Book reviews

The illustrated Tom Waits

Hans Werksman — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:29:00 GMT

Barry and Sharleena from Kill Ugly Radio can draw pretty good. They did the illustrations for a book on Tom Waits. It's in German and you can have it for only 15 EUR with 12 postcards made by B & S. Toll!

» Buy the book

Gijsbert Hanekroot: "Abba to Zappa" exhibition and book

Hans Werksman — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:18:00 GMT

It's an exhibition. It's a book. A selection from Abba to Zappa by Dutch photographer Gijsbert Hanekroot is shown at the Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden, The Netherlands:

Photographer Gijsbert Hanekroot selected 39 pop music photos from his collection for this exhibition. From Abba to Zappa, from Neil Young to Talking Heads and from JJ Cale to Keith Richards. An exhibition of powerful black-and-white photos thematically connected with the major exhibition ‘Music in Motion – Journey to the world’s musical cities’ that is still showing until 23 August.

» rmv.nl
» gijsberthanekroot.nl
» abbazappa.com (download PDF preview)

Graeme Thomson: I Shot a Man in Reno

Hans Werksman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:44:00 GMT

There are thousands songs about the end of life and Graeme Thomson has written the definitive book about the subject. I Shot a Man in Reno, A History of Death by Murder, Suicide, Fire, Flood, Drugs, Disease and General Misadventure, as Related in Popular Song traces back the roots of perennial murder ballads like Stagger Lee, offers insight about the huge popularity of teenage death songs in the late fifties and early sixties -- the couples were not married and they might have indulged in hot prenuptial sex if that shark hadn't shown up just in time - car and motor incidents (Leader of The Pack comes to mind) were more common though. Today drive-by shootings rule supreme in rap.

Thompson digs deep but I Shot A Man In Reno is not a bleak book. People have made fun of the grim reaper, too, and it shows in dozens of songs. "Always Look At The Bright Side of Life, you silly bugger."

The brouhahah surrounding heavy metal being responsible for a few teenage suicides is just that: a typical posse reaction. A case against Judas Priest after two teenagers pulled the trigger was thrown out of court. The same goes for the Columbine High shooting where shock rocker Marilyn Manson was deemed as a threat. No, says Thompson, he would be in real trouble if people actually would pay attention to his music. Panicky parents are always looking for a scapegoat, but sad-eyed teenagers listing endlessly to goth and emo don't decide to cut their own wrists by default. A subgenre killing of its fans is just bad for business.

Thompson has interviewed musicians like Nick Cave, Mike Scott and Richard Thompson who have written about death in all its guises. They talk about the writing process, name their influences and explain the tradition of death songs.

I Shot a Man in Reno will expand the reader's musical horizon. Graeme Thomson has drawn a big picture about all the genres that have sung about death. It's part of the musical nervous system.

Thompson continues to write about the subject on his blog:

» ishotamaninrenobook.blogspot.com

MP3: Depeche Mode - Blasphemous Rumours
MP3: Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues

Video: Johnny Cash- Folsom Prison Blues
Video: Nick Cave w/ Kylie Minogue - Where The Wild Roses Grow
Video: Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto

I Shot A Man In Reno is published by Continuum Books.

Jenny Lens: punk rock eBooks

Hans Werksman — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:21:00 GMT

Joey Ramone leaning against photographer Jenny Lens’ blue Chrysler New Yorker before a sound check. Photo: Jenny Lens

Jenny Lens took hundreds of classic punk photos. She is publishing them as eBooks.

HELP SAVE the Jenny Lens Punk Archive! Jenny's seminal, 1976-1980, LA-based punk photos have been published more than anyone on the West Coast for over 32 years. Her photos have been published more than ANY other photographer during that time frame in ALL the numerous major books published the past few years. Her photos are also in documentaries, magazine articles, CD/DVD packaging and more.

But there are thousands you've never seen! Photos which will make you laugh, cry, dance and more!

» jennylens.com

(Thru boingboing.net)

Phish: "Buried Alive" MP3 from "At The Roxy"

Hans Werksman — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:52:00 GMT

Another taste from the forthcoming Phish archival release At The Roxy (8-CD box set), recorded live Feb 19, 20, 21, 1993 Atlanta, GA:

MP3: Phish - Buried Alive
(live At The Roxy - 1993/02/21)

The box set drops November 18th. Pre-order At The Roxy at Phish Dry Goods.

(Thru Hidden Track)

Recording The Beatles

Hans Werksman — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:36:00 GMT

It ain't cheap, but it is complete: Recording The Beatles. Everything you always wanted to know about the four guys in the studio. Written by Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan. You can have one for $100 + shipping. Comes in a deluxe slipcase.

» recordingthebeatles.com

"The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" Deluxe Edition 3CD in september

Hans Werksman — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:12:00 GMT

From pinkfloydz.com: the Deluxe Edition of The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn is actually going to happen.

"Piper Confirmed! We are very happy to tell you that EMI have just issued a press release about the upcoming Piper At The Gates Of Dawn re-release. Release date is scheduled for 3 September 2007 and will be a Deluxe 3 CD set, in a DVD sized hardback book format with a reproduction of a previously unseen Syd Barrett notebook. There will be a Stereo disc, mono disc version of the album (different takes of the tracks), and a 3rd disc of all 1967 singles and B sides, plus unreleased edits of 2 tracks (TBC), all in sequence. All music remastered by James Guthrie. A 2 CD standard version of the stereo and mono discs, but without booklet and singles disc, will also be released in a brilliant box and will be priced at deluxe 1 CD price."

» pinkfloydz.com
» en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Piper_at_the_Gates_of_Dawn

Led Zeppelin Complete Songbook

Hans Werksman — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:52:00 GMT

Never could figure out what Jimmy is playing at 3:43-3:48 in Kashmir? You might like the Led Zeppelin Complete Songbook made by Alfred Publishing:

This book includes every song from Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, Presence, Physical Graffiti, In Through the Out Door, and Coda, arranged with the critical instrumental riffs and figures. It also includes two guitar TAB sections, one featuring many of the note-for-note riffs on which the classic Led Zeppelin songs are based, and the other featuring several of Jimmy Page's classic guitar solos.

» More
» alfred.com

O no! Not another Velvet Underground study!

Hans Werksman — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:36:00 GMT

Richard Witts has added yet another book to the extensive Velvet Underground library. He called it -- surpise! -- The Velvet Underground. Yes, he is an academic. Nicholas Lezard in a review for The Guardian:

A note before the title page says it is "designed for undergraduates and the general reader". Never mind the general reader, it was the fact that the Velvet Underground are now being studied by undergraduates that had me pacing around the room, pinching the bridge of my nose and saying the title of the fifth track on their third album ("Jesus") out loud a few times. Am I getting that old? When I was an undergraduate, they had hardly been split up for a decade. Students shouldn't be studying the Velvet Underground, they should sit around taking narcotics and listening to them. You'll be telling me next that students aren't allowed to take narcotics any more.

The Velvet Underground by Richard Witts (Equinox, £10.99)

» More
» Equinox

(Thanks: Margaret Moser)