MuzikMan's Reviews And News: Music Books

Showing posts with label Music Books. Show all posts

1/23/2020

Award Winning Documentary "MELODY MAKERS The Bible of Rock 'n Roll" Companion Interactive Apple Book Now Available

Featuring ERIC BURDON (The Animals), IAN ANDERSON (Jethro Tull), YES (Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White), DAVE COUSINS (The Strawbs), JUDY DYBLE (Fairport Convention), Nazareth (PETE AGNEW & DAN MCCAFFERTY) and STEVE ABBOTT (UK Decay)

In tandem with the theatrical and home entertainment release of the film MELODY MAKERS (December 17. 2019) comes the release of the Melody Makers Companion Apple Book. An immersive experience, this interactive book takes users through the rise of Melody Maker magazine through a series of rock trivia games, photo puzzles, embedded interviews, and a photographic gallery full of Barrie Wentzell's Legends Series from his iconic rock photographic archive (1965-1975). The book is a robust partner to the film that offers viewers an added music history experience. The book was “invented” - designed, curated and created - by Canadian filmmaker, and film festival producer Leslie Ann Coles.

For more information:
http://www.melodymakersmovie.com/ibook
https://books.apple.com/au/book/melody-makers/id1471754506?mt=11&app=itunes

MELODY MAKERS is not just another music doc. It chronicles the birth of music journalism and the world’s oldest and longest standing seminal music magazine; Melody Maker. Through a series of interviews from artists (Ian Anderson/JETHRO TULL, Eric Burdon/THE ANIMALS, Alan White, Steve Howe and Chris Squire/YES, among others) and journalists of the time, the film tells the true story of the rise and fall of the world’s most influential music publication and uncovers an era of tremendous creative freedom.

At the heart of the story is Barrie Wentzell, Chief Contributing Photographer of Melody Maker Magazine (1965-1975) and his iconic photographic archive of legendary musicians during the birth of the rock 'n roll era, who along with his journalist colleagues gained unprecedented access to bands and musicians that would go on to become the legends of rock n' roll. Wentzell's photos are the touchstone of this documentary as the photographer and others recount the many untold stories from behind the pictures. Barrie recalls a Peter Townshend telling him about an idea he had for a rock opera when Tommy was a concept. Melody Maker journalist, Chris Charlesworth recalls when the magazine tried to expand into the US market without paying off the mobsters who controlled magazine distribution in key cities such as New York, and PR Keith Altham shares an anecdotal story about a publicity stunt gone awry involving the notorious drummer, Keith Moon and a hovercraft.

Beyond the visual stories told, Melody Maker includes interviews ERIC BURDON (The Animals), IAN ANDERSON (Jethro Tull), YES (Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White), DAVE COUSINS (The Strawbs), JUDY DYBLE (Fairport Convention), Nazareth (PETE AGNEW & DAN MCCAFFERTY) and SEVE ABBOTT (UK Decay); journalists CHRIS WELCH, CHRIS CHARLESWORTH, ALLAN JONES (Senior Editor UNCUT Magazine); ALAN LEWIS; and other notable subjects PETER WHITEHEAD (filmmaker Charlie My Darling), ROGER DEAN (artist), JEFF DEXTER (DJ/ Promoter), KEITH ALTHAM (PR for The Rolling Stones, The Who) and GLEN COLSON (Stiff Records) to name a few.

BIOGRAPHY
Leslie Ann is thrilled to launch her debut feature documentary MELODY MAKERS with the enhanced Apple Book made possible with the generous support of Telefilm Canada’s Marketing and Promotions Program. As the executive producer and director of LA Coles Fine Art Films she is currently engaged in a wide variety of works which include theatrical features, non-scripted TV, documentaries, shorts and interactive digital media. Her company is committed to producing films and cross platform projects that combine art, entertainment and social justice. Coles is a Women In the Director’s Chair alumni, and a recipient of three CTV Banff Fellowships for original series. Founder of the Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) in 2001 to address gender parity in the film industry, she has executive-produced 46 short films directed by at risk female youth through the Young Filmmaker Development Workshop (YFDW), a program established under the auspices of the FeFF. In her capacity as Festival Director for the past 17 years, she oversees the rigorous evaluation and selection of independent films for FeFF from over 2,500 entries every year. Intimately familiar with the local and international filmmaking community since 2001 with the inaugural festival and her debut multiple-award-winning film “In The Refrigerator: Spirit of a Haunted Dancer,” Leslie Ann’s strength is her ability to creatively strategize projects and determine market potential during the development process, always with a critical understanding of a film’s milieu, be it social, cultural, or art-focused.

MELODY MAKERS will see a limited theatrical release on November 29, 2019 at the Arena CineLounge Sunset, 6464 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood CA, followed by the Apple iBook on the same day and the DVD Release on December 17, 2019.

MELODY MAKERS, English, Color, Stereo, 5.1 HD, 78 min., Canada

“A cinematic love letter to late British weekly music magazine Melody Maker — captures a vital passage in 20th century music history.” - Kim Hughes, Original Cin

“This cheerful history of the music weekly Melody Maker has enough inside dope to maintain interest.” - Adrian Mack, The Georgia Straight

“Whimsically titled Melody Makers leans heavily on Barrie Wentzell, chief photographer from 1965-1975, both for his recollections and his amazing collection of images.” - Chris Knight, The National Post

“Melody Makers is charming, informative, and highly entertaining.” - Andrew Parker, The Gate

“The narrator-less film rattles along to the extent that I couldn’t believe it was over, so enthralled was I by the anecdotes, analysis, pictures and film of such an extraordinary ten years of music.” - Martin Webb, A New Day

“The tunes and the images, combined with countless inspiring and entertaining first-hand recollections brilliantly resurrect a time that produced some of the most remarkable artists that have ever lived.” - Amy Balog, 60’s Today

FESTIVAL AWARDS FOR MELODY MAKERS
WINNER Best Music Documentary, 18th Bare Bones International Film Festival 2017
WINNER Best Documentary, 8th Fort Myers Film Festival 2018
WINNER Best International Documentary, 16th Garden State Film Festival 2018
WINNER Audience Choice Award, Hot Springs Women’s Film Festival 2018
WINNER Gold Award Best Documentary, Spotlight Film Festival 2018
WINNER Best International Documentary, Color Tape Film Festival 2018
WINNER Best Documentary, Meraki Film Festival 2018
WINNER Best Director, Borderlands Film Festival 2018
WINNER Best Feature Documentary, Nice IFF 2018
WINNER Best Documentary, MedFF 2019

To purchase “MELODY MAKERS The Bible of Rock 'n Roll” documentary: https://www.amazon.com/Melody-Makers-Ian-Anderson/dp/B07WGJKDNK/

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
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Los Angeles CA 90025
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Award Winning Documentary "MELODY MAKERS The Bible of Rock 'n Roll" Companion Interactive Apple Book Now Available

1/20/2020

Is Prog Rock Really Progressive? A New Book Discussing the Progress in Progressive Rock Music

Is Prog Rock really progressive anymore? How do the current Prog bands feel about the genre and its legacy? Do they feel that there is progress in the music they perform? Different Prog artists/bands are being interviewed and answer 5 questions about the current status of the Progressive Rock and its culture. This exploratory research focuses on exploring the present and the future of a music genre that survived through the years due to its innovative nature.

While most of the previous Prog books focus on historical facts of the genre, this journalistic effort is a self-criticism of the genre through the looking glass of modern and active Prog musicians. The book starts with an introduction to Prog Rock by VIAJERO INMÓVIL Records (Argentina) and the rest of the material is divided into chapters that include the musicians’ answers to the following discussion themes:

1. What is progress in Progressive Rock?
2. Is Progressive Rock really progressive?
3. Accepting other music genres as progressive music
4. Next step for the progress of Progressive Rock
5. Technology and Progressive Rock

The participating Prog artists/bands that are being interviewed: Aisles, Anubis, Ant-Bee, EchoTest, Evership, Karakorum, Kotebel, Life After Mars, Light Freedom Revival, Lars Eric Mattson, Liquid Orbit, Magenta, Mouth, Process of Illumination, RTFACT, Robert Berry, Seven Impale, Soul Enema, Sproingg, Terra Collective, Time King, Wobbler, Yang.

The book was written by Vasileios Yfantis who has also authored other thematic books on Punk, Metal and music technology. Next plans for Vasileios Yfantis include the release of a Prog musical album in 2020 and a new book on melodic rock scheduled for release during the early 2021.

Product details
Paperback: 119 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 11, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1548614416
ISBN-13: 978-1548614416

Book Distribution
Paperback version: https://www.amazon.com/Prog-Rock-Really-Progressive/dp/1548614416/
E-book version:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083RK8N59

About the author
Vasileios Yfantis has been working in the music industry for more than 20 years as a freelance music journalist. Moreover, he holds 2 Master Degrees in Information Technology and he is a Phd candidate in University of West Attica in Greece. Vasileios has presented conference papers in both Europe and Africa. The main areas of his research interests feature: Musicology, Marketing, Information Communications Technology, Digital Entertainment Industry.

Bibliography
1. V. Yfantis, “The Commercial Exploitation Of Color As A Consumer Stimulus” (Greek Edition), Createspace, 2013.
2. V. Yfantis, “The Lost Lyrics” (Greek Edition), Createspace, 2013.
3. V. Yfantis, “Punk Goes Science: The Academic Punk Bibliography”,CreateSpace, 2014.
4. V. Yfantis, “City Streets Of Europe”, Lulu, 2017.
5. V. Yfantis, “Metal Goes Science”, Createspace 2017.
6. V. Yfantis, “Disadvantaged Populations And Technology In Music”, Createspace 2017.
7. V. Yfantis, “Hip Hop Goes Science: Volume I”, Createspace 2019.

For more information about Yfantis books, check out here: https://www.amazon.com/Vasileios-Yfantis/e/B00JNNL306

For more information about Yfantis music, check out here: https://billyyfantis.bandcamp.com/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Is Prog Rock Really Progressive? A New Book Discussing the Progress in Progressive Rock Music

11/08/2019

The Keith Emerson Estate Announces the Release of the ‘Selections From Emerson Plays Emerson and Other Works’ Music Transcriptions Book – OUT NOW!

The Keith Emerson Estate is pleased to announce the completion and release of the music transcriptions book that Keith Emerson had been approving at the time of his passing.

The 25 transcriptions were created by a group of fans of the late composer’s work, and began as just the compositions on the ‘Emerson Plays Emerson’ album, before the book was expanded to include other works including “Piano Concerto No 1.”

The Emerson Estate would like to thank Jean Casavant and Gianfelice Riccardi for leading the groups of fans preparing these transcriptions. The Emerson Estate has commissioned its own quality control of the transcriptions and approved this book.

The book features a foreword adapted from Emerson’s emails about the project and a previously unpublished poem about composing which gives us an insight into Emerson’s mind.

Part of the late Keith Emerson’s foreword reads “So imagine my delight when news reached me that people had felt moved enough by my compositions to create transcriptions of them! Hopefully the “Emerson Plays Emerson” transcriptions will, in some small way, be useful to the next generation of composers to play and practice upon. I am humbled.”

The book is exclusively available as an Amazon Print-on-Demand book via the below link: https://geni.us/EPlaysEtranscriptions

The ‘Emerson Plays Emerson’ album continues to be available via the below links:
Amazon CD: https://geni.us/EplaysE
iTunes: https://geni.us/KE002dig
GooglePlay: https://geni.us/EPlaysEGP
Spotify: https://geni.us/EPlaysESpotify

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

The Keith Emerson Estate Announces the Release of the ‘Selections From Emerson Plays Emerson and Other Works’ Music Transcriptions Book – OUT NOW!

10/24/2019

Todd Rundgren Presents Braille Copy of His Autobiography "The Individualist" To The Library of Congress

Longtime fan of Todd Rundgren Julie Dye attended his show in Cleveland on May 6th and presented Todd with a Braille version of his book “The Individualist” that Chelsea, her blind daughter, had made by hand.

As the first leg of the current White Album Tribute tour featuring Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz, Christopher Cross, Joey Molland and Jason Scheff was ending in Washington, DC on October 20th, Todd thought of presenting the book to the Library of Congress (specifically the National Library Service For The Blind And Disabled division).

A presentation at the Librarian of Congress Ceremonial Office was held the morning of October 21. Todd flew Julie and Chelsea to Washington to attend the DC concert and the ceremony the following morning.

The brief ceremony was held in the Librarian’s Ceremonial Office at the historic Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library Of Congress on Capitol Hill. The Library was represented by Karen Keninger, Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Jason Yasner, Deputy Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, and Mark Sweeney, Principal Deputy Librarian Of Congress.

The second leg of the White Album Tribute tour resumes on November 30th in Pittsburgh.

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com

Todd Rundgren Presents Braille Copy of His Autobiography "The Individualist" To The Library of Congress

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com

12/05/2018

Todd Rundgren Announces "The Individualist" World Tour Presented By SiriusXM

Tickets On Sale December 10, 2018 at 10AM Local Time

Citi Presale Begins December 04, 2018 at 10AM Local Time

Los Angeles - Current Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee Todd Rundgren will be embarking on the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour this spring, highlighting both his hits as well as “deep tracks” spanning his 50-year career.

Produced by Live Nation and presented by SiriusXM, the North American leg of the tour starts in Atlanta, GA and hits major markets before wrapping in San Francisco, CA. The North American dates will be preceded by dates in Europe/UK and followed by dates in Japan. Full itinerary is below.

Rundgren’s long-awaited autobiography, The Individualist: digressions, dreams and dissertations, is being released by Cleopatra Press on December 21, documenting his life through his 50th birthday. The concert set list will mirror that time period, consisting of song selections from the inception of his musical career through 1996, with intros & stories behind the songs and Rundgren’s impressive career.

He will be playing back-to-back shows in the ten North American markets in order to be available for books signings and local TV and radio appearances on the second show day in each city. Tickets go on sale Monday, December 10 at 10AM Local Time. Two-day ticket packages, along with single-day tickets, will be available in each North American market.

Citi is the official presale credit card of the Todd Rundgren – The Individualist Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Tuesday, December 4th at 10AM local time until Sunday, December 9th at 10PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass program. For complete presale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

FOR INTERVIEW REQUESTS CONTACT: Paul Maloney, Panacea Entertainment paul@panacea-ent.com

The Individualist: digressions, dreams and dissertations is available now for pre-order at:
Amazon.Com: Pre-order Todd: https://www.amazon.com/Individualist-Digressions-Dreams-Dissertations/dp/0997205652

Europe: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Individualist-Digressions-Dreams-Dissertations/dp/0997205652

TODD RUNDGREN “THE INDIVIDUALIST TOUR”

April 1 - Theater am Mareintor - Duisburg, Germany
April 2 - Laeiszhalle - Hamburg, Germany
April 3 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 6 - Eventim Apollo - London, UK
April 10 - Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
April 11 - Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
April 13 - State Theatre - Washington, DC
April 14 - State Theatre - Washington, DC
April 16 - Town Hall - New York, NY
April 17 - Town Hall - New York, NY
April 19 - Berklee Performance Center - Boston, MA
April 20 - Berklee Performance Center - Boston, MA
April 23 - Athenaeum Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 24 - Athenaeum Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 27 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
April 28 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
May 01 - Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
May 02 - Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
May 05 - Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square - Cleveland, OH
May 06 - Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square - Cleveland, OH
May 09 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 10 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 12 - Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco, CA
May 13 - Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco, CA
May 22 - Sumida Triphony Hall - Tokyo, Japan
May 23 - NHK Hall - Osaka, Japan

TODD RUNDGREN

A Wizard, A True Star. The title of Todd Rundgren's 1973 solo album aptly sums up the contributions of this multi-faceted artist to state-of-the-art music. As a songwriter, video pioneer, producer, recording artist, computer software developer, conceptualist, and interactive artist (re-designated TR-i), Rundgren has made a lasting impact on both the form and content of popular music.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front The Nazz, the quintessential `60's psychedelic group. In 1969, he left the band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, the legendary Runt. But it was 1972's seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him 'Rock's New Wunderkind'. It was followed by such landmark LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow and the above mentioned A Wizard, A True Star, as well as such hit singles as “I Saw The Light,” “Hello It's Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” and “Bang The Drum.”

In 1974, Todd formed Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (renamed and reconfigured in 1976 as Utopia), an entirely new approach to the concept of interactive musicianship, and embarked on an extensive round of touring and recording. Standout Utopia offerings included Oops! Wrong Planet, Adventures in Utopia, and Oblivion. Along the way, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia combined technical virtuosity and creative passion to create music that initially, for millions, defined the term "progressive rock”, and subsequently, as Utopia, the term “powerpop.”

Rundgren's myriad production projects include albums by Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, Psychedelic Furs, Meat Loaf, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad, and Hall And Oates. Rounding out his reputation as rock's Renaissance Man, Rundgren composed all the music and lyrics for Joe Papp's 1989 Off-Broadway production of Joe Orton's Up Against It (the screenplay commissioned by The Beatles for what was meant to have been their third motion picture). He also has composed the music for the hit film Dumb and Dumber, as well as a number of television series, including Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Crime Story.

In 2012 Rundgren performed his iconic 1973 album A Wizard A True Star in concert in its entirety for the first time ever, and several years later did the same with a double bill: Todd & Healing. He has toured with Ringo Starr as an erstwhile member of the All-Starr Band since 1989, and continues to perform with symphony orchestras both domestically and internationally. His latest studio album, White Knight, was released last May, and this past spring he toured North America with original Utopians Kasim Sulton and Willie Wilcox for the first time in 33 years. His long-awaited autobiography The Individualist, will be in stores December 21. He embarks on the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour this coming April/May, highlighting music across his 50-year career.

Last year on successive weekends he was awarded honorary doctorates from both the Berklee School of Music and DePauw University.

In 1998 Todd debuted his new PatroNet technology which for the first time allowed fans of a musical artist to subscribe directly to the artist’s musical output via the Internet. This caps a long history of groundbreaking early multimedia "firsts", including:

• 1978: The first interactive television concert, broadcast live over the Warner/QUBE system in Columbus, Ohio (the home audience chose each song in real time during the concert by voting via QUBE’s 2-way operating system).
• 1978: The first live nationally broadcast stereo radio rock concert (by microwave), linking 40 cities around the country.
• 1979: The opening of Utopia Video Studios, a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art facility. The first project produced by Todd there is Gustav Holst’s The Planets, commissioned by RCA Selecta Vision as the first demonstration software for their new videodisc format.
• 1980: Creation of the first color graphics tablet, which was licensed to Apple and commercially released as The Utopia Graphics Tablet.
• 1981: “Time Heals,” the first music video to utilize state-of-the-art compositing of live action and computer graphics (produced and directed by Todd), becomes the eighth video to be played during the launch of MTV on August 1, 1981.
• 1982: The first live national cablecast of a rock concert (on the USA Network), simulcast in stereo to over 120 radio stations.
• 1982: The first two commercially released music videos, one of which was nominated for the first-ever Grammy awarded for “Best Short Form Video” in 1983.
• 1992: The first commercially available music downloads via CompuServe.
• 1993: The release of No World Order, the world’s first interactive record album on CD-i.
• 1994: The release of The Individualist, the world’s first full-length Enhanced CD.
• 1994: The world’s first interactive concert tour.
• 1998: Launches PatroNet, the world’s first direct artist subscription service -- predicts that someday "music will be sold by the pound".
• 2016: The production of the world's first full length concert shot with multiple Virtual Reality 360º cameras.

CONTACT: Paul@panacea-ent.com, PH: 805-491-9400

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Todd Rundgren Announces "The Individualist" World Tour Presented By SiriusXM

Tickets On Sale December 10, 2018 at 10AM Local Time

Citi Presale Begins December 04, 2018 at 10AM Local Time

6/12/2018

New Biography on The Cars Singer/Bassist Benjamin Orr by Vermont Writer Joe Milliken to be Published November 2018!

Bellows Falls, VT – Veteran music journalist Joe Milliken recently announced a publishing deal with the Lanham, Maryland-based publisher Rowman & Littlefield Publishers to produce his first book, a biography about the late Benjamin Orr. Orr was the co-founder, co-lead singer, and bassist for the platinum-selling rock band The Cars. Titled Let’s Go! Benjamin Orr and The Cars, a release date is set for November 15, 2018.

Often considered the band’s heartthrob, Orr possessed an incredible voice, diverse musical talent and rare stage presence, all balanced by a magnetic, yet enigmatic personality, striking good looks, and a relentless determination to reach rock stardom. Born Benjamin Orzechowski (aka “Benny Eleven Letters”) and raised in the Cleveland suburb of Parma Heights, Orr was, prior to becoming a world-famous rock star with The Cars, a “teen star” as a house band musician for the nationally syndicated television show Upbeat.

A few years later Ben met his musical partner and future Cars' bandleader, Ric Ocasek, and by 1976 their quest for the perfect blend of songs, bandmates, and musical landscape finally materialized as The Cars. They would go on to sell over 30 million albums worldwide resulting in 15 “Top 40” hits.

From his early success in Cleveland through his stardom with The Cars, to his solo band efforts and eventual rebirth with the emerging supergroup Big People, this definitive account of Orr’s rock-and-roll life is not a backstage ‘tell all,’ but the story of a charismatic musician with a vision, a sense of adventure, and unwavering perseverance. Orr passed away much too young at 53, but he achieved his dream through hard work and determination, a long road that began in Cleveland and culminated with The Cars coming back to his hometown to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April of 2018.

This first-ever biography about Orr spans 11 years in the making, as Milliken draws together interviews with over 120 family members, friends, bandmates, and music associates from Orr’s life, as well as many unpublished and never before seen photos from private collections, to reveal an intimate portrait of one of classic rock’s great talents.

About the Author: Joe Milliken has been a music journalist, editor and website publisher for two decades. A die-hard music fan with a degree in visual arts, Joe turned to writing as his creative outlet, first as a local reporter, then a sports/arts & entertainment editor and freelancer. In 2014, he launched Standing Room Only, a website dedicated to promoting music and the arts on a local (New England) and national level. Originally from Boston, Milliken now resides in southern Vermont with his wife, Kelly, and his children, Nate and Erin.

Learn more about upcoming book-related announcements, events, discounts, and author interviews at www.facebook.com/BenOrrBook, by email at benorrbook@gmail.com or follow @benorrbook on Twitter.

Joe Milliken: Author, Website Publisher
Donna Neale: Public Relations Assistant: benorrbook@gmail.com

Let’s Go is available for presale:
Rowman & Littlefield’s website: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538118658
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-Benjamin-Orr-Cars/dp/1538118653/ref=sr_1_1

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

New Biography on The Cars Singer/Bassist Benjamin Orr by Vermont Writer Joe Milliken to be Published November 2018!

4/24/2018

New Book By MC5's Bassist Michael Davis "I Brought Down The MC5" Now Available!

Los Angeles - Famed bass player from MC5, Michael Davis, takes us on a rollercoaster ride of triumph and tragedy in his superb new 350-page memoir titled “I Brought Down The MC5”! The book includes rarely seen photos and original artwork by Davis!

“I basically wanted to be the MC5. The attack! They were really on! They were brilliant!” - Lemmy

MC5 was an American rock band from Lincoln Park, Michigan, formed in 1964. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. The MC5's leftist political ties and anti-establishment lyrics and music positioned them as emerging innovators of the punk movement in the United States. Their loud, energetic style of back-to-basics rock and roll included elements of garage rock, hard rock, blues rock, and psychedelic rock.

MC5 had a promising beginning which earned them a January 1969 cover appearance in Rolling Stone and a story written by Eric Ehrmann before their debut album was released. They developed a reputation for energetic live performances, one of which was recorded as their 1969 debut album Kick Out the Jams. In 1972, just three years after their debut record, the band came to an end. MC5 was often cited as one of the most important American hard rock groups of their era. Their three albums are regarded by many as classics, and their song “Kick Out the Jams” is widely covered.

“For me, Michael was the original cool guy... He belongs in the Hall Of Fame, along with his whole group, for their contributions to American music and its politics.” - Iggy Pop

CHAPTERS:
Intro
Sandals And Needles
The Apple Bites Back
Like A Rolling Stone
Everybody Must Get Stoned
I Can Only Give You Everything
Getting Down
The New York Minute
The Promise Is Broken
Atlantic Crossing
Out Of The Frying Pan
Into The Fire
The Bridge To Nowhere
Delirious Alcoholic Megalosaurus
Play With Fire
The Oven
The Mind Shifts
The Road With No Name
My Time After Awhile
Epilogue

To purchase Michael Davis's “I Brought Down The MC5” book: https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/i-brought-down-the-mc5-book/

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com
Facebook @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.facebook.com/CleopatraRecords/
Instagram @cleopatrarecords
https://www.instagram.com/cleopatrarecords/
Twitter @cleopatrarecord
https://twitter.com/cleopatrarecord ;
Youtube @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCopQ0616Fpfrq8Gt0N-0zOQ
Soundcloud @cleopatra-recs
https://soundcloud.com/cleopatra-recs
Dailymotion @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.dailymotion.com/CleopatraRecords
Vimeo @cleopatrarecords
https://vimeo.com/cleopatrarecords
Spotify @cleopatra_recs
https://open.spotify.com/user/cleopatra_recs
Linkedin @cleopatra-records
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleopatra-records

3/23/2018

Alice Cooper Group Guitarist/Songwriter Michael Bruce's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" Biography Revised!

Limited edition signed by Michael Bruce available!

London - Much to the excitement of Alice Cooper group fans worldwide, Gonzo Multimedia will be releasing Michael Bruce's critically acclaimed biography “No More Mr. Nice Guy” revised! Also available is a limited edition signed by Michael Bruce.

Written by Alice Cooper group guitarist, keyboard player and main songwriter Michael Bruce, “No More Mr. Nice Guy” is an anthology of the band that encapsulated the decadent spirit of the 1970s. Following the group on their journey from Arizona garage band to eventual rise to stardom, it reveals the truth behind the drinking and the rock 'n' roll. This “true life” story includes the hangings, the executions, the ghoulish makeup, the egos and of course, the rock 'n' roll. Revised and updated it includes previously unseen photographs and memorabilia.

“Its not often we get a chance to redo, remake or in this case re-release a book.....my book. It is with much thought, great enjoyment, many thanks and heartfelt appreciation for family, friends and fans that I present the re-release of 'No More Mr Nice Guy.' A compilation of hilarious rock 'n' roll stories and life events that made me the man I am today.” - Michael Bruce

This release comes on the heels of the recent highly publicized Alice Cooper group reunion concerts in the UK!

To order: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/michael-bruce-no-more-mr-nice-guy

Michael Bruce FB Page:
https://www.facebook.com/michael.bruce.7106

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

1/30/2018

Scholar and Drum Legend Bill Bruford Authors New Book, "Uncharted: Creativity and the Expert Drummer"

Pre-order in hardback, softback or e-book

Scholar and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bill Bruford, best known for his work with Yes, King Crimson, Genesis and his prolific solo career, has authored a new book, to be Published by the University of Michigan Press on January 28th. Pre-orders are now being taken.

What’s it about?

The book is an exploration of the creativity involved in the way drummers make things work, make things matter, and make sense of both. It draws on interviews with nine top drummers and Bruford’s own experience to improve understanding in collaborative popular music performance. What do expert drummers do? Why do they do it? Is there anything creative about it? If so, how might that creativity inform their practice and that of others in related artistic spheres? Applying ideas from cultural psychology to findings from original research into the creative behaviors of a specific subset of popular music instrumentalists, Bruford demonstrates the ways in which expert drummers experience creativity in performance and offers fresh insights into in-the-moment interactional processes in music.

Why buy?

“If you’re an instrumentalist” recommends Bill, “give it to the nearest drummer, so he or she knows what drummers are for. If you’re a drummer give it to the other people in your band, so they know what drummers are for. And get a copy for yourself, so you know what drummers are for!”

Early praise for ‘Uncharted’

“… an intelligent, thought-provoking treatise on the notion of creativity in Western popular music. Over the course of a number of interviews and case studies involving expert drummers, Bill Bruford examines how such practitioners approach and understand creativity. In the process, he crafts a relational processual model for understanding creativity and the creative process for real-time interactive performing arts (theatre, dance, music). The result is a fascinating and rewarding read that will surely affect players and listeners alike as they think about the concept of finding ‘creative meaning in making it work and making it matter.’”
—Rob Bowman, Grammy Award Winning Professor of Music

“After forty years of creating professional music, pretty much all of it to his taste (passing rare), Bill Bruford has laid down the torches — and tried to capture their flame in words. Begin by running your eyes down the list of Bill’s collaborators. The expert performers and teachers will attract any reader with more than a passing affection for music. Simply put, it is a lights-out masterpiece of useful insight and passionate, reflective wisdom.”
—Neil Peart, drummer Rush

“The contributions of the wide-ranging active percussionists Bruford surveyed will make this an important primary document for future researchers examining the role of drummers in group improvisation, the recording process, and more.”
—Kevin Holm-Hudson, University of Kentucky

“The book lives up to its expectations. Drawing on his own insider’s knowledge and extensive interviews with an impressive roster of expert drummers about the nature of creativity and what it means to them, Bruford has produced a brilliant ethnography of professional drummers and drumming culture in the rock era.”
—Mark Spicer, Hunter College and the CUNY Graduate Center

“It is no surprise to find Dr. Bruford so eloquently putting into language that which springs from such a non-linguistic source. Bill’s scholarly insights matched with a career’s-worth of personal experience shed an authoritative light on the creative role of the drummer. In today’s world of computer-generated rhythmic music, how wonderful to tap into this most organic and visceral element in music’s heritage, and deepen our appreciation of this immense creativity, past and present.”
—Tim Garland, saxophonist, composer

“The author cites relevant scholarly work, his roster of drum experts is beyond question (including himself), but most importantly, the insights he synthesizes from his source material are both original and valuable.”
—Shaugn O’Donnell, The City College, CUNY

How to order

Bill Bruford's “Uncharted: Creativity and the Expert Drummer”:

University of Michigan Press: https://www.press.umich.edu/9562155/uncharted ;

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Uncharted-Creativity-Expert-Drummer-Tracking/dp/0472053787 ;

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncharted-Creativity-Expert-Drummer-Tracking/dp/0472073788 ;

Eurospan UK: https://www.eurospanbookstore.com/uncharted.html

Bill Bruford's official website: http://www.billbruford.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billbruford/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com