Books

A crackup at the race riots paperback 172 pages

Review: The original Ritalin kid, Harmony Korine burst on the scene with Kids, a film so gritty and unsettling in its depiction of teen life that it was slapped with an NC-17 rating and banned in some theaters across the country. In some ways, the media frenzy over the rating overshadowed the harrowing portrait of teenagers destroying their lives and the then twenty-one-year-old screenwriter who created them. "Whether you see the movie as a masterpiece or as sensationalism," wrote Lynn Hirshberg, "the movie is relentless and brilliant and extremely disturbing. It's powerful-both steel-eyed and sexy; horrifying and captivating."

Now, in this first book of fictional set pieces, Korine captures the fragmented moments of a life observed through the demented lens of media, TV, and teen obsession. Korine reinvents the novel in this highly experimental montage of scenes that seem both real and surreal at the same time. With a filmmaker's eye and a prankster's glee, this bizarre collection of jokes, half-remembered scenes, dialogue fragments, movie ideas, and suicide notes is an episodic, epigrammatic lovesong to the world of images. Korine is the voice of his media-savvy generation and A Crack-Up at the Race Riots is the satiric lovechild of his dark imagination.

Visual guide to the history of modern music and discovery of the stories of the people behind, with archive photographs, rare artwork and newspaper clippings (190 pages, paperback, black & white/colour)

Review: Now the world's foremost blues, rockabilly, soul and rock n roll reissue label, Ace Records has been responsible for unearthing lost classics and neglected pioneers for over three decades and provided some of the finest and most influential records of the post-war era. The first comprehensive history of this fascinating label, Ace Records takes in some of the finest and most enduring modern music, rock n roll, soul, funk, blues, jazz, R&B, garage rock and punk.

To read the Ace Records: Labels Unlimited is to explore the history of modern music and to discover the stories of the people that made it. The book chronicles this fascinating label and profiles a diverse range of artists including BB King, John Fahey, Lee Hazlewood and Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Riff Raff, Johnny & the Self Abusers, Drug Addix and Rocky Sharpe & The Replays. Illustrated with many unseen archive photographs dating back to the 1920s, rare artwork and newspaper clippings and written by established music journalist and author David Stubbs, the Ace Records: Labels Unlimited is a highly entertaining and visually stunning guide to a pioneering alternative to the mainstream UK music scene.

Wax Poetics presents Album Cover Art, featuring 240 classic, obscure and weird record covers.

Review: This is a groovy little guide to all things disco - a Japanese discography that focuses on key club records from a number of different generations. As you'd guess from the title, the core focus here is the seventies - and possibly the early eighties - represented by listings of a variety of albums and other releases. The book sets out a few artist-based sections for folks like Chic, Jellybean, Jocelyn Brown, Earth Wind & Fire, and others, and also features some DJ's Choice sections, and Essential Disc Guides throughout. There's plenty here to wet your appetite, including a full colour section of rarities at the beginning, plus lots of other text and interviews in Japanese.

Behind-the-scenes story of Casablanca Records. From the daring first signing of KISS, through the discovery and superstardom of Donna Summer, the Village People, and funk master George Clinton and his circus of freaks, Parliament Funkadelic.

A5 paperback book, 160 pages

Review: This deluxe hard-back book features hundreds of stunning full size record cover designs of Bossa Nova and Brazilian music from the 1960s. The book also comes complete with full accompanying text, essays and interviews on the historical, political and social context of this Brazilian music as well as features on all the important artists and musicians of the era such as Sergio Mendes, Tom Jobim, Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Caetano Veloso and many more.

Bossa Nova, born in Rio de Janeiro, became a worldwide musical phenomenon, quickly spreading to the USA and the rest of the world. Subsequent musical styles such as the rise of MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) and Tropicalia are also featured in the book. Bossa Nova emerged at the end of the 1950s, the music (and glorious designs) reflecting a new period of great optimism in the country. Brazil had just elected a new president, a new five-year plan for prosperity had been laid down and the architect Oscar Niemeyer had drawn up his plans for the city of Brasilia. By 1964, as Bossa Nova was taking the world by storm, tanks rode through Rio as Brazil came under a violent military dictatorship that would oppress the lives of Brazilians for the next twenty years.

Breaking into the music business paperback 439 pages

Review: For musicians, songwriters, managers, producers - this is a must have guide, totally revised for the ninties. Top entertainment lawyer Alan h siegal arms you with everything you'll need to know: The economic realities of being a songwriter and recording artist, from launching a career to understanding a contract. Structures and features of various record and music publishing deals, with details on rights on royalties. Guidelines for establishing a good relationship with a manager and an entertainment lawyer. The language of the music industry - buzz words, acronyms, and jargan-simplified in a comprehensive glossary.

Throughout the book, interviews with music greats such as Marvin Hamlisch, Barbara Mandrell, Clive Davis (founder and president of Arista Records) and Ashford and Simpson give you the benefit of their experience "breaking in" to every aspect of the industy.

Based on original interviews with DJs, b-boys, rappers, graffiti writers, activists, and gang members, with unforgettable portraits of many of hip-hop's forebears, founders, and mavericks, including DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Chuck D, and Ice Cube.

191 page, A5 paperback book

Review: A definitive guide to the 1000 best collections of Sweet Soul Music, featuring artists such as: Earth, Wind & Fire, Otis Redding, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, The Temptations and hundreds more!

A5 size, 190 page paperback book

Review: Disc Collection Soundtrack (Japan Text)

Featuring titles: The Godfather, Titanic, Dances With Wolves, Blade Runner, Singin' In The Rain, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Rain Man, The Deer Hunter, American Beauty, The Terminator, Blue Velvet, etc...

All the technical know-how needed as well as advice on how to create your own DJing style and how to make DJing work for you. Softback, Black & White, 398 pages.

A feature book containing reviews and scans of hundreds of funk 45's, also includes charts and in depth interviews with DJ Shadow and Keb Darge. Japanese text edition (paperback, black&white, 240 pages)

Review: The Funk 45's is a feature book containing reviews and scans of hundreds of funk 45's, also includes charts and in depth interviews with DJ Shadow and Keb Darge. Japanese text edition.

360 page paperback book on the band Genesis

Review: This book is the first time in over 20 years that Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel and Mike Rutherford have collaborated creatively on a project, working together to create the complete history of Genesis. It is a story that spans 30 years and 30 albums selling a staggering 212 million copies worldwide. It embraces world tours that have played to 25 million people and it covers the high profile departure over the years of one vocalist, (Peter Gabriel), one highly influential guitarist (Steve Hackett) and their best-known drummer and vocalist (Phil Collins).

Key fellow members of the band, management, road crew and entourage have also been interviewed, including Jonathan King (their first manager, who got Genesis signed to Decca in 1967), long-time cohort and road manager Richard MacPhail, Anthony Phillips (guitarist, founder member to 1970), Tony Smith (manager since 1973), drummers Bill Bruford, Chris Stewart and John Silver, and Ray Wilson, the Genesis vocalist after Phil Collins.

Book introduces 80000 listing of 7"45s, EPs and picture sleeves, with updated pricing, including 3 articles and bonus CD (780 pages, paperback, black&white)

Review: It's been 60 years since the little record with the big hole first arrived on the scene, changing the sound of music forever; and while these black gems have been around for a long time 45s are still red hot in the collecting market.

The Goldminer Price Guide to 45 RPM helps you stay in the loop and on the edge of the 45 RPM market with comprehensive coverage of the biggest little record ever made. In this one book you'll find updated pricing, a checklist format for easy inventorying and:

80,000 listings of 7" 45s, and EPs
Details on artists, labels, and variations
State-of-the-market report featuring an insider's look at hot trends
Three feature articles: 60 Years Of The 45: How It All Began, Why 45s Matter and The World's Rarest 45s
Bonus CD featuring: 20000 additional listings not included in the book, 1000 picture sleeves and label identification guide.

Groove Presents 45 Cover Museum book, featuring rare 7" picture sleeve images all in a full-color, 7" package that's just the size of a vintage 45