Author Robert Rodriguez, in a fascinating new book, makes the case for Revolver — not its successor, the lavishly praised Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band — as the Beatles’ game-changing signature work.

Rock journalist Rob Kern, an avowed metalhead, chronicles his journey across a blistering sunscape of Chicago music in 33 Days in the Hole, now available in eBook format.

Even in his formative stages Eric Clapton was earning a rapturous, rabid following and inspiring generations of guitarists to come. “He was already a star,” says veteran music journalist and author Chris Welch.

by Derrick Lord Occasionally jazz and blues fans need to be reminded that we don’t have to limit ourselves strictly to musical recordings. Keep in mind there is plenty of great artwork available that would be a nice addition to any collection or music room.

by Mark Saleski I had forgotten just how crazy Lester could be. I would often finish with one of his reviews in Creem (ah, those were the days) and wonder if the danged magazine was trying to pull a fast one on me. Nope. They were not. What I was dealin’ with was a guy who, even at his most [...]

by Mark Saleski We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. During the late 1970′s, my hormone-addled adolescent brain held a few things dear: my girlfriend, my Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath and Kiss records and my copy of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The funny and/or ironic thing about [...]

by Mark Saleski This is the amazing, hilarious and true story of Sue Carpenter, a woman who gave corporate radio and the FCC the big ‘ef U’ by starting her own pirate radio station — right out of her apartment atop a hill in San Francisco. A career opportunity (writing for a magazine) and first attempt at junkie-boyfriend escape causes [...]

by Mark Saleski The Vanishing Voter Project conducted over 80,000 interviews during the year 2000 United States presidential campaign. The goal was to study the reasons behind the the fact that the United States has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among industial nations. The resultant book, Thomas E. Patterson’s The Vanishing Voter, brings to light the many reasons [...]

In an interlocking story with a few shimmering asides, John Dufresne writes about everyday love in his book “Johnny Too Bad” with riveting color and emotion. Actually, a character named John writes about them, or tries to. Still, there are brilliant shards of light running through these pieces, which fit together as both yearnings for love and anxiety at having [...]

by Mark Saleski Dan Ho wants to liberate you from your own house. From the many unnecessary items, chores and other stuff that in theory makes your life “better.” And just how would he know anything about this? Oh believe me, he knows. Dan and his wife were, as they say (or maybe they used to say) livin’ large. They [...]