Jimmy Page: The Anthology Mass Edition from Genesis Publications available everywhere on October 19, 2020

Exciting news for fans of legendary guitar great Jimmy Page...Robert Kinsler

October 15, 2020 - Today marks the beginning of the world wide roll out of Jimmy Page: The Anthology, starting in UK bookstores. Next week, the mass edition will be available in bookstores in the US, Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific, and in New Zealand in mid-November. 

 

Find out more at JimmyPageAnthology.com

 

"In this book, I wanted to include items from my personal archive that have played a part in my overall story, to give the detail behind the detail."– Jimmy Page

 

From his early days as a young session musician, through his years on the world stage with Led Zeppelin, to his solo work and collaborations, Jimmy Page has lived a spectacular life in music. Throughout it all, he has amassed an extensive private archive of iconic guitars, stage costumes and personal memorabilia.

 

Now, in The Anthology, Jimmy Page is granting exclusive access to his archive for the first time, and telling the inside story of his phenomenal career.

 

In a new text of over 70,000 words, Jimmy Page guides the reader through hundreds of rare items, many of which are previously unseen, and others of mythic status, such as the Gibson double neck guitar, his dragon-emblazoned suit, his white embroidered poppy suit, and the outfit worn in the concert film The Song Remains the Same.

 

Also included are handwritten diaries, correspondence, rare vinyl pressings, previously unpublished photographs and much, much more. Jimmy Page has personally selected each piece to be photographed in this book, which has been created with his full participation.

 

The result is Jimmy Page: The Anthology. Both reflective and revealing, it is quite simply the legendary musician’s most comprehensive and fascinating account of his life to date.

 

Available in all good bookshops: JimmyPageAnthology.com

About Genesis Publications:

Genesis Publications was founded in 1974 in Britain as an independent publishing house true to the arts of printing and craftsmanship. Today, Genesis creates some of the world’s most sought-after books for readers in 90 countries, and as of 2017 celebrated its 100^thedition (see more at genesis-publications.com).

'Do You Feel Like I Do?' Peter Frampton memoir coming in 2020

Peter Frampton thrilling NAMM fans at the
City National Grove of Anaheim on Jan. 24, 2019.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

Here is breaking news on the forthcoming release of 'Do You Feel Like I Do?', a memoir by Peter Frampton. I saw Peter Frampton perform in January 2019 during the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California and he was fantastic. He performed several solo hits, and also shared the stage with several other notable stars including ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons. It was truly a memorable and once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can read my review of his performance as part of the Gibson NAMM Jam HERE. Barnes and Noble has a full-length page on the book, which is available for pre-order as a signed hardcover HERE.

Here is the official information from the publisher about "Do You Feel Like I Do?":

Do You Feel Like I Do?

A Memoir

by Peter Frampton

With Alan Light

A revelatory memoir by rock icon and legendary guitarist Peter Frampton.

Do You Feel Like I Do? is the incredible story of Peter Frampton’s positively resilient life and career told in his own words for the first time. His groundbreaking album Frampton Comes Alive! spawned three top-20 singles and sold 8 million copies the year it was released (over 17 million to date) and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in January. Frampton was on a path to stardom from an early age. By 22, he was touring incessantly and making use of the talk box which would become his signature guitar effect. “I started playing music so young that I sometimes feel I’ve lived more than one lifetime already,” says Frampton.

The artist shares fascinating stories of his collaborative work and tours with the likes of George Harrison and David Bowie, among others, and reveals both the blessing and curse of Frampton Comes Alive!. And he opens up about becoming the heartthrob and cover boy he never wanted to be, his overcoming substance abuse, and how he’s continued to play at the top of his game despite an inflammatory muscle disease.

You can access the website with all details here.

'Begin the Begin: R.E.M.'s Early Years' coming on May 14, 2019

While it doesn't seem likely that R.E.M. will ever perform together again, it's great that new details about the groundbreaking American rock troupe continue to come to light. I read the excerpt of 'Begin the Begin: R.E.M.'s Early Years' and the book promises to provide fans of the group with plenty of cool insight...Robert Kinsler

Begin the Begin: R.E.M.'s Early Years

Coming via Verse Chorus Press on May 14

 

 Excerpt HERE courtesy of Dangerous Minds

Begin the Begin is the first biography of R.E.M. wholly researched and written since they disbanded in 2011. It offers by far the most detailed account of the group's formative years--their early lives, their first encounters with one another, their legendary debut show, early tours in the back of a van, initial recordings, their shrewdly paced rise to fame. 

The people and places of the American South are crucial to the R.E.M. story in ways much more complex and interesting than have previously been presented, claims Robert Dean Lurie; he explores the myriad ways in which the band's adopted hometown of Athens, Georgia--and the South in general--shaped its members and the character of their art. The South is much more than the background here; it plays a major role: the creative ferment that erupted in Athens and gripped many of its young inhabitants in the late 1970s and early '80s drew on regional traditions of outsider art and general cultural out-thereness, and gave rise to a free-spirited music scene that produced the B-52's and Pylon, as well as laying the ground for R.E.M.'s subsequent breakout success. 

R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe performing at
Atlanta Civic Center in December 1984.
Photo credit: Joanna Schwartz

Lurie has tracked down and interviewed numerous figures in the band's history who were underrepresented in, or absent from, earlier biographies--they contribute previously undocumented stories and cast a fresh light on the familiar narrative.

Advance Praise for Begin the Begin: 

"Meticulously researched and always elegantly written, Begin the Begin is a critical but glorious tribute to its subject."

--Christopher Sandford, author of Bowie: Loving the Alien

"Hope, yearning, and fear are visceral here, and the portrait painted is of something joyous, mad, and brilliant all at once." 

--David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Cedars

"This beautiful, joyful book is more than a biography--it's a deep exploration of art and its bloody relationship with business, a meditation on the South, on youth and love, on family and fame, and an intelligent return to the soundtrack of the 1980s." 

--Rebecca Lee, author of Bobcat and Other Stories   

Pre-order the book HERE

Learn more at www.robertdeanlurie.com and www.versechorus.com

Power Pop's 200 Greatest Albums are explored in author John M. Borack's 'Shake Some Action 2.0'

John M. Borack is widely acknowledged as being one of the world's experts on power pop music. A talented author, drummer and bona fide fan of the genre, today comes exciting news that his long-awaited Shake Some Action 2.0 is due in September.

Here is the media release...


Power Pop's 200 Greatest Albums are explored in author John M. Borack's latest book, Shake Some Action 2.0

The best of the long-lasting musical sub-genre known as "power pop" – short, snappy tunes that owe a debt to artists such as the Beatles and the Who and are fed by ringing guitars, vocal harmonies and memorable melodies - is examined in author John M. Borack's upcoming book, Shake Some Action 2.0: An Updated Guide to the 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums, 1970-2017.

The new book, due in September 2018 from Not Lame Media, is an update of sorts of Borack's now out-of-print 2007 book Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide. Here is what to expect from SSA 2.0:

• 414 pages of pure pop-inspired passion that even the most casual power pop fan will appreciate but a serious one will get totally geeked about.
• Newly written and/or expanded reviews of the outstanding power pop releases that Borack lauded in his first book.
• All new quotes from nearly every artist featured in the new, updated Top 200, speaking about their respective albums.
• Nearly 60 new entries included in the Top 200.
• A collection of various record reviews that Borack has penned over the past several years which feature many over-looked, high-quality albums you'll want to make sure to add to your collection.
• Borack's year-end 'Best Of' lists from 1996-2017 – unearth and discover what you might have missed.

In addition, the book comes bundled with a 24-track audio CD collection from Borack's power pop band Popdudes, titled Maximum Rock Stupidity. The CD contains several rare and/or previously-unreleased tracks.


In describing his book – his third music-related title – Borack says "Shake Some Action 2.0 will be laid out in similar fashion to a Billboard chart; albums have climbed up or slid down the chart, with new efforts from 2008-2017 replacing those that have fallen out of the Top 200. Among those making their 'chart debut' in the new book will be acts such as Van Duren, Sorrows, Silver Sun, The Exploding Hearts, Starbelly, The Jags, and the Len Price 3."

You can get more information on the upcoming book and pre-order it here.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John M. Borack is a music journalist and musician from Southern California. 

Borack's music reviews, columns and feature articles have appeared in periodicals such as Goldmine, Amplifier, The Garden Grove Journal, Audities and Popsided. He has also contributed to the book and website The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock, and has written liner notes for CDs by such diverse artists as The Windbreakers, DM3, Tommy Keene, Raspberries, The Rooks, Starbuck ("Moonlight Feels Right"), The Rembrandts, The Lolas, The Toms, sparkle*jets uk and The Scruffs, among others. He is currently a contributing editor for Goldmine, and writes a monthly column titled Power Pop Plus for the magazine's website.

Borack also penned the extensive notes for Rhino Records' Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '80's and has served as executive producer for the CD compilations Beyond Belief: A Tribute to Elvis Costello (SpyderPop Records, 2015), Right to Chews: Bubblegum Classics Revisited (Not Lame Recordings, 2002) and Shoe Fetish: A Tribute to Shoes (Parasol Records, 2001), a tribute disc spotlighting the work of the DIY power pop pioneers.

In 2008, Not Lame Recordings published Borack's first book, Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide, which quickly sold out four small pressings.^[1][2] 

In 2010, his second book, John Lennon: Life Is What Happens was published; subtitled 'Music, Memories and Memorabilia,' it served as a biography of the late Beatle as well as a memorabilia guide, with many rare photos included. September, 2018 will see the release of Borack's third book, titled Shake Some Action 2.0: A Guide to the 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums, 1970 - 2017. Borack's next book, The Beatles: 100 Pivotal Moments that Shaped a Band and its Music, is scheduled for publication in 2019.

Rock 'n' Roll Reads Celebrate Music-Making Masters

With the end of 2017 rapidly approaching, it is time for a roundup of some of the year's most essential books celebrating rock 'n' roll masters.

Title: Led Zeppelin: All the Albums, All the Songs (Voyageur Press)
Author: Martin Popoff
Edition: Hardcover, 256 pages
Tell me more: Because so much has been written about Led Zeppelin since the band's formation nearly 50 years ago, it is almost overwhelming for new fans of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers to know where to start in terms of deciphering the secrets behind the British quartet's nine studio albums. Look no further than the recently-released Led Zeppelin: All the Albums, All the Songs penned by well-known music journalist Martin Popoff. This beautifully-illustrated book provides insights into the creation of the 81 enduring rock tracks blending folk, blues, Celtic and rock that comprised Led Zep's original catalog spanning from their eponymous 1969 disc to the late 1978 recordings featured on "In Through The Out Door" (the rarities-minded 1982 release "Coda" is also assessed in depth). Yours truly has always been perplexed at the how rock fans and critics often argue about the merits of Led Zeppelin's recordings and songs, but Popoff makes a compelling case for the band's singular and groundbreaking rock brew that continues to inspire and influence new generations of musicians long after the band's demise. Information: martinpopoff.com.

Title: HENDRIX: The Illustrated History (Voyageur Press)
Author: Gillian G. Gaar
Edition: Hardcover, 224 pages
Tell me more: Widely-regarded as the greatest and most influential rock guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix carved out his amazing legacy from the middle of 1966 until his death at age 27 in September 1970. Author Gillian G. Gaar's wonderful HENDRIX: The Illustrated History is worthy of its talented subject — the newly-published hardcover book has images spanning from Hendrix's childhood to those taken shortly before his death; along with the wealth of photographs, album artwork and posters are well-written details about the singer-guitarist's life and career. Hendrix aficionados will love details on the gear that the guitar great used, as well as the selected live appearances list highlighting many of his most notable concert appearances and "selected discography" featured in the book. HENDRIX: The Illustrated History is truly a must-have for fans of Hendrix and those whose life-long quest is to master the art of playing guitar. Information: amazon.com.

Title: Rush: Album By Album (Voyageur Press)
Author: Martin Popoff
Edition: Hardcover, 192 pages
Tell me more: When Canadian rock trio Rush was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, it provided acknowledgement that bassist-keyboardist-vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer-lyricist Neil Peart are one of rock's most powerful, talented and unique voices. In addition, as of 2017, Rush has reportedly sold more than 65 million albums worldwide since the early 1970s. Now author Martin Popoff — widely considered an expert on Rush — explores the 50-year history of the band in his outstanding Rush: Album By Album." Spanning from Rush's self-titled 1974 debut to 2012's excellent Clockwork Angels, every Rush album is covered via a comprehensive look reflecting not only Popoff's views but those he collects in conversations featuring the likes of Kirk Hammett (lead guitarist of Metallica), Paul Gilbert (guitarist in Mr. Big), Mike Portnoy (the drummer of Dream Theater) and other notable names who provide additional depth into the work of Rush. As is fitting of the ambition of Rush, the conversations and narrative in Rush: Album By Album covers not only the music (including well-known solos) and lyrics, but related live performances and album artwork. Information: martinpopoff.com.

Title: A Grammy Salute to Music Legends
Author: Edited by David Konjoyan; foreword by Jimmy Jam
Edition: Hardcover, 208 pages
Tell me more: While most music fans recognize that The Recording Academy presents its GRAMMYs to honor award-winning music that has had an impact in a specific year, the majority of those who catch the televised ceremony might not know about the Special Merit Awards section of the GRAMMY program book where deserving persons are honored through the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY Award. These special awards honor individuals who have distinguished themselves over the course of many years and come from a wide range of musical genres. Now A Grammy Salute to Music Legends shines a bright light on these notables who have earned Special Merit Awards, with the seminal music pioneers typically celebrated by artists they have influenced. For example, Tom Petty's tribute to George Harrison's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and Kris Kristofferson's tribute to Leonard Cohen for the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 are among the many highlights in the insightful anthology. Information: halleonardbooks.com.

Title: Rockin' the City of Angels (Diego Spade Productions)
Author: Douglas Harr
Edition: Hardcover, 396 pages
Tell me more: Rockin' the City of Angels celebrates the 1970s. Big time. The coffee-table book closely mirrors the size of an LP vinyl album cover, spans 396 pages and includes more than 600 images. Written by Douglas Harr and designed by Tilman Reitzle, Rockin' the City of Angels brings together the work of a number of photographers to capture the parade of stellar concerts staged in Los Angeles during the 1970s. Indeed, images of The Who, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Yes, AC/DC, Queen, David Bowie, Paul McCartney & Wings, and others are showcased here. Photographers whose images are featured in the volume include Richard E. Aaron, Jørgen Angel, Fin Costello, Ian Dickson, Armando Gallo, Stacey Katsis, Terry O’Neill, Neal Preston, Michael Putland, Jim Summaria, Lisa Tanner, Brian Weiner and Neil Zlowzower. Information: https://www.facebook.com/rockinthecityofangels/. You can also purchase the book from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/Amazon-RTCOA.


Robert Kinsler