book Archive
07 Feb 2013
Book (P)review: Boys Don’t Lie – A History of Shoes
On my desk at the moment is a pre-release Kindle copy of Mary E. Donnelly‘s long awaited book about the Zion, IL powerpop group. Shoes began their recording career in […]
04 Jan 2013
Book Review: 101 Essential Rock Records
I’m predisposed to like a work such as Jeff Gold‘s new book, 101 Essential Rock Records: The Golden Age of Vinyl from The Beatles to the Sex Pistols. Anything that […]
31 Jul 2012
Book Review: The Me Generation…By Me
As someone who (a) is a writer and (b) grew up immersed in the pop culture of the 1960s, Ken Levine would seem ideally suited to write a book about […]
31 May 2012
Book Review: Dick Wagner – Not Only Women Bleed
I’m decidedly old-school about any number of things. I prefer vinyl records to CDs (and CDs to mp3 files), and real books to e-books. But when I learned that famed […]
30 May 2012
Book Review: Ticket Masters
Every now and then, I’ll find myself engaged in a conversation with someone who laments the fact that “they don’t make movies like they used to.” In the old days, […]
13 Feb 2012
Book Review: If You Like the Beatles…
When I heard the title, I was immediately hooked: Bruce Pollock‘s If You Like the Beatles sports the irresistible tag line/come-on, “Here are over 200 bands, films, records and other […]
09 Dec 2011
Book Review: Jerry Lee Lewis, Lost and Found

In the 21st century, it’s a bit of a challenge for a writer – even a very good one – to write a book about one of rock’n’roll’s early leaders. […]
03 Oct 2011
Book Review: The Stooges – Head On
There are a few characteristics that – when present – enhance the quality and readability of a book. When the subject is a band, figure or personality in the rock […]
12 Jul 2011
Book Review: Fever: Little Willie John – A Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul
I recently had a conversation with a friend and fellow writer/editor, and the subject of that discussion was the dwindling opportunities to tell compelling stories from pop music history. So […]
22 Jun 2011
Book Review: Crazy Train – The High Life and Tragic Death of Randy Rhoads
I was late to the party: I had amassed a collection of several thousand albums (vinyl and CD) before I even gave a serious listen to Black Sabbath. An acquaintance […]
