Other Reviews

As a longstanding professional musician, Greg Anton knows full well the archetypes of that universe as well as their attendant cliches, which, like most truisms, actually contain kernels of truth. Accordingly, he has no qualms about turning the platitudes inside out and on their head during the course of unreeling his fictional story of disputed […]

The efficiency of Bradley Morgan’s U2 Until The End of the World belies its heft. In the 240 pages of the 11″ by 9″ hardcover, the author provides a fairly thorough chronicle of the mega-successful Irish band’s history, without any overt agenda or slanted editorializing. And while the writer doesn’t delve too deeply into the […]

The smiling visage of the late Richard Manuel that adorns the dust cover of Stephen T. Lewis’ biography belies the sorrowful tragedy of the musician’s life. And intentionally or not, the author’s narrative follows the ups and downs of the man’s troubled existence.  As a result, the clear-eyed insights Lewis offers are worth the effort […]

Mike Campbell might just be the most humble musician in rock music. As guitarist for Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, he has co-written some of the most iconic American rock songs of his generation (“American Girl,” “Running Down A Dream,” “Refugee,” “Here Comes My Girl”). He served in one of Bob Dylan’s backing bands, he […]

“Ed’s talent was an asset, not just to me but to him. It was an asset to our band; this thing that was bigger than us would be the vehicle for all of our dreams. Of course, the band was more or less imaginary at this point, but if Ed could play guitar like that, […]

Randy Newman is so influential that his songwriting style has become shorthand for smart and searingly witty. The albums Good Old Boys and Sail Away are two of the best themed records to come out of the early 1970s. And in an entirely separate career, sometimes concurrently, Newman has scored 30 movies going back five […]

He was the posterchild for Satanic Panic in the 1980s and the inspiration for a slew of shitty teenage metal bands (and likely a few cool ones, as well). But above all, Anton LaVey (real name, the less ominous, Howard Stanton Levey), was an impressive showman/conman in the vein of PT Barnum and LR Hubbard. […]

Kathleen Hanna’s memoir, Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk, vividly captures her extraordinary journey as a musician, activist, and avatar of the Riot Grrrl movement. From her challenging childhood to her influential roles in Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin, and Le Tigre, Hanna offers an unvarnished portrayal of her life, marked by deep […]

Leon Russell is a thread that weaved in an out of rock music history for decades tying together everyone from Joe Cocker and Willie Nelson to Elton John and Tom Petty. From go to studio musician and pioneer of the Tulsa Sound, he managed to make gospel, bluegrass and even country music cool again thanks […]

In 2016, journalist and author Marc Myers released Anatomy of a Song, a collection of essays and interviews with artists about some of their iconic songs and the songwriting process behind those songs. The collection originally ran as a column in the Wall Street Journal before being compiled into a book. As the column continued, […]

For those who have rocked with Brian Johnson in AC/DC for the last 42 years, his new memoir, The Lives Of Brian, will have you foaming at the mouth happy; but not if you’re wanting the whole story of his AC/DC adventures

Bob Beatty takes the road less traveled on the topic of The Allman Brothers Band with ‘Play All Night!: Duane Allman and the Journey to Fillmore East’

In his new memoir Some Kind of Kick, Kid Congo Powers gives testament to a nonconventional life lived to the fullest.

Jim Rutland’s exhaustively researched, and thoroughly enjoyable book on SST Records – one of the most influential punk rock labels in the history of the genre – could just as easily serve as a bio on Black Flag, the band founded by SST label owner Greg Ginn. SST – initially a mail order business Ginn […]

The story of groundbreaking indie label 415 Records is told in a new book by journalist and author Bill Kopp, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, due out this spring from HoZac Books. The label founded by Howie Klein released era-defining singles, EPs, and albums, and influenced other labels that […]

Ask any guitar player about their favorite instrument and they will talk about it’s attributes like it was the most precious thing in the world to them. They detail it’s beauty using terms such as sexy and enchanting, how it’s soul is the real instigator of the songs the musician ends up creating with it, […]

Admittedly, Rock Concert is not the catchiest title for a book. However, it is a worthwhile examination of a phenomenon that has been around for more than half a century. The book focuses not only on how the rock concert has developed over time, but also on the part that rock concerts have played in […]

Dave Grohl, despite having played in some blisteringly punk/hardcore bands over the years, has the reputation of being the Tom Hanks of the music world – the nicest guy around. And Storyteller, his remarkably affable memoir is not doing anything to change that reputation. Focusing a great deal on Grohl’s upbringing with his mom and […]

Stevie Van Zandt is the consummate sidekick, whether it’s playing Little Stevie to Bruce Springsteen or Silvio Dante to James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano. There are few better at not stealing the spotlight when they have the charm and charisma to easily do so. In his fantastic memoir, Unrequited Infatuations, Van Zandt digs into both of […]

John Hiatt is one of those musicians whose impact on music is far greater than the average fan could ever know. Like John Prine or Billy Joe Shaver, even if you don’t know Hiatt’s music, if you listen to folk, contemporary blues or Americana, chances are one of your favorite musicians is not only a […]