This book presents the best of "Add Some Music," the respected and fondly-remembered Beach Boys fanzine of 1978-1984. Over 40 newly-edited articles, essays, and reviews provide a serious and critical perspective on the music of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. 
Edited by Don Cunningham (editor and publisher of "Add Some Music" during the fanzine's seven-year existence) and Jeff Bleiel (author of "That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage &amp; Screen"), the book features insightful, opinionated commentary on the Beach Boys which has been unavailable for over 15 years. 
Highlights include: 
Musical analysis of 17 Beach Boys classics, focusing on Brian Wilson's revolutionary and enduring triumphs as a composer, producer, arranger, and bandleader 
Critical reviews of often-overlooked Beach Boys albums 
Comprehensive articles covering the works of Beach Boys Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, and Mike Love 
Over 35 photos, many of which have been unseen since their original publication 
Noteworthy among the 45 articles reprinted and re-edited for this book are Don Cunningham's in-depth analyses of Brian Wilson's beloved and acclaimed songs and productions. "Help Me, Rhonda," "Surfer Girl," "Good Vibrations," "Don't Worry Baby," "Heroes and Villains," "California Girls," and "Sloop John B" are among the classics covered. 
Many Beach Boys aficionados consider "Add Some Music," a serious journal about the band's artistry and history, to be the best fanzine ever published about the group. The articles now collected for the book "Add Some Music To Your Day" stand up as exceptionally perceptive commentary on the Beach Boys -- writing which has never before received wide distribution.

Add Some Music To Your Day : Analyzing and Enjoying the Music of the Beach Boys

Biographies & Memoirs

Cunningham, Don

Bleiel, Jeff

Arts & Literature

Tiny Ripple Books

With "Close To You," "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Yesterday Once More," "Top of the World" and a string of other hits, the Carpenters were responsible for some of the most popular music of the 1970s. Karen Carpenter's warm and distinctive vocals and Richard Carpenter's sophisticated compositions and arrangements were embraced by millions of record buyers. 
"Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music" collects over 45 articles, interviews, essays, reviews, and reassessments which chronicle the lives and career of this brother-sister musical duo. Insight into the music and personalities of the Carpenters is provided in writings from pop journalists and historians such as former Billboard columnist Paul Grein, legendary rock critic Lester Bangs, Los Angeles Times pop writer Robert Hilburn, and Carpenters biographer Ray Coleman. 
Articles cover: 
The Carpenters' recordings and concert performances 
The duo's love-hate relationship with critics 
Karen Carpenter's health problems and tragic death in 1983 
The revival of interest in the Carpenters' music during the 1990s 
From serious musical analyses of the Carpenters' vocal and instrumental arrangements to lighter pieces in which Karen and Richard discuss dating, cars, and high school, "Yesterday Once More" will delight Carpenters fans and provide insight to anyone seeking a better understanding and appreciation of the duo which produced some of the most timeless pop music of the 20th century.

Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music

Schmidt, Randy

"Behind The Muse" features interviews with over 40 successful and respected songwriters. Billy Joel, Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, John Mellencamp, and David Byrne are among the acclaimed writers who discuss their methods for tapping into the sources of creativity, their work habits, and the stories behind their most popular songs. 
The book spans 70 years of popular music, from interviews with Mitchell Parish (who wrote the lyrics to "Stardust") and Burton Lane (whose standard "How About You?" first charted in the Big Band era) to discussions with current cutting-edge artists such as Aimee Mann and Tori Amos. 
Along the way, there are revealing interviews with the creators of famous songs from a wide variety of genres such as 1960s pop (Jimmy Webb, Hal David), Motown (Ashford &amp; Simpson), classic rock (The Byrds' Roger McGuinn, The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward), country (Dolly Parton), musical theatre (Jerry Herman, Marvin Hamlisch, Tim Rice), 1970s and 1980s Top 40 (Barry Gibb, Phil Collins, Steve Winwood), power pop (Nick Lowe, Squeeze's Glenn Tilbrook, Matthew Sweet), and current singer-songwriters (Suzanne Vega, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan).

Behind The Muse: Pop and Rock's Greatest Songwriters Talk About Their Work and Inspiration

Arts & Photography

DeMain, Bill

Music

Donna Summer dominated the American and European pop charts in the 1970s with dance music classics such as "Last Dance," "Love To Love You Baby," "I Feel Love," "Hot Stuff," and "Bad Girls" -- earning her the title "Queen of Disco." In a career which has now spanned four decades, she has sold over 100 million records worldwide, won five Grammy Awards, scored twenty Top 40 hits, and collaborated with musical giants such as Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, and Quincy Jones. "Donna Summer: Her Life and Music" is the first book in over twenty years to examine this extraordinary performer's life and career. Author Josiah Howard provides in-depth, insightful coverage of: The artistic and commercial high points of her recording career, including her groundbreaking 1970s hits recorded with producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte Her pre-superstardom stage and recording work in Europe The carefully conceived image manipulation that she and her record company employed to make her the biggest star to emerge from the disco genre Her largely overlooked success as a songwriter, which includes many of her own hits, and even a #1 country hit recorded by Dolly Parton Controversies which have surrounded her, including her becoming a Born Again Christian at the height of her career, and an antagonistic relationship with the gay community in the 1980s This chronicle and analysis of Donna Summer's triumphs and setbacks -- both professional and private -- paints the definitive picture of an artist who overcame adversity, pushed musical boundaries, and created a catalog of innovative recordings that helped define an era.

Donna Summer: Her Life and Music

Howard, Josiah

This new, updated edition of "That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage & Screen" (called "the ultimate Darin reference book" by Billboard magazine) chronicles the life and professional accomplisments of the classic pop singer ("Mack The Knife," "Beyond The Sea"), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and show business icon Bobby Darin (1936-1973). Singer, songwriter, actor, television personality, musician, teen idol, and consummate Las Vegas entertainer, Bobby Darin had "the most interesting career of any performer of the second half of the 20th century," according to author Jeff Bleiel. Based on extensive archival research and interviews with over 25 professional associates (including producers, arrangers, musicians, and actors) who worked with Darin, this book provides coverage and analysis of: --Classic Darin hits including "Splish Splash," "Mack The Knife," "Beyond The Sea," "Dream Lover," "If I Were A Carpenter" and many more --Darin's appearances in 13 movies (including three in which he co-starred with his wife Sandra Dee) and numerous television shows, including his own 1972-73 series --Darin's legendary live performances in Las Vegas, at The Copacabana in New York, and elsewhere --His success as a songwriter, his acclaimed work in different musical genres (rock'n'roll, pop standards, folk, jazz, country), and his activities in the political and social movements of the 1960s.

That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage & Screen