Dave Thompson

"Led Zeppelin, the Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Rush, Pink Floyd, Peter Frampton, the Beatles, the Who, Elton John (but only the good stuff), the Rolling Stones - these are the names that classic rock worships. But where are the values for which these artists fought? Where is the spirit that they once epitomized? Persuasive, incisive, and drawing blood with every keystroke, I Hate New Music is one man's crusade against everything that isn't what rock ought to be." "Shamelessly retrospective and defiantly reactionary, I Hate New Music examines the sacred cows of the past thirty years - from U2 to the White Stripes - and then slaughters them for their sins against our souls."--Jacket.

Riding on the heels of the author's previous David Bowie biography, this follow-up covers the post-1987 comeback that firmly established Bowie as one of the most influential rock stars to grace the musical landscape. Beginning with the 1995 release of the critically acclaimed 1. Outside and continuing through Earthling, Hours, Heathen, and Reality, this account shows how Bowie has danced on the cutting edge of contemporary music's many forces and fashions, befriending some of modern music's biggest stars, including Frank Black, Sonic Youth, and Trent Reznor, while revitalizing the persona and musical talent that made him so compelling in the seventies and eighties. Exclusive interviews with Bowie's colleagues, associates, and fans offer fresh perspectives on the superstar's reinvention as both a devoted family man and talent to be reckoned with. A complete discography covers all Bowie recordings, including hard-to-find bootlegs.

From their grandiose inception in 1968 to the release of their latest album in 2003, this comprehensive look at Deep Purple's career paints a vivid portrait of the music scene that influenced the band and their effect on a generation of new musicians. Candid interviews with band members, friends, and fans trace the turbulent history of the band, including the acrimonious departures of legendary members Ian Gillian and Ritchie Blackmore and the death of guitarist Tommy Bolin. For die-hard fans and rock aficionados, this musical biography discloses insights into the staying power of this classic band.

"For the serious or novice collector, The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting covers all the tracks. Garage sale hunters and web surfers alike will find essential information on more than 20 collector categories from vintage rock to Christmas music and soundtracks, plus record-rating tips, discussions of bootlegging and the history of recording formats, and Top Ten Collectible lists for dozens of artists and labels. Comprehensive yet easy to use, The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting offers a wealth of detail and informed opinion - unique in a field dominated by stodgy price guides."--BOOK JACKET.

"More than a listener's guide, this book reveals the rich historical development of a regional music that is now embraced worldwide. Packed with incisive essays, bios, reviews, ratings, photos, and more, this guide captures the allure of reggae and other evocative styles of the entire English-speaking Caribbean region past and present.". "From Trinidad to the Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, and beyond, you'll discover the myriad geographical, cultural, and artistic ingredients inside the Caribbean melting pot - where the infectious sounds of calypso, chutney, dancehall, pan, rock steady, soca, and more are still bubbling.". "Reggae & Caribbean Music explores in depth the enduring carnival traditions of each island, 100 influential performers and their recordings, devoted record producers who gave the music a voice outside the region, the early single releases, and more."--BOOK JACKET.

"From Joe Meek, the brilliant rival of Phil Spector, who was cursed with a premonition of Buddy Holly's death and whose descent into Satanism and paranoia led to a gruesome murder/suicide, to Jonathan Melvoin, the Juilliard trained keyboard player who succumbed to the lure of heroin while touring with the Smashing Pumpkins, Better to Burn Out documents the deaths of the foot soldiers of rock'n'roll. This fascinating addition to the select shelf of musical necrographies - books about the deaths, not the lives, of their subjects - recounts more than seventy untimely, unexpected, and just plain unfortunate deaths, some in passing, some in depth, some in almost painful detail, drawn from well over a decade's worth of personal interviews and conversations."--BOOK JACKET.