(FAQ Pop Culture). Since the famed Kenneth Arnold "flying saucer" sighting of 1947, the world has been fascinated and unnerved by these mysterious objects in the sky. Millennia of recorded h
(Book). The Beatles' North American tours turned the entertainment business on its ear and forever changed the landscape of the concert touring industry. In February 1964, after finally achieving a nu
(Book). After years of diminishing income due to cratering sales in the music business, Mixerman accepts a timely and lucrative offer from an Indian billionaire to mentor his son, Kanish Kanish. Mixer
From shopping for a first electric guitar to setting customized action, this do-it-yourself primer for owning and maintaining an electric guitar explains the ins and outs of choosing the right guitar
Received wisdom has always put Sgt. Pepper at the head of the class, but it was Revolver that truly signaled the Beatles' sea change from a functional band to a studio-based ensemble. These changes b
This latest entry in Backbeat's bestselling handbook series starts by exploring the humble beginnings of blues guitar through the early decades of the 20th century, including profiles of such players
Surf Beat is the first book to tell the story of the birth of surf music, and its persistent survival and reinvention in the face of decades of dismissal as a mere cultural aberration. Conventional
Until the launch of the Flying V and Explorer in 1958, electric guitars were supposed to look like...guitars. Suddenly, Gibson turned conventional design upside down, almost literally, by using strai
Prince has cut a singular path through the heart of popular music for more than 30 years. After making some of most inventive albums of the '80s - including 1999, Purple Rain, and Sign of the Times -
Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man is a look at the superstar's entire career, including his troubled youth as a gang member; the controversy surrounding his first hit, "Captain Jac
Launched in 1967, Guitar Player was the only guitar publication in existence when the '60s and '70s six-string explosion ignited across the globe. As a result, Guitar Player interviewed scores of sem
Culled from the archives of Guitar Player magazine, one of the most credible and longstanding music publications, Guitar Player Presents Clapton, Beck, Page traces the mammoth and influential careers
Leo Fender's company changed the course of popular music in 1954 when they introduced the Stratocaster. Since then, the Strat has been played by countless guitarists, from Jimi Hendrix to Buddy Guy a
Few would dispute U2's position as the biggest rock band in the world. Active and relevant for nearly thirty-five years, Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr. have been masters of reinv
From its artful beginnings (Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, the Mothers of Invention, and those progressive forebearers, the Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles), through the towering guitar solos, monumental synthe
It is no easy feat to capture the enormous spirit of Stevie Ray Vaughan, a man whose presence in the world was like an untamable fire, shooting flames of raw talent, passion, and innovation. That bri
Nirvana, the White Stripes, Hole, the Hives - all sprang from an underground music scene where similarly raw bands, enjoying various degrees of success and hard luck, played for throngs of fans in ve
The latest addition to Tony Bacon's acclaimed series of guitar books, 60 Years of Fender gives a year-by-year history of the most successful electric guitar maker. In 1950, Leo Fender introduced to t
For More than Four Decades, Carlos Santana has been a visionary artistic force whose music transcends genres and generations. Guitarists have revered him for his tone and brilliant sense of melody, an
The definitive history of the world's most famous 12-string electric guitar. When the Byrds recorded their hit version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," they popularized a new sound in pop music: the
Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars is the most extensive and detailed list of specifications ever published for identifying, dating, and establishing the authenticity of an instrument. This new edition
More than any other publication, Guitar World magazine has followed Metallica's rise from underground phenomenon to mainstream metal giant. Guitar World Presents Metallica features every one of the f
Stevie Ray Vaughan, bluesman, guitarist, and legend, was only 35 at the time of his death, but in his brief lifetime he managed to revitalize the blues, influence a generation of guitarists, and prod
The Piano Improvisation Handbook offers a comprehensive overview of the practical skills and theoretical issues involved in mastering all forms of piano improvisation, including classical, jazz, rock
In the years following the 1960s, Beatle fans around the world were twice-stunned: in 1970, when their beloved group disbanded, and ten years later when the murder of John Lennon ended a decade of ho
First-ever look at the intertwining, outrageous lives of three rock legends. When Lou Reed and Iggy Pop first met David Bowie in the fall of 1971, Bowie was just another English musician passing thro
The official record of the incredible down-home jam sessions held by Levon Helm, the charismatic drummer, singer, and sometimes mandolin player for The Band. Accompanying the spectacular photos are t
For the first time in one volume, here is the best of Relix magazine: the ultimate, spectacular history of the Grateful Dead and their fans. Relix magazine - much like the Grateful Dead, the band the
The heaviest book of all time! The Spinal Tap of books! A gorgeous, time-wasting, absolutely essential toilet reader! Part rock trivia contest, part encyclopedia of excess, The Official Heavy Metal B
The Fiddle Handbook is a treasure trove of information spanning the whole range of fiddle playing. It looks in detail at the most commonly played styles among today's fiddlers. From America, there's
Paperback edition of the first in-depth biography of the legendary Sly Stone - now updated! "An account as upbeat as those early hits ...it's a great tale." - Mojo Author Jeff Kaliss scored the first
A fast-paced, fun, and sometimes brutal look at America's most volatile and creative year in music - 1969: a time of euphoria and devastation, freedom and assassination, revolution and retribution, m
More than four decades since their first album, and 35 years after the release of the iconic Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd continue to inspire and mystify rock fans around the world. Pink Floyd F
The inner workings of recording sessions have long been the closely guarded secrets held only by those involved. And while some have tried to piece together the stories of sessions past, rarely to th
The compelling saga of how one backwater music scene could produce such disparate mega-talents as the Ventures, Jimi Hendrix, Heart, Robert Cray, Queensryche, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Nirvana, and the legendar
Now in paperback, Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man is the first-ever biography of Led Zeppelin's legendary guitarist and producer. Never before has the story been told in such sharp detail, leaving n
A classic, finally back in print! British rock historian Barney Hoskyns (Hotel California, Across the Great Divide: The Band in America) examines the long and twisted rock 'n' roll history of Los Ang
Bono called Jeff Buckley "a pure drop in an ocean of noise." In this startling new biography, Buckley's friends, peers, enemies, collaborators, lovers, and others speak of the Jeff they knew - or, in
The Drum Book tells the story of the rock drum kit, from the moment Ringo Starr began to thrash his Ludwigs to the diverse styles of today's players. This expanded and updated edition celebrates in l
A rock 'n roll classic, back in print, updated and revised. One of the funniest rock memoirs ever, Al Kooper's legendary Backstage Passes is available again! Al's quirkly life, from would'be teenage
