5 books to buy the power pop fan in your life this Christmas
I’ve read some great books over the last few years, some written by powerpop artists and others written about them. Some are still in print while others will require you to buy used copy but, either way, these are guaranteed to please the reader and powerpop fan in your life:
Shake Some Action – The Ultimate Power Pop Guide
By John Borack
John Borack has a wealth of powerpop knowledge and is always an interesting read. Along with contributions from Bruce Brodeen (Not Lame), Ray Gianchetti (Kool Kat), and Carl Caffarelli (This is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio – Westcott) they make this “ultimate guide” absolutely that. You’ll find not only information on your favorite powerpop band, but a wealth on information on other bands that you like but just don’t knbow it yet. To top it off, the first pressing contained a bonus CD!
Tasteful Nudes
By Dave Hill
Valley Lodge’s Dave Hill gives us a collection of short (and true) stories that tickle the funny bone or simply remind us that we’re all pretty much one nugget short of a Happy Meal. Highlights are entries about covering a nudist cruise for a magazine, visiting Japan with the band, the strange characters living in the famous Chelsea Hotel & much more.
Ian Dury – The Definitive Biography
By Will Birch
Even if you’re not a huge Ian Dury fan, this is a story of a fascinating guy who overcame incredible obstacles to become somewhat of a national treasure despite his often prickly disposition and general paranoia. The Records’ Will Birch provides as up-close a look at this strange, complex and talented man
and his musical commentary as we’ll likely every get.
Rip It Up & Start Again – Postpunk 1978-1984
By Simon Reynolds
Having written for Melody Maker, Rolling Stone and The New York Times, Simon Reynolds knows his way around the written word. Apparently, he knows his way around the British post-punk scene to. I like to think I know a fair amount about the more interesting bands that immediately followed punk in the mid to late 70’s, but Reynolds surprised me with insights about Talking Heads, Joy Division, and all of the bands Malcolm McLaren hatched – some that highlighting his genius, others his sickness.
Power Pop Prime – A Pop Geek’s Guide to Awesome
By Bruce Brodeen
Not Lame’s Bruce Brodeen has put together a series of books highlighting the best bands and greatest powerpop, organized by time period. Each volume in the series is sold as a limited edition so all may not be available, but its probably not too late to get a few from Bruce at a lessor cost and then find others at online used stores.
Know a good book I’ve neglected to include? Leave the title in the comments below.
