Genres Books

This is one incredible art book. Very professionnaly done, very high quality reprints of stunning poster artwork done over the years for the excellent rock band Electric Frankenstein. If you love horror (especially vintage stuff like Universal monster movies and Famous monsters magazine) and if you love rock n' roll, you need this book. 160 full-color pages of some of the best undergound artist's renditions of the electric frankenstein theme. As a graphic designer by profession and fan of all things monsters, zombies and creatures, I really do appreciate the work done on these wonderful pieces of art, and I more than understand how big a job it is to scan the images and put together a book like this one. Very well done, beautiful art and lots of Boris Karloff! I'm very happy to own this, a great item that I will cherish for years to come.

In a word, this is about PASSION. The band is
passionate about performing rock & roll. The
poster artists are passionate about creating
artwork reflecting the band's punk rock & roll
ethos and its highly amused worldview.

The poster artwork, some actual advertisements,
some commemoratives, is superb. Many pieces are
frankly mesmerizing. Dark Horse has done an
excellent job of producing the works in accurate
color. Sal Canzonieri, one of the founding
bandmembers, has pulled together all the key
posters and CD artwork that's defined the band's
image since inception.

Electric Frankenstein developed its following
from posting "anonymous" flyers in the streets of
Manhattan,long before their first gig. People
wondered what Electric Frankenstein was supposed
to be. It was an inspired artistic prank, but
thankfully the band turned out to be quite real
indeed.

You can read more about Electric Frankenstein
in ART OF MODERN ROCK, which will be published
this Fall by Chronicle Books.

Not only has Electric Frankenstein been making action packed, kick ass rock and roll for the last 13 years... they have an amazing collection of artwork to go along with it. You don't have to be an EF fan to appreciate this book. (but why the hell wouldn't you be?!) It's crammed page to page with with full color poster art, flash, and album art by some of todays top rock and roll artists, and tons of up and comming artists as well. It's one of the largest printed collections of it's kind, and a must for anyone who collects rock and roll memorabilia. It's beautifully printed and absolutely stuffed with eye candy. You MUST own this book.

Everyone interested in great rock and roll should purchase this book at once. It is filled with Posters from many of the best Rock and Roll Poster creators from across the world. My mind is still reeling from the Posters.
This book is also a great look at the modern Hi Energy Rock and ROll Revolution that EF(Electric Frankenstein) is leading. Some of the Bills EF has played on are mind boggling. This book also has a nice history of EF that I enjoyed reading and so will you!
Sal Canzonieri has done a great job, leading EF and also creating this book and deserves all the support in the world.If you like your action High High, help EF conquer the World.

Eric
Mr. Rock-n-Roll

I love this book. It's full of tons of Electric Frankenstien concert posters by some of the best artists around (Lisa Petucci, Coop, Kozik...). In fact, I can't think of an artist who isn't represented in this collection!

And this is one quality printing - the colors are vivid, clear and do the art justice.

You'll look through this book again and again, but don't forget to put an EF record on the stereo!

Did you read or get this book? Well my God what are you all waiting for!

I have never ever seen such intense research put into an Elvis book before in my life .. and this is just the early volume!

This book is worth not only the great photos but for the impressive family tree and lineage that was done on Elvis and his family. I mean did you know that Elvis' family tree was traced back to Denmark to the 1595? I sure didnt, until now.

I am now going to hold Elvis trivia contests with all my Elvis friends and fan club members ... This book is remarkable. that is all I can say.

Jim once again, a super book. And your assistant did a super job with her research! You guys actually proved a lot of "so-called experts" wrong!

Another must book for the Elvis fan!

This book should get an award just for the research that was done in putting this book together. This team of Jim and Renata is the best ever in the Elvis world. Just wonderful, wonderful information is PACKED into this little book! You would think its a mini encyclopedia with how much writing is involved in this book!

If this book, the early years, is this great; I can't wait for the next volumes!

I personally thought that was no other information that could be FOUND on Elvis, but I was wrong. I think Jim and Renata truly pinpointed Elvis' family tree to a T ..... I can't find fault in it. Everything seems to fit and make sense. Not even Elvis' family members got things as right! So what does that mean to us? THE PERFECT INFORMATIVE BOOK!

Thanks a million!

Ok. While on the road, I used this book to conduct trivia contests. The guys I am with, are Elvis fans and they always try to prove that they know Elvis more than I. So this book put an end to that!

But I will say this: I TOO WAS WRONG on many occasions! I never knew 50-60% of the information that was listed in this book -- and I thought I knew a LOT! So this is an educational book beyond any Elvis fans' expections or knowledge!

I think this will soon become an Elvis Bible to the fans and Elvis world - if it's not already!

Remarkable from the first page to the last!

What struck me about this book was the beautiful and clean art deco cover. What a gorgeous cover! And what fun it is to look at.

I bought it along with Christmas with Elvis by the same author. Never knew about anyone making a Christmas book with Elvis! So I was thrilled about that!

Anyway I took this book home, and to keep it short: I have so far read it 3 times from cover to cover! That is how enticing this book is. Never had I thought possible that anyone could trace Elvis' family history back that far as did Mr. Curtin. Because Graceland still has the OLD information that Elvis came from Scotland and Andrew Pressley! My goodness Mr. Curtin goes back much much farther. What an important addition Mr. Curtin is to the Elvis world. He is the key to the lock on the Elvis Presley that no one dares to write about: THE GOOD MAN!

Thank you Mr. Curtin for showing class in authoring a beautiful book on Elvis. And thank you for all your extremely hard work in finding out all this information on Elvis and for sharing it with us fans. God Bless you and much continued success.

I AM NOW TYPING IN CAPITALS!

JUST READ THIS BOOK AND I WILL SAY THIS : I AM AMAZED AT JIM CURTIN AND HIS WRITER FOR WHAT, AND HOW MUCH THEY RESEARCHED ON ELVIS.

SO WITH THIS REVIEW I AM GETTING ON MY KNEES AND THANKING GOD NOT ONLY FOR GIFTING THIS WORLD WITH ELVIS, BUT FOR GIFTING THE ELVIS WORLD WITH JIM CURTIN! (and lets not forget Renata)

THANK YOU .... THANK YOU .... THANK YOU .... THANKYOUVERYMUCH!

Great news for anyone interested in the traditional folk ballads known as the "Child Ballads" that Francis James Child's late 1800s compilation "The English and Scottish Pupular Ballads" is now republished in a fully corrected and revised edition with the traditional tunes reunited with the texts. The new edition by Loomis House Press (...) is now available in paperback and cloth editions - so far volumes 1, 2 and 3 (of 5) are issued. Amazon lists them but the three volumes are hard to find on the Amazon site. The earlier 1965 facsimile edition by Dover has also now been republished - but the Loomis House Press edition is greatly superior - and is available from Loomis in USA and Springthyme in UK as well as from Amazon.

Child's "English and Scottish Popular Ballads" is THE sourcebook for anyone interested in the traditional ballads of the British Isles, and also invaluable to all aficionados of European folklore and folksong in general. For those not up on their terminology, a ballad is a folksong with a plot, and Child's collection covers everything from foul murders to star-crossed lovers to Robin Hood, in five volumes.

I am extremely happy that someone has finally issued an edition incorporating the various addenda and corrections that Child made before his death. There is nothing here that Child did not write, so if you are looking for additional scholarship or commentary you will be disappointed; but the Loomis House edition vastly improves over the Dover facsimiles in completeness and convenience. Additional variants, comments and even some tunes (the one big omission in the original) are placed conveniently near the main text of each category rather than buried in appendices (most of which aren't included in the Dover editions at all). It's well worth the few extra dollars over the Dover books.

My one quibble is that they do not reproduce some of the typographical distinctions that Child occasionally used to indicate different features of a text, but this is overshadowed by all the good points of this edition.

Overall this is a wonderful and affordable edition; I fervently hope that all five volumes are issued as planned (it's been almost a year since Volume 3 came out...). I have no idea why Amazon makes these books so hard to find on their site: fix this, guys!

In summary: Buy this book. Now if someone would only reprint Bertrand Bronson's "The Singing Tradition of Child's Popular Ballads" as well....

I first heard of the Child ballads when I was about 13 years old and have been looking for a copy ever since. I was delighted to discover they have been brought back into print. This publication is particularly exciting since the editors have chosen to include musical notation collected by Child but not included in the original publication. Many of the ballads still sung today in Eastern Canada and the US were derived from these ballads, so these books are a facinating study of the earlier origins of these and many other ballads from the british iles.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads are, as noted here, out of print in their Dover edition ... but fear not, they are being re-issued (in 5 volumes, 2 of which are actually done) by the folks at Loomis House Press. (I am not affiliated with Loomis in any way; do a Google search if you want to find 'em.) The books are authoritative and complete, and it's disappointing that Amazon doesn't list them.

Superb. For anyone interested in either the words or origins of English & Scottish folk music this is essential. You can settle those arguments (over a beer) as to who has the correct words or the origin.

The biblography needs some getting used to but when you understand it you will find this book a good companion.

This book sticks to the music, and what music it was, or should I say, what music *made* - sometimes from situational film material. But this work sticks mainly to A-list, non-soundtrack recordings.
Whether he stuck closely to the demo, or reference disc, or completely reworked the tune, he made it at least interesting and listenable, and those that didn't make that cut (like "Hey Jude") are given a fair chance.
Since '68, I still can't believe what he did with "You'll Never Walk Alone"; discovering years later it was he on piano working out a "head" arrangement on the spot, made it seem even greater. This book will remind you why you liked a particular track in the first place or why you should have. At age 17, I didn't appreciate the depth of this performance, which in this book is described with masterful strokes. Another revelation for me was in reading about "Crying In The Chapel". I've always enjoyed Elvis' record of it, but thought he could have put more *voice* on it. Roy and Aspell evaluated the number as a whole and brought out nuances which have caused me to realize that it, too, is A-list.
I would have been happy to find reviews of movie fluff entries like "Sand Castles" or "Shake That Tambourine", but let's hope we get an "alternate take edition" of this fine manuscript.

THIS NOVEL SHOULD GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS TO EVER BE WRITTEN ABOUT THE KING OF ROCK -N- ROLL . IT'S REALLY GOOD . IT TELL'S THE STORY BEHIND 112 OF THE KINGS GREATEST AND NOT SO GREATEST SONGS .IT FOCUSES ON WHAT REALLY IS GREAT ABOUT ELVIS' LIFE HIS MUSIC !

"The Essential Elvis" is a thoughtful exploration of the King's music from 1954 until his death in 1977. It's an important and much-needed work that concentrates solely on Presley's artistry. Authors Samuel Roy and Tom Aspell break free from the ill-informed mythology of most Elvis publications by re-examining Presley's work in provocative, exciting ways. You may not agree with all of the writers' criticisms, but it encourages you to track down the 112 Elvis recordings listed in their book.

There have been 4,567 books written about Elvis, mostly by people who have never known him, but whose third cousin's sixth-removed niece might have once dated Elvis' former schoolteacher's third wife. Then there's "The Essential Elvis." What makes this book so different is that Samuel Roy and Tom Aspell trace Elvis' life and legacy through personal history as well as 112 of his most significant songs. The book doesn't proclaim to be an expose or definitive history (it's neither); what it is is a clear portrait of the Man Who Would Be King, told through behind-the-scenes knowledge that uncovers and pieces
together the story of a man, his times, talent and cultural influences. And the 20 photographs -- many of which have never been published --- add a nice touch.

This excellent book is about what was most important to Elvis and his fans: his songs and music. One of the most significant things the authors said about Elvis is the following words: «The first and best thing that can be done for Elvis Presley is to lessen the emphasis that has been placed on his later years and focus on the talent and genius that define the King.....one of the reasons for his demise was because he cared and felt too much...it got to the point that being Elvis Presley was one of the hardest jobs in the world». I agree completely with the authors and, as a fan, my only wish is that this book will make the people, who don't respect Elvis, see the light...

Kayak Reef by Bradley Stewart, reviewed by Seth Kerin.

Right from the start Kayak Reef by Bradley Stewart is one of the more original novels I have read. The setting alone, taking in a people and culture that is little known by most, make the novel worth reading. Stewart does a fine job blending interesting bits of Inuit culture and legends and weaving the information - mostly necessary information - seamlessly into the story.

There are many themes in the novel, from adventure and romance to the environment and almost supernatural legends, and those themes are tightly bound throughout. There are, of course, coming-of-age themes as well, as the protagonist and his friend work to find their way in a world that is somewhere between the modern world and the old ways of their people.

There are times when the storytelling veers off into explanations of things that seem a bit unnecessary (albeit often interesting), or when there is a time jump that seems to be a bit off, potentially confusing some readers - however these minor issues aren't enough to take away from the overall experience of the novel, nor do they detract from the book's message. It's a message that is deep on many levels, and a careful read will lead to the best understanding.

In particular the main character's conversations with his mother are fascinating, bordering on fortune telling, yet always seeming to fall back to the casual and loving relationship of mother and son. The mother seems to enjoy doling out wisdom in her own peculiar style, and this draws the reader further into the story.

Kayak Reef succeeds on many levels, whether you are reading for pure enjoyment or whether you hope to get something more from the story, any reader will find something to their liking in this novel.

Within a few pages of this book, you realize this tale of two boys is building a subplot. Pages later on the edge of your seat, the story rewinds a hundred years and Myauka's world on the Arctic, comes to life. Suddenly I was inside a legend that would rival Walt Disney's best.

The closely weaved double story of Myauka's past, and the boys, developed as if two books were inside. I especially liked Geoff's talks with his mother. I was impressed by the author's description of how the universe was made. The vivid scenes were structured, and then a theme of putting others first was rippling in.

This adventure brings to surface the harrowing events that strike in the path of poachers on the hunt. From the youth's growth and elements of fate, came two teens galvanized with inner strength. The theme matured, and paralleling this, a love story entered.

Protecting wildlife and kayaking in such severe conditions, gave these boys extremely potent senses. It is this supernatural nature in the tale which allows the reader to experience the enchanted story in real time. Excitement, love, pain and joy, brings this metamorphic tale, which provokes with such diversity, together as it heads for an emotionally uplifting close. I didn't want it to end.

Chris V.

With so many cliff-hanging moments in this adventure fantasy, and wild developments, digressions, whip-sawing transitions from the present to the past and back again, back and forth, shifting point-of -view focussing first on the present day teenaged hero and his extended family and then the spirit/ghost/legend of a long-lost Eskimo girl (and her remarkable pet, a rather intelligent penguin named Louie), the book reads like a stream-of-consciousness coming-of-age tale (reminding me of some surreal foreign novel I read in school ages ago?) pitting the good and noble native cultures and traditions against the "civilized" hunters. The words tumble on to the page with passion, evoking sorrow, pain, and happiness - and sometimes wit, as when the "golf ball machine" rained down hailstones, and I felt like running for cover and simultaneously reading on to see what could possibly happen next.... What a ride! This would make a great movie!

Excellent read! I really enjoyed this book so very much. The typical beginning of a mother and two toddlers opening the story in conversation is a clincher. The main character, Geoff, lives in a world like any other boy; never mind things are familiar. His life is anything but normal.

The author, Bradley Stewart has really captured my imagination with his innovative writing characteristics. I love when a book carries you away to thoughts and places in your own mind that aren't visited often enough, and Kayak Reef certainly does so! This heartfelt tale is full of adventure and fantasy. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as I did!

This book is relevant to what is happening to the wildlife on our planet. It is very spiritual and life changing. It's more than an adventure, a mystery or a romance it keeps the reader rivetet with twists and turns. In the end of this book good prevails over evil.

If you love Michael Franti you'll love this book. It has tons of pictures from touring early on when he was playing bass with the beatnigs to right before he came out with the yell fire album. It has all the lyrics to mostly everything he has done,(except for some imports)then it comes with a dvd of some live shows. You will love this book as I do because there isn't very much reading to do Food For the Masses: Michael Franti-Portraits and Lyrics

For Franti fans wanting a good way coffee table book or postable lyric for their home, office, car, or anywhere this is a good buy. While the dvd footage of shows isn't the best for die-hard fans, its pretty good. I'd recommend going to a show for a good time, not necessarily watching the dvd to get a good feel for franti and spearhead. Good images into their life, and great showings of sometimes how songs can be scribbled up or even written on napkins.

This is a realy great book with copies of original handwritten lyrics, excellent photos, and a CD/DVD included. Definitely suggest this to anyone who enjoys Michael!

This book made any excellent present and is a must for any Spearhead fan. The pictures and info are very informative and the live DVD a real bonus.

If you are lucky enought to be or becoming a Michael Franti fan, this book celebrates his poetic muse. The words that come through him stand on their own as works of art. As Michael says, "every single soul is a poem written on the back of God's hand".

If one can track down this book, get it. It is a marvelous collection of articles on CSNY, from some of the best, like Cameron Crowe. Unlike the CSN book, Zimmer does right, by this one.

A fully fascinating review of the personalities involved in creating heavenly music. While occassionally repititious, it satisfies whatever curiosities you may have about this splendid group.

You'll be glad you buy this book, if you do! I was a little young when CSN&Y came out (only 7!), but I kept up with them through the years and always found them fascinating. This book makes you feel like you've got a scrapbook of them from "the old days." The journalism is great, especially the pieces of Cameron Crowe and the first piece about Laurel Canyon and its many musical artists. You also "get to know" the personalities because of the concise natures of the interviews. I found out a lot about my favorite, Stephen Stills. I also love the selection of B&W pictures and took them to Kinko's to copy and put on my walls! The book truly captures their magic and fire. I also have Zimmer's bio, but it's always the Reader that I go back to because you can skip around in it too. The only regret I have is that I will it was a larger book, like the size of the Rolling Stone magazine, which would really give it a scrapbook feel. Nevertheless, I'm thrilled that I found this by doing an Amazon search! Please buy; you'll be glad you did!

Dave Zimmer has complied articles from the thrity-five year career of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The articles are great because they are from the time the events in the band's career were actually unfolding and you don't get that filtered look of biographies that were written years later. The more interesting articles are from the early days especially ones by Lenny Kaye and Cameron Crowe. A worthwhile read for all fans of CSN&Y.

This book is riveting, even electrical, for anybody who wants an inside look at the music business. The selections are in interview form, so as you read, it feels like the music stars are sitting in nearby chairs as they detail inside stories, opinions and perspectives. The author/editor who put it together, Daved Zimmer, did a fantastic job, and no one came better prepared for the job. When Crosby was arrested, I saw that Mr. Zimmer was the one who the New York Times sought out for comment. Even if you are only distantly interested in CSN&Y, but are fascinated with the music biz, you will find the book hits the bulls-eye.

I don't write reviews for books, but I found this book to be absolutely fabulous!!! I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend it!

From being raped and molested, Rachael has had one traumatic experience after another. She had to deal with issues like being abandoned by her mother, physical and mental abuse, and never knowing who her dad was. With two failed marriages and a suicide attempt, she comes to a crossroads in life and is unsure of which way to go. Rachael's new found love for the Lord keeps a light burning strong within her. She then realizes that there's a force stronger than she is. Soon she understands that God has great plans for her life. Throughout her constant downfalls, a voice enables Rachael to stay true to God and embattle the storm.

From the Extreme shows the reader that you can repent, be delivered, and be healed from whatever is going on within your life. What I mainly enjoyed about this book was that no matter what obstacles that was put in front of Rachael, she pulled through them and pressed her way through. Author Renea Collins continued to make God an intricate part of the story that was profound. There are scriptures quoted and prayers prayed throughout the different parts of this book. You may try to imagine yourself as Rachael and try to figure out what you would do if you were in these situations. She takes you through all of the issues that the main character goes through and how she depended on no one but God to bring her out of the storm. From The Extreme will make you think about your life in terms of how well of a relationship you have with the Lord.

Reviewed by Jackie
for Urban Reviews

From the extreme is a powerful book that is full of a woman's dramatic life. What I loved about the book is that no matter what the character racheal experieneced she continued to push and press through it. She knew even from the time she was a small girl that God was going to come in her life and change her situtations around. This woman went through all kinds of drama but never, never gave up beleiving that God could change it around. Thats what I have learned from this book is that whether He does or not He; God can change it around... And just seeing where Racheal came from to where she is now is a blessing and a praise that I love to just shout about!!! You go girl! I will purchase your next book too. This is a must read book!

Man,I'm so happy for u Renea Collins. Thank u for a awesome book. It has allowd me to think about things in a different way. ( a good way) CONGRATS and cant wait for the next book.

I loved this book I could not put it down I know this book is going to deliver millions of women through Christ Jesus please do your self a favor and GO GET THIS BOOK this book is so awsome

This book has a wonderful selection of soprano arias from common to somewhat lesser known pieces.

A little something for everyone in here. All the arias you've been looking for in one album. YAY.

I needed this book for my voice lessons and it was a great price and in wonderful condition. Thank you!

I've had this book since I was 17 when I first started studying voice. It's a great resource, especially for beginners who have not yet mastered Italian, French or German. It provides literal translations of every aria which is so important. It is also lightweight but sturdy. My copy is still in great shape. The only bone I have to pick is that the fach varies quite a bit from repertore suited to light lyric sopranos all the way to the dramatic. One singer obviously would not sing all of these arias. However, if your voice grows and matures I guess it's possible to start with a Handel aria in this book and progress to the heavier Puccini, depending on how your career goes. In any event, it's a nice collection of arias and you'll probably find 2 or 3 at least that you'll need at some point which is much better than shelling out cash for the complete scores.

Although not all of the arias in this edition (or any edition for that matter) will fit one particular fach, the range and selection of pieces is really wonderful in this volume. I prefer it to the first volume, only because it has a few lesser known gems that are great audition pieces, whereas the first volume covers mostly pieces everyone has heard a million times before (though there are some of those in this volume too!).

Over all, well edited, wonderful translations and very easy to read.

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get a Shot of Rhythm and Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

This is a great book that provides clear and concise insight into the life of Arthur Alexander. The story behind the singer, the songwriter and a true influence behind some of the greatest figures of rock and roll. This story should be made into a movie so everyone can learn about this unsung hero. Richard Younger has researched Arthur's life, the people he affected directly, and the soul of this talented man. READ THIS BOOK AND LEARN THE STORY OF A MAN WHO DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND REMEMBERED!!!

After being a fan of Arthur Alexander in the early sixties he seemed to drop out of sight, occassional records but very little else seemed to appear, this book puts the record straight and fills in all those gaps. It also goes a long way to answering the reasons that he did not make it to the position in the music scene that his undoubted talent deserved. The book is very well written by Richard Younger who obviously felt very deeply about the subject, he deals with the problems that AA encountered in his music career and his private life. It was sad that at the very time that AA was begining to make a comeback and he was again showing the talent that was always there he was taken from us. He had become religious during the last few years and this seemed to have a calming effect on him and I am sure that he would have again had big selling records. Thank you Richard for an insight into the life of Arthur Alexander through the highs and lows.

Arthur Alexander was always a mystery man - till now! Richard Younger's biography of one of the most distinctive and influential black singers of the 60s sheds sympathetic illumination upon the life, the music - and the demons - of this woefully underrated singer/songwriter (the only writer to have songs cut by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan). AA's hugely-satisfying vocals married to his distinctive soul-country arrangements (his reputation was founded on just four 1962 Dot-label singles) emerged moments before the UK beat boom swept the globe and was crucial in its influence on the Beatles and the Stones. Younger's book explains how it all came about, taking us on a roller-coaster ride through AA's life of musical and personal extremes. With a series of revealing interviews he transports us to the heart of the Alabama music scene and charts Arthur's role in the foundation of the Muscle Shoals/Fame recording empires. Whether you're a long-term Alexander devotee, a soul music buff, or simply a Sixties survivor, then you'll find this unputdown-able tome a tonic that'll have you listening with a fresh ear to those perennial Alexander classics.

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.