Best Music History & Criticism

Ten years ago, Motley Crue's bestselling The Dirt —penned with rock chronicler extraordinaire Neil Strauss—set a new bar for rock 'n' roll memoirs. Crue members Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx also team up with New York Times music writer Neil Strauss to tell the story of their band's rise to phenomenal success: their tours, friendships, alcohol and drug problems, music, influence and, above all, girls. Their hobbies have included collecting automatic weapons, cultivating long arrest records, pushing the envelope of conceivable drug abuse, and dreaming up backstage antics that would make Ozzy Osbourne blanch with modesty.

Stories of the most favorite and beloved seasonal hymns of faith. Rob Morgan is the pastor of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has served for more than thirty years.

Joining the ranks of the classics Please Kill Me, Our Band Could Be Your Life , and Can’t Stop Won’t Stop , an intriguing oral history of the post-9/11 decline of the old-guard music industry and rebirth of the New York rock scene, led by a group of iconoclastic rock bands. “an evocative and gossipy oral history…Not only was Ms. Goodman there…but as our revelatory tour guide, she shrewdly jogged the memories of her protagonists…The result is an affectionate, idiosyncratic narrative of the rock scene’s erratic evolution” ( The New York Times ). “beautifully paced, vivid, informative and compelling… a book primarily built on passion, love and homage – a drawled rock’n’roll sonnet to the music, the bands, the city, the scene, the triumphs, the screw-ups, and, of course, ‘the moment’.” ( The Guardian ). “In her terrific new book, Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City, 2001-2011, author Lizzy Goodman has meticulously traced the story of that revival” ( Paste Magazine ). In this riveting oral history told by those who were actually there, playing the music, pouring the drinks, signing the checks, and writing the cover stories, journalist Lizzy Goodman chronicles the rebirth of New York rock. Meet Me in the Bathroom explores how during this era the music industry was dismantled and then reborn via technology—first by Napster and later iTunes—and how traditional publications like Rolling Stone and Spin were pushed to compete with evangelist bloggers typing feverishly in their underwear, as well as with edgier journalistic upstarts like Vice and Pitchfork. Crafted from nearly two hundred original interviews and curated by a writer who remembers the hangovers herself, Meet Me in the Bathroom follows in the great tradition of the beloved classic Please Kill Me by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain.

” — Complex “A cautionary tale that ends in triumph.” — GQ “A revelation and a welcome addition to hip-hop’s literary legacy.” — All Hip Hop. Born in rural Bessemer, Alabama, Radric Delantic Davis became Gucci Mane in East Atlanta, where the rap scene is as vibrant as the dope game. He inspired and mentored a new generation of artists and producers: Migos, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj, Zaytoven, Mike Will Made-It, Metro Boomin. In his extraordinary autobiography, the legend takes us to his roots in Alabama, the streets of East Atlanta, the trap house, and the studio where he found his voice as a peerless rapper. There are scenes from Gucci Mane’s new autobiography that seem better fit for a gripping Oscar drama than for the story of a guy who recently won his first MTV Video Music Award.” —GQ “A captivating dive into the mind of Radric Davis. The book provides incredible insight into one of the most influential rappers of the last decade, detailing a volatile and fascinating life . By the end, every reader will have a greater understanding of Gucci Mane, the man and the musician.” —PITCHFORK “A story of black manhood in the American South as never described before. Even while incarcerated, Gucci remained a cult hero to a generation that reached far beyond the Southern city where his influence first blossomed. —HIGHSNOBIETY “Gucci Mane’s story is one of reinvention.” —PEOPLE.COM “Highly-anticipated . a serious look inside his major life struggles and triumphs.” —BILLBOARD “Inspirational.” —THE SOURCE “The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, written with music journalist Neil Martinez-Belkin, quietly defies the conventions of the celebrity memoir genre; in parts, it reads like what I can only describe as pop culture poetry. riveting, filled with music-world intrigue and inner-city shootouts and buoyed by a self-awareness not marred by ego.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY “Gucci Mane managed to turn his entire life around and penned that ascent in his newest memoir . a well-rounded portrait.” —REVOLT TV “Gucci’s family life, drug dealing and arrests — as well as the perfection of a musical style that would help elevate the careers of a slew of young Southern artists such as Migos, Young Thug and Zaytoven — are on full display in the new The Autobiography of Gucci Mane . the trap king’s roots, and his past, remain close to his head and his heart.” —THE UNDEFEATED “ Autobiography buzzes with the grandeur and grittiness that Gucci is known for, and some of that can be attributed to the music journalist Neil Martinez-Belkin, who co-wrote it.” —THE OUTLINE “As entertaining as anything Gucci has ever made . The entire book feels less like an autobiography but rather a conversation . something moving and meaningful, much more so than the usual 'hustler to rapper' story.” —SWGRUS “ The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is about growth, resilience and how no matter the setback, Gucci Mane is always prepared to come back harder than ever before. the many lessons Gucci Mane endured and shared in this autobiography can be valued by us all.” —ESSENCE “Better than any urban novella, the book is an exemplary account of the life and times of Radric Davis from Bessemer, Alabama—otherwise known as Gucci Mane.” —NEWSWEEK “His book brings a fuller worldview to the rhymed version of the biography he’s previously shared.” —PACIFIC STANDARD “The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is Gucci’s greatest redemption song . His autobiography shines because we get to see an emotionally intelligent Gucci. Given Gucci’s influence on this generation and its rappers, as well as neighborhood pushers from inner-city dwellings around the country, his newly debuted book is poised to inspire rappers and men like myself to give more thought to mental health, drug use and the kind of lives we want to lead.”. — VIBE “ The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is written with an appealing matter-of-factness, and it helps to replace myth with something closer to the real story.”. — THE NEW YORKER Gucci Mane, born Radric Delantic Davis, is a critically acclaimed, platinum-selling recording artist. The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is his first book.

“The industry bible” (Los Angeles Times), now updated, essential for anyone in the music business—musicians, songwriters, lawyers, agents, promoters, publishers, executives, and managers—trying to navigate the rapid transformation of the industry. Donald S. Passman practices law in California and has specialized in the music business for more than thirty years, primarily representing talent. All You Need to Know About the Music Business Well, kiddies, we’ve certainly seen a lot of changes since we last we got together. Now if you’re reading this and trying to decide whether the music business will disappear and if you’d be better off putting the price of this book into your stamp collection, there actually is a beautiful weather forecast. As we’ll discuss, streaming has the potential to make the music business bigger than it’s ever been in history. And at no extra charge (if you act RIGHT NOW), there’s an update of what’s happening with traditional music business deals—recording, songwriting, merchandising, touring, and so forth.

Seabrook takes us into a strange and surprising world, full of unexpected and vivid characters, as he traces the growth of this new approach to hit-making from its obscure origins in early 1990s Sweden to its dominance of today's Billboard charts. The stories of artists like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Rihanna, as well as expert songsmiths like Max Martin, Stargate, Ester Dean, and Dr. Luke, The Song Machine shows what life is like in an industry that has been catastrophically disrupted—spurring innovation, competition, intense greed, and seductive new products. John Seabrook combines a love of music and an appreciation for personalities to take us on a starry journey from Stockholm and London to New York and Orlando showing how creativity gets discovered, polished, and packaged. -- Walter Isaacson, author of 'The Innovators' and 'Steve Jobs'. "In The Song Machine, John Seabrook tells of a cutthroat and fascinating industry, where readers discover the gifted musical maestros who orchestrate hit after hit but rarely get their name in print. John Seabrook has a marvelous ear for language - and perfect pitch when it comes to music journalism."

This new edition book and streaming video course is all that you will ever need for learning piano chords, scales, arpeggios, how to read music, and basic music theory! Piano Professor Damon Ferrante guides you through 140 step-by-step lessons (for beginner to advanced levels) and 30 streaming video lessons. Whether you are teaching yourself piano or learning with a music instructor, this book and streaming video course will take your piano playing to a whole new level! Have you always wanted to learn how to play piano scales, chords, and arpeggios, but did not know where to start? Would you like to expand your musical understanding and learn how to play the piano through an affordable, step-by-step book and streaming video course? The book uses clear and logical layout, teaching the beginning student to learn the piano keys and basics of musical notes and rhythms." The Baltimore Sun calls Ferrante's music "focused and colorful...with an unexpected, decidedly poetic touch" and "ebullient and full of shifts of direction." Snow Moon matters now (and does justice to the sonata tradition) for Ferrante's relentless exploration of novel strategies for creating an inhabitable soundscape." Piano Scales, Chords & Arpeggios Lessons is the product of these efforts and is designed for beginner to advanced pianostudents, either learning on their own or working with a teacher.

Titles: * Alouette. * Alpine Melody. * Amazing Grace. * Au Claire de la Lune. * Aunt Rhody. * Auld Lang Syne. * Aura Lee. * The Bandleader. * Beautiful Brown Eyes. * Blow the Man Down! * Largo (Dvorak). * Lavender's Blue. * Lightly Row. * Little Brown Jug. * Liza Jane. * London Bridge. * Lone Star Waltz. * Love Somebody. * Lullaby. * The Marine's Hymn. * Mary Ann. * Merrily We Roll Along. * Mexican Hat Dance. * Michael, Row the Boat Ashore. * Money Can't Buy Everything. * My Fifth. * Ode to Joy. * On Top of Old Smoky. * O Sole Mio. * Raisins and Almonds. * Rock Along. * Rockets. * Rockin' Intervals.

Seabrook takes us into a strange and surprising world, full of unexpected and vivid characters, as he traces the growth of this new approach to hit-making from its obscure origins in early 1990s Sweden to its dominance of today's Billboard charts. The stories of artists like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Rihanna, as well as expert songsmiths like Max Martin, Stargate, Ester Dean, and Dr. Luke, The Song Machine shows what life is like in an industry that has been catastrophically disrupted—spurring innovation, competition, intense greed, and seductive new products. John Seabrook combines a love of music and an appreciation for personalities to take us on a starry journey from Stockholm and London to New York and Orlando showing how creativity gets discovered, polished, and packaged. -- Walter Isaacson, author of 'The Innovators' and 'Steve Jobs'. "In The Song Machine, John Seabrook tells of a cutthroat and fascinating industry, where readers discover the gifted musical maestros who orchestrate hit after hit but rarely get their name in print. John Seabrook has a marvelous ear for language - and perfect pitch when it comes to music journalism."

Seabrook takes us into a strange and surprising world, full of unexpected and vivid characters, as he traces the growth of this new approach to hit-making from its obscure origins in early 1990s Sweden to its dominance of today's Billboard charts. The stories of artists like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Rihanna, as well as expert songsmiths like Max Martin, Stargate, Ester Dean, and Dr. Luke, The Song Machine shows what life is like in an industry that has been catastrophically disrupted—spurring innovation, competition, intense greed, and seductive new products. John Seabrook combines a love of music and an appreciation for personalities to take us on a starry journey from Stockholm and London to New York and Orlando showing how creativity gets discovered, polished, and packaged. -- Walter Isaacson, author of 'The Innovators' and 'Steve Jobs'. "In The Song Machine, John Seabrook tells of a cutthroat and fascinating industry, where readers discover the gifted musical maestros who orchestrate hit after hit but rarely get their name in print. John Seabrook has a marvelous ear for language - and perfect pitch when it comes to music journalism."