Next week’s book list reminded me: I interviewed John Darnielle once. It was about 25 years ago, when the Mountain Goats founder was still recording albums at home on a boom box — and still working as a counselor for children with behavioral problems. He’s come a long way since then — so far, in fact, that I doubt I’ll get the chance to talk to him again. I’ll happily settle for reading his new book of lyrics and reflections. If your tastes run more toward Van Morrison, The Who and Alice Gerrard, the book gods also have you covered. Read all about ’em:
This Year: 365 Songs Annotated: A Book Of Days
By John Darnielle
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From his early days recording on a boom box, through the evolution of The Mountain Goats from a solo project to a full band, to his continued influence on indie music, This Year pairs the definitive texts of 365 John Darnielle songs with first-person commentaries on his life and music. These commentaries reveal how the songs came to be and the people who inspired them: His family and friends; his wife, Lalitree Darnielle; his longtime collaborator, Peter Hughes; and even his literary heroes, among many others. Here are the origins of This Year, No Children, The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton and Up the Wolves, as well as Darnielle’s literary influences, including Flannery O’Connor, Jorge Luis Borges and Stephen King. This Year, spanning decades, becomes the definitive literary record of one of the greatest songwriters and musical creative forces of all time.”
Lit Up Inside / Keep ‘Er Lit: The Collected Lyrics
By Van Morrison
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Featuring the lyrics to over 200 songs, and with a foreword by John Cooper Clarke, this is the work of a contemporary master, collected for the first time in a single beautiful volume. The reader will find examples of all the features of the world that Van Morrison has created through his work: the back streets and mystic avenues; memories of childhood wonder and of adult work; the chime of church bells and the playing of the radio; the generous naming of other artists and the joy of solitude; love and sharp dealing; consolation and grace. This volume gives an overview of his 60-year career, revealing why he is celebrated as one of the most innovative and enduring songwriters of our time.”
The Who: Won’t Get Fooled Again
By Michael O’Neill
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “My Generation, Pinball Wizard and Baba O’Riley are some of the most well-known tracks in rock history. The rock opera Tommy, the genre-defining Live At Leeds, and the classic Quadrophenia are just some of The Who‘s albums. The band’s original lineup had an amazing 15-year span, as they toured their way around the globe, performing live and recording until the death of drummer Keith Moon in 1978. Then John Entwistle died in 2002, but the remaining founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend continue to tour. Won’t Get Fooled Again takes you on the journey with the band as they conquered the world: From small London clubs to Madison Square Garden, from 7” vinyl releases to multimillion-selling albums, all the way to recognition as global rock gods. The stories behind the music with an album-by-album analysis and accompanied by images from many of the most well-known contemporary rock photographers gives a unique insight into one of the most influential groups in the history of rock music.”
Custom Made Woman: A Life In Traditional Music
By Alice Gerrard
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Alice Gerrard, an award-winning and storied folk and bluegrass musician for over 50 years, is one of the notable few women in a heavily male genre. Custom Made Woman tells Gerrard’s story through the music, the folk festivals, the kids, and the relationships — both personal and professional — that defined her storied life and career. Her collaborations with Appalachian singer Hazel Dickens during the 1960s and 1970s were pivotal recordings during the decades after the American folk music boom of the mid-century; the duo produced four albums that have recently been rereleased by Rounder Records and Smithsonian Folkways. In addition to Dickens, Gerrard has worked with folks like Tommy Jarrell, Enoch Rutherford, Otis Burris, Luther Davis and Matokie Slaughter, and founded The Old-Time Herald, based in Durham, N.C., serving as its editor-in-chief from 1987 until 2003.”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source tinnitist.com ’
