Another Rainy Saturday

Former Rolling Stone writer and author Anthony Bozza’s short book 2009 Why AC/DC Matters (Harper Collins) reads tries to make the case that the Australian rock band that has sold millions and millions of records is unfairly underappreciated by critics. It’s an odd premise for a book because 45 million copies sold worldwide of Back [...]

When reading Crazy Enough, the memoir of Susan Storm Large, it’s difficult to keep one quote from Spinal Tap drummer Mick Shrimpton far from your mind: “As long as there’s sex and drugs, you know, I can do without the rock and roll.” The former finalist of reality TV show Rockstar: Supernova writes very little [...]

“The One” (Gotham) in LA-based writer RJ Smith’s brilliant new biography of James Brown is meant to indicate how Brown begins every song on the upbeat. “I was born to the downbeat, and I can tell you without question there is no pride in it. The upbeat is rich and the downbeat is poor. Stepping [...]

As a big music fan, one thing I love doing is looking at old show posters. Sometimes it’s admiring the artwork, or which bands are playing where and with who and whatnot. It’s my favorite exercise in retromania. Since I was alerted to this new eBook of punk show posters put together by Willona Sloan, [...]

One of the books I’m most interested in reading in 2012 is Pat Thomas’ new book Listen, Whitey! The Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975. It is to be published this week by Fantagraphics and celebratings its release with a reading and signing at the Fantagraphics store in Georgetown on Saturday, along with the authors and [...]