Rock & Roll Heaven is a fascinating look at 120 of popular music's most famous fatalities, from legendary rockers who lived fast and died young to tragic and self-destructive poet-musicians. Discover whose body was washed up at the foot of Beale Street, home of the blues. Find out why country legend Gram Parsons' corpse was stolen. Read about the grisly coincidence that links Keith Moon and "Mama" Cass Elliot. Artist portraits feature career highlights along with details of their untimely demise, accompanied by stunning photographs.
Never get sexually involved with a client. I should’ve heeded my own advice. But one look at Mandy and you’d have fallen too. She was a real ball breaker. Serving divorce papers shouldn’t get a private investigator shot. But it happened to me. But life goes on, right? I was summoned upstairs to Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven. Someone was trying to sabotage the upcoming big gig. A humorous tale of music and intrigue on a fantasy world.
This Is The First Anthology of fiction ever published that deals exclusively with the intoxicating urgency, iconic power, and even disturbing underside of rock music, arguably the most influential art form of the past fifty years. In pieces that range from the wildly comic to the achingly poignant, from surreal tales of excess to small moments of human joy and pathos, these 22 stories -- by some of the most exciting American writers currently at work -- celebrate the many sides of rock and roll and its remarkable cultural impact.Among the many gems here are Lee K. Abbott's wild portrait of a delusional, megalomaniacal rock star on his comeback; T. Coraghessan Boyle's wryly comic depiction of a recently deceased guitarist trying to find his way to rock and roll heaven; Kathleen Warnock's wistful tale of a schoolteacher in the 1980s who meets the real Elvis; Janice Eidus's hip romance between a fifties doo-wop singer and his high-school sweetheart; Lucinda Ebersole's fine riff on Kafka's Metamorphosis, in which a nineties guy named Sammy wakes up one morning as a Beatle; and Geoffrey Becker's moving story of a road trip taken by a guitar-playing father and his teenage son, a journey on which they learn the real meaning of the blues.Also included are pieces by Madison Smartt Bell, Rochelle Ratner, Francois Camoin, Bruce Jay Friedman, Jill McCorkle, and ten others.As diverse and exciting as the music that inspired it, It's Only Rock and Roll is both a great collection of fiction and a fresh approach to one of the most enduring, riveting, and creative musical forms of our time.
Since the moment they emerged into the mainstream in 1974, armed with the hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us," the band Sparksbrothers Ron and Russell Maelhas endeared themselves to successive generations of fans, not only with their wry humor and quirkiness, but also with a lyrical and musical inventiveness that sees them listed among the most influential acts ever. Exclusive interviews and insights trace the group from its earliest strivings in California up tothe present, while author Dave Thompson's unique eye for period detail and context reveals just how intelligently Sparks has predicted the course of popular music over the past quarter century. Afull worldwide discography, including albums, singles, and audio-visual material, make it a must for Sparks fans everywhere."
The best, most provocative reviews, interviews, columns, and essays written by the entertaining, idiosyncratic, and influential music writer Chuck Eddy over the past twenty-five years.
Contains hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries that provide information about various aspects of the life and work of popular novelist Stephen King.
Rock and roll started as a devil's dance and a shout of ecstasy, and ever since it has carved its path between those who want to control it and those who want to push it to the edge - or over the edge. A blend of profile, criticism, investigative reporting, and history, Moguls and Madmen is a compelling look at today's often explosive, at times out-of-control, music industry. It's a collection of stories from the culture's shadow world - tales of guns and gangs, sex and drugs, greed and lawsuits - told through the eyes of both the moguls seeking power and money and the artists seeking fame and fortune.
The story of any great band includes walk-on parts by scores of musicians who left the scene before fame and fortune came calling. All diehard fans love to trace the connections and lineups of their favorite bands, including the unexpected lucky breaks, the name changes, and all the missed chances before they hit the big time. Rock Connections brings you the fascinating histories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and encapsulated biographies of the biggest names in music from the last fifty years. From Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Coldplay, the evolution of the most important acts is traced. You'll also find a grab bag of fascinating extras, including features on key record labels, producers, clubs, and festivals, along with the lowdown on the bands who made them great. All this, plus enough entertaining trivia to satisfy even the most hardcore fan. Want to find out how the band you love came to be? Then use your Rock Connections.
