake Shimabukuro on Tuesday overnight, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson presents Franz Ferdinand on Thursday overnight and Nada Surf on Monday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly features Citizen Cope this evening overnight, The Sound on Thursday overnight, and Spoon on Tuesday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live shucks Korn on Monday overnight and offers up Death Cab For Cutie on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Shakira.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, December 13:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Beck- Guerolito (Interscope) remix treatment of his Guero album, with contributions by Air, Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys, John King of the Dust Brothers, and more
Bo Bice- The Real Thing (RCA) debut from the recent American Idol runner-up, available as a standard CD or an enhanced DualDisc with acoustic versions, featuring songwriting assistance from Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, and Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan- "Ramblin' Man" (V2) CD EP featuring the pair's take on the Hank Williams classic
Caural- Remembering Today (Mush) collection of electronic hip-hop from Zachary Mastoon
Cream- Royal Hall London: May 2-3, 5-6 (Reprise) special triple album vinyl LP set
Howie Day- Live From... (Epic) six-song CD EP recorded in Boston and Salt Lake City
DJ Muggs vs. The GZA- "Advance Pawns" (Up Above) new 12" single with guests RZA, Raekwon and Sen-Dog
Earsure- The Erasure Show: Live in Cologne (Mute) DVD
Robert Fripp- Love Cannot Bear(Discipline Global) new soundscapes recorded live
Jackie-O MF- Flags of the Sacred Harp (All Tomorrow's Parties) with guitarist Adam Forkner
Simon Joyner- Room Temperature (One Hour Records) CD reissue of these primitive 1993 sessions
KISS- Rock the Nation Live! (Image) two-DVD set with behind the scenes footage
Liars- "It Fit When I Was a Kid" (Mute) new 7" and enhanced CD single available in both censored and controversial cover art printed on edible paper
The Strokes- "Juicebox" (RCA) enhanced CD single
various artists - Live From the Morning Alternative: A Benefit for the Vera Project Volume II (Vera Project) live in the radio studio collection supporting the Seattle all-ages arts space, with contributions from The Posies, The Cops, Harvey Danger, Minus the Bear, the Supersuckers, and more
